Drop Spindles

A drop spindle is the simplest way to spin your own yarn. You hang it from a leader, set it turning and let the twist run into the wool while you draft. We carry top whorl, low whorl and Turkish spindles, and kits that include the fiber you'll spin first.

Choosing a drop spindle

Weight and yarn thickness

A light spindle spins fine yarn and a heavy one spins thicker yarn, since a fine single can only carry so much weight. Spindles of 1/2 to 1 oz, like the smallest Ashford Top Whorl or the Jorn Piel Mini Nordic, suit lace and fine wools. For a first spindle, 2 to 3 oz keeps turning longer while your hands learn to draft.

Top whorl, low whorl or Turkish

Top whorl spindles have the whorl just under the hook, low whorl spindles have it near the bottom, and the Schacht Hi-Lo works both ways. The Turkish spindles from Ashford and Majacraft come apart when you're done, leaving a wound ball that's ready to ply.

What else you need

Mostly fiber. A wool with a medium staple of about 3 to 5 in, like our Corriedale roving, is commonly recommended for a first spinner. The Spinning with Shetland kit and the Kromski Drop Spindle Kits pair a spindle with wool and instructions. When the spindle fills, a niddy noddy winds the yarn into a skein. Our step-by-step drop spindle guide walks through your first yarn, and if you're torn between two spindles, call or chat with us.

Frequently Asked Questions

A drop spindle is a shaft with a weighted disc, called the whorl, and a hook or notch to hold the yarn. You tie on a length of yarn called a leader, set the spindle spinning and let it hang while the twist runs up into the fiber you're drafting. When the spindle nears the floor, you wind the new yarn onto the shaft and start again.

Look at 2 to 3 oz for a first spindle. The Ashford Student weighs 2 1/4 oz and the Kromski spindles weigh 3 oz, and both makers pitch them at beginners. A heavier spindle keeps turning longer while you learn to draft. Lighter spindles, down to 1/2 oz, are for finer yarn once the motion feels natural.

Both make good yarn, so it comes down to how it feels in your hand. A top whorl has its whorl under the hook and starts fast with a roll down your thigh. A low whorl has its whorl near the bottom, with the yarn wound on above it. The Schacht Hi-Lo has a hook at the top and a grooved shaft below, so you can try both styles on one spindle.

A Turkish spindle is a low whorl spindle with two crossed arms in place of a disc. You wind the yarn over and under the arms as you spin, and when it's full you pull out the shaft and slide the arms free, leaving a wound ball ready for plying. The Majacraft set comes with four arm sets, from 10 g to 30 g, on one shaft.

A wool with a medium staple, about 3 to 5 in, and moderate crimp is commonly recommended for a first spinner. Corriedale sits in that range, and so does BFL. Fine merino is better saved until drafting feels easy. If your top feels packed tight, loosen it a little before you start.

Yes. A spindle teaches the same drafting and twist control a wheel uses, for a small part of the cost, so you'll know you love spinning before you spend more. When you're ready for a wheel, call or chat with us and we'll help you pick one.