How do I join fibres to the wool I've spinned on my Drop Spindle?

Question

How do I join fibres to the wool I've spinned on my Drop Spindle?

Answer 1

Merge the new fibres in with the old fibres and carry on spinning?

Answer 2

Well, your joins should be made before you've spun all of the last of your wool up, but, yes, unspinning a couple of inches of your single will work, just overlap the unspun wool onto this and draft it a bit.  Or, to join before you reach the end of your current bit, hold the old bit of wool in your drafting hand, and the new roving in your other hand and, holding the new wool at a 45 degree angle to the old while the spindle is spinning (yeah, you have to do a good many things at once here, but leave yourself about a foot of spun yarn not wound on for this, spin your spindle, have your new roving ready to go, and switch hands on the old) and let the new fiber get drawn onto the spinning single.  Draft it out and smooth the join there.  This one takes some practice, but you can also park your spindle between your knees after you get twist built up below your pinch off, add the new roving and draft it out as you ease the twist up, too.

BTW, go to YouTube and search on Abby Franquenmot for some terrific spinning videos.  You almost can't find better videos than hers.

What kind of drop spindle do you have?

Answer 3

Fray out the ends of the spun wool, join it to the new fibres you are going to spin from the new rolag, twist between your fingers to make a join and then carry on spinning with the new fibres.