How to Spin Yarn with a Takli or Supported Spindle

Article by Leslie Shelor

Early stone spindle whorls, circa 100 BC, all images by L. Shelor

The earliest and easiest tools used for spinning a fiber into thread or yarn were probably a pair of agile hands that rubbed fibers between the palms to create a thread. Another easy method of spinning involves rolling the fiber along the thigh, winding the resulting yarn onto a stick for storage. Eventually the stick became a spinning tool, rolled along the leg to create the yarn. Finally the added refinement of a weight, or whorl, to the stick created the spindle, which made the process of spinning fiber into yarn much smoother and faster. Today we have spinning wheels for the hand spinner and huge spinning machines that create miles of fabric in a day. Yet the simple hand spindle is still a useful tool for creating fine yarns, and a lovely experience of creation for the hand spinner. I use a Reeves 19-inch wheel for most of my production spinning, but I still find that a small spindle is useful for spinning very fine yarns or for spinning in places where my Reeves wheel would take up too much room. Angora is a lovely fiber to spin on a hand spindle. The length of the fiber, between 2.5 to 3 inches long, works well with a light whorl to create a fine yarn for lacy garments.

Spindles: from top, ancient whorls, a pear takli and a small drop spindle, image by L. Shelor

My favorite spindle for spinning Angora wool is a pear takli. A takli spindle is supported by a bowl, wooden or pottery, in which it turns on the point. Unlike a drop spindle, which falls from the hand to create the thread, the support spindle remains stationary, and the user drafts away from the hook to spin the yarn. The bowl that I use has a small dimple in the bottom, where the point of the spindle rests as it spins. I generally set the bowl on a small table in front of me, although it can also rest on the lap or on the thigh. Just don't jump up to answer the phone carelessly if you have a ceramic bowl on your lap!

Carded angora, left and raw angora, right

Angora is a wonderful fiber that really doesn't require a great deal of preparation for use. The rabbits are very clean, and the shorn fiber doesn't require washing if the animals are kept in reasonably clean surroundings. When I spin pure Angora on my spinning wheel, I usually just spin it as it comes off the rabbit, from the lock. To make it easier to spin Angora on a support spindle, I generally hand card small amounts at a time, to make a rolag that just fits into my hand. For me this makes drafting the wool easier. One hand, in my case the left, holds the wool and drafts away from the hook at the top of the spindle. The other hand, my right, turns the spindle and keeps it straight up so that twist will be introduced into the fiber. Angora can be blended with other fibers in addition to being spun pure to create yarns for different purposes.

Starting the yarn on a takli spindle

I don't use a leader on my takli spindles. Instead, I simply catch the hook into the fiber and spin enough yarn to wrap around the spindle shaft. When I have enough, probably a length of singles yarn about twice the length of the spindle, I slide the beginning fiber down to the top of the whorl and wrap the yarn up the spindle, catching the single into the hook below the unspun fiber. The amount of yarn that needs to extend beyond the hook to begin spinning another length varies with the spinner; I like to only leave a couple of inches so that I can spin as much yarn at a time above the spindle as I can before having to wind it on. Depending on the spindle, some people also wrap the yarn around the point of the spindle below the whorl. I don't do this with the pear takli, as it seems to slow the spinning process down. But whatever style and method works for the spinner is the best.

My spindling technique is one I developed for myself, with some hints from books and web pages. I've never seen anyone else spin on a takli spindle. I hold the carded Angora loosely in my left hand and start the takli spinning in its cup with my right. As the twist climbs up the yarn I draft, raising my left hand up in a sort of long draw while my right forefinger and thumb are formed in an open "O" around the top of the spindle shaft to stead it. As the spindle slows I start it spinning again, also with the right hand. As I spin the yarn and new fiber is nearly directly above the turning spindle. Occasionally, if the Angora isn't feeding smoothly, I may stop the spindle, rest it against the side of the cup, and predraft with both hands to make the yarn more regular.

Yarn wrapped around spindle

When enough yarn has been spun above the spindle that my hand has reached a height that would be uncomfortable if I continued, I stop, add a few more turns of the spindle, and then slip the finished single out of the hook and change the angle so that when I turn the spindle the yarn will wrap around the spindle shaft. A surprising amount of yarn can be stored on the spindle. On the takli spindle, the singles form into an elongated "cop" thicker in the middle and thinner at both ends. Eventually the bulk of the cop will start getting in the way of spinning easily, and the yarn can be wound off into a skein or ball. Two or more spindle spun singles can be plied together, either on a spindle or on a spinning wheel, to create a balanced yarn for knitting, crocheting or even weaving.

Silk singles spun on a pear takli

Many fibers can be spun on a support spindle. I have spun a camel/silk blend, pure silk from silk bells, angora, merino roving, and dog hair. Cotton would probably work very well with a supported spindle as well. Angora is a fiber that I enjoy spinning fine with a lot of twist. I find that if the yarn is properly constructed pure Angora sheds very little, if at all. A fine yarn with a lot of twist also seems to work well in garments, even if the garment is made from pure Angora. Angora is a very warm fiber and I generally blend it with fine wool to extend the usefulness of the yarn. A few special orders have required pure Angora, however, and spindling the yarn has worked well to create luxurious and long-wearing items.

Soft Safari Vest

I made this vest five years ago, for a customer in Georgia. The vest is made from two ply spindle spun yarn: the dark stripe is a camel/silk blend and the lighter stripe is fawn Angora. All of the yarn was spun on a takli spindle and then plied on my Reeves wheel. Spinning with the spindle took a bit more time than spinning with the Reeves wheel, but the very delicate and tightly spun yarns help create a unique and individual garment in a one-of-a-kind design.

 

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