pictures added!- leader issues

[mistress_batty]

 I went downtown and splurged on a bottom whorl drop spindle and a bunch of different colored rovings....I've been going through the FAQ sites about how to begin and whatnot....but I am having the hardest time getting it started. lol I think there's something about the leader and connecting the wool to it that I'm just not getting.
  I start spinning the spindle clockwise...to connect the wool and the yarn leader...it twists, but immediantly gets twisted so tight it wants to go clockwise. Or it spins itself to where the wool comes off the leader and then the wool unwinds.
  Anyone have any suggestions?

[RonnieCat]

Are you managing to fan out the end of the leader?  If you can't, i suggest trying a different yarn for the leader - Lion Brand Homespun works fantastically well for this.  If you can fan out the fibers at the end of the leader and on the rolag and kind of fix mix the two together, it works better.  And if the leader gets way overspun, just keep going, like to arms-length, and then wind it on to the bobbin - the rest of the leader will take up the extra spin when you unwind the leader from the tip of the spindle.  At least, that's how it works for me!

[bixby2]

I don't have a spindle, but I can tell you what I do with my wheel.  I have a loop of acrylic yarn on the bobbin.  I predraft the fiber and then I open the loop and stick about 2 inches or so of the fiber through the loop.  I fold the fiber back on its self and begin to spin.  It holds nice and tight.

[betzi]

i don't really open my leader yarn, but I do spin the roving against it quite a ways back on the leader.  Like maybe 8 inches or so, depending on what kind of roving i have.  short staples seem to grab on easier if i start way way back on the leader.  stuff like mohair blends will grab fast and easy, and i don't need to go back as far.  its very frustrating on a spindle to keep losing your leader.  makes me grumpy just thinking about it!  perservere and keep at it.  experiment with different yarns and see what happens.

p.s.  it definitely helps to find a really "grabby" leader, but i have also seen someone hook their roving onto the spindle hook, twist it out a bit (kind of like park and draft) and use that as a leader.  it might be a nice way to practice drafting too. 

[mistress_batty]

 Okay....so I dug out some homespun and on accident the wool and yarn got stuck so I just ran with it. lol But....I just want to make sure what I'm doing is...actually making yarn. lol In some places its twisting on itself and whatnot. I don't know...lol





 Does this look...right?

[RonnieCat]

That's better than the beginning of my first try, so you're doing great!  I have no idea what to do about those really twisty bits, I have them too!  Maybe a more experienced spinner can shed some light on how to fix that problem?

[RubyPurl]

It looks great.  I have twists in my yarn too, I believe it is pretty normal.  If you are concerned about it try spinning a little looser.  When you knit it up, the twists won't be a problem, at least they are not for me.

Try this website too, they have videos.  I am a very visual person and these videos helped me out the first time I started using a drop spindle.

http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/HowToDropspin.shtml

[mistress_batty]

It looks great.  I have twists in my yarn too, I believe it is pretty normal.  If you are concerned about it try spinning a little looser.  When you knit it up, the twists won't be a problem, at least they are not for me.

Try this website too, they have videos.  I am a very visual person and these videos helped me out the first time I started using a drop spindle.

http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/HowToDropspin.shtml

 lol that's what I've been using. Her 'how to attach more fiber' is my fav.....because I bought a bunch of colors and am trying to join them. It looks nice....I'm just not sure how it will be in the end. lol I don't want it to all fall apart when I try to use the yarn later.

[raynbow]

that's yarn! congratulations!

p.s. I do the making a loop on my leader and pulling the yarn through it thing as well, it's the way i've had the most success with.

[patchworkarmy]

that actually looks great! if a little thick. but my first try was uber bulky too! i knit an awesome hat with it, though! =0)
Those twistie bits wouldn't look so twisty if you held some tension as you wind onto the spindle (btw- I learned on the same ashford!)
So when you're spinning on a spindle, stop when you're at an arm's length then wind it on. you don't want to keep too much tensino on it, just enough so that it doens't wind back on itsef as you get it around the shaft. Try to wind it on in the shape of a cone. more at the whorl and less at the bottom. That way it won't wobble as much when you spin it as you keep building up more fiber. Other than that, can't help with the leader thing. I'm the girl who never used one till I got my wheel. Just hook the roving pull out a little and twist and go! too impatient for things like leaders.
need. yarn. now.
=0)
keep at it! show us more pix!