which method do you prefer

[jberry16]

I just got my schacht hi-lo spindle the other day and the lady at the lys told me to start using it as a bottom whorl, but I think it'd be easier to keep the spin going by using it as a top whorl (I practiced lots with a leader-alone) and was just curious which one y'all prefered and why. Thanks.

[Jess_knit]

Well, I started with a bottom whorl, and it was ok...but then I decided, hey why not try the top whorl, and it was FAR easier for me. With the bottom, I had to constantly keep twirling it with my fingers. When you use a top whorl, you can do the thigh roll to get it going, and it spins much faster and longer than finger twisting alone. I can get my yarn much thinner when I use top whorl. There's also a lot more instruction for spinning with a top whorl.

Hope that helps!

[yarnfreak]

I've never used a bottom whorl, but I cannot imagine things to be much easier than the top whorl I do use.

[IamtheWalter]

I prefer using high whorl spindles for a bunch of reasons:

It's what I learned on and what I'm used to
I prefer thigh rolling my spindles and find that it's easier to do on a high whorl
Many low whorl spindles for some reason don't have a hook and having to do the whole half hitch thing annoys me
Having to wrap the yarn around the shaft on hooked low whorls also annoys me


It's a personal preference, though it does seem that most people today use high whorl spindles.
I personally think that a high whorl spindle would be easier to learn on because you can park and draft on it easier: just catch the shaft in your legs to keep it from spinning the other way, draft some, spin the spindle, repeat.
Everyone's different though, so give both a try

[jberry16]

thanks everyone, I've tried the bottom first and still think it'd be easier with the top. I played for a long time with a leader yarn; maybe tomorrow I'll play with it as a top whorl. I'll post pics of my first spin later.

[chillawilla]

I voted for high-whorl as that's what I use most. Having the yarn wound on below the whorl seems to give me better control and a neater looking spindle.

My two bottom whorl spindles are great when I'm spinning up a lot of something though. They are my heavier ones and can hold more.

[jberry16]

here's the pics of my first spinning! This is addicting.

[Jess_knit]

Beautiful yarn! What kind of fiber is that?

[jberry16]

Beautiful yarn! What kind of fiber is that?

Thank you. It says teesdale on my reciept, but I don't even know what that is, anyone?

[Jess_knit]

Googling it says it's a type of sheep (Teeswater) indigenous to Teesdale, which is in England. It says they have good locks for spinning.

Teeswater Sheep