Falling in Love with Bottom Whorl Supported Spindle 

Words and photos by Cynthia Haney 

I first fell in love with spinning yarn on a top whorl drop spindle, using park-and-draft to build my skills before spinning suspended. I manage the spindle with one hand while the other holds my fiber supply. After setting the spindle in motion, I move my spindle hand to my fiber hand. I pinch on my yarn where it ends, controlling the twist with both hands to keep it out of the fiber. I move my hands apart about a staple length, drafting. I slide my spindle hand smoothly on the drafted fiber as I release twist, forming yarn. This process ensures I am always holding yarn so the spindle does not fall. The spindle descends, drops, as I spin more yarn. I prefer this worsted drafting method, which makes a firm yarn. I enjoy spinning fiber prepared as top for smooth worsted yarn, maximizing any natural luster. 

Recently, I tried spinning with a bottom whorl suspended spindle. The whorl crowded the shaft where I expected to put my spindle hand. When I wound onto the shaft, I needed a long yarn leader to reach the hook. Spinning suspended, I could make the same yarns using either spindle type, but the handling differences kept me from enjoying bottom whorl as much as top whorl. 

Then I tried bottom whorl with the spindle supported by the shaft’s pointed bottom end. With this method, I flick on the shaft just below the hook with my spindle hand. I curl my fingers around the shaft, allowing the spinning spindle to lean on them. I must allow twist into my drafting without my spindle hand moving to pinch it off. I need a fiber preparation that will draft freely in the presence of twist – I know fiber prepared as top gets locked by twist, resisting drafting.  

I pull a staple length of wool from prepared top and fold the staple over my fiber hand fingers. I catch the fold with the spindle’s hook. I spin the spindle, providing twist, and pull my fiber hand away from the spindle. Instead of constantly pinching off the twist, I let it flow. I draft using only the twist to grip the fibers, swinging my fiber hand farther away. When I am out of arm reach, I pinch my fiber hand to shut off the supply. I continue to flick my spindle, adding more twist until it locks the drafted fibers into yarn. I am ready to wind onto the spindle shaft. I release my yarn from the hook and start winding above the whorl. I spin the spindle supported as I tension and guide my yarn to shape the cop. I aim my remaining leader up the shaft, spiraling it to the hook. 

I spin an airy squishy yarn with a fuzzy matte appearance. I release control and embrace the rhythm of spinning while drafting against the twist. As I develop a steady pace my yarn becomes more uniform. 

With my bottom whorl spindle supported on a bowl, the handling differences from top whorl become advantages. The low whorl position grounds the spindle nicely, freeing my yarn and drafting from the spindle’s weight. I draft long draw woolen supported instead of short draw suspended. I wind on faster with the spindle supported than when holding the shaft of a top whorl spindle. I spin roving, rolag, or batt preparations supported, keeping the woolen fuzziness soft. When I draft those preparations worsted, the fuzz on the firm yarn can feel prickly.  

I decided to spin the same Romney wool top from alk&me fiber art studio into opposite yarns. With my top whorl spindle suspended, I took full advantage of the linear smooth worsted preparation. I drafted the Romney top worsted, spinning a dense, lustrous single. On my bottom whorl spindle supported, I transformed the top by taking staple lengths and folding the fibers in a U. I drafted long draw woolen to spin a squishy, fuzzy single. 

I finished each single into a 2-ply yarn. Using the worsted single, I plied suspended from the top whorl spindle. I fed the singles into the twist while smoothing them with my fingertips. Using the woolen single from the bottom whorl spindle, I plied supported on a larger bottom whorl spindle. I fed the singles into the twist, separated by my fingers. I provided resistance only to keep the rate even, maintaining the air in the singles. 

I washed both yarns in hot water with shampoo and rinsed them with cold water. I handled the worsted suspended-spun skein only to squeeze it out. I agitated the woolen support-spun skein in the wash. After rolling both skeins in a towel, I snapped them open with my hands to tidy up the yarn. I hung the skeins to dry under their own weight. 

I noticed little change in the worsted suspended-spun skein (on the left). I found the support-spun woolen skein (on the right) improved with agitation. I like the halo it developed. The squishy, fuzzy yarn calls me to make a cozy project.  

The totally different method of spinning supported inspires me. I love the easy flow of drafting with the twist acting like a mysterious force to form yarn without my intervention. Now I love spinning my bottom whorl spindles. 

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