Drop spindles are thousands of years old.



This quote come from Lollipops they have a very good page on learning to spin.

http://www.handspinning.com/lollipops/spininst.htm

Here is a picture of the hand panted spindles they sell.
         

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Wolly designs Fancy Drop spindles look like this  

http://www.woollydesigns.com/spindles/fancy.htm



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Here is a couple of pictures of mine from various manufactures
The first spindle is filled with a custom blend of Cotton and silk.

The spindle comes from The SilverGoose



All Metal Tahkli Spindle



Pear Tahkli Spindle
Schacht Spindle Co.



Turkish Drop Spindle



Light weight wooden spindle



This one is a beginners spindles that I make for the classes I have taught in the past



Pull out a small pinch of fiber and twist between the fingers you will notice that the more twist you add the stronger the fibers are as a whole become.  
To spin on a drop spindle ( and that includes a pencil or dowel rod stuck through the center of an apple).  



You will need a leader about 1 yard long.  Tye to the shaft of the spindle and looped around the tip into a half hitch if there is not a hook provided.



Draft some fiber out then give the spindle a twist like you would for a top.  
Just make sure your always spin in the same direction, otherwise your yarn will fall apart, resulting in a droped spindle.



Give the spindle a twist when you feel the twist building up between your fingers release the fingers closest to the spindle and let the twist run up the fibers to form yarn.

You may want to support the drop spindle on a surface when you first begin to spin.  When you are Spinning and drafting fiber you can try to use the spindle while not supported again.

Excellent article Megan; thanks for the information.  From your experience, is it easier to dye the fiber or the yarn, and is there any advantage to dying yarn or weaves over dying fiber?  As far as production goes, how much time would it take you to produce enough yarn for a garment roughly the size of an adult-sized shirt or sweater?

Figured I would post a couple of my projects here...LOL but couldn't post to the forum, so put the pics into my gallery.

I have some black 2-ply that was spun for pre-1600's blackwork (recently spun on the wheel and plied on the spindle) and some burgundy/wine (spindle only) that was just started for the tapestry project I am currently working on.

Another view for Gilluames's question, I prefer to dye after spinning, if solid color and dye before for variegated or mixed blends...but I also tend to end up felting my wool if not careful enough. LOL

For the other, It only takes me around a week or two to have enough to crochet a sweater or so (plied) or a 1/2 day for pair of socks, etc. Hope this helps!

Wow looks to me that you have got that wheel figured out the yarn looks great!!!



You appear to be a very accomplished spinner on both the spindle and the wheel.
How long have you been spinning?

Thanks so much Meg! Still getting used to the wheel. I am having to learn to use my left leg for the tredle since I have a few problems with the right one. Finding it is a bit more of a challenge than I had first thought it would be. LOL

I learned to use the drop spindle about 10 years prior, but have only been spinning actively for the past couple of years. Find it a bit more stress relieving now days and find I have plenty of time to work on the projects. I have more blackwork needing to be done and find that it shows much better if I hand spin the fibers first. As I have told Duncan, we were fortunate to have a really great SCA group out this way. Much more historically documented pieces.

Had some classes this past weekend at an event...added hand netting and needle lace to my list of projects. Find I am astute enough now in both to be dangerous! Also learned the art of nailbinding (viking knitting) that seems fairly easy and very useful for socks and such. Have to keep my list of projects going in case I run out of things to work on (like that would ever happen)! Gotta love the selfabuse...I was Catholic growing up!