first experiments in spinning- have I got it right?

[quirky]

I just made a cd spindle. I dont have any wool so I am just goofing around with the leader. I wanted to see what the real mechanics were involved in spinning.

Bear with me here. I am learning this stuff from nothing but internet info. To me its a bit like learning to row a boat just by reading about it. And having never seen it done. (though there are good spinning videos)

It seems to me that the actual twist happens where my spinning hand applies slight pressure to the thread. The longer one holds the spot the tighter the twist? Is this correct? There seems to be little or no twist farther down the line closer to the whorl - all the action happens at the top of the tread?

Please let me know if this is correct.

[spinney]

Hi, quirky.

You've got the idea right. The issue is keeping the controlling hand near the spindle long enough for the twist to begin and then drawing out the fiber and letting the twist run up. If you draw out too soon and don't control the tension near the spindle, the fiber will twist very little near the spindle (possibly even drifting apart) and very tightly near the end (causing overspin). It's a real balancing act. You're on the right track . Keep it up.

prosetouch