Turkish spindle yarn wrapping finally clicked with me. I’ve been following the “over two, under one” guidance for wrapping the turtle of yarn around the arms of the spindle, and I finally saw the pattern begin to emerge and was then able to follow along.

The key, for me, was on which side of the previous wrap of yarn to put the new wrap of yarn. To start a new layer, the “two over” strand goes right next to the shaft, and the “one under” goes on the outside of the yarn under the spindle arm. As I wrap, the yarn goes outside the wraps next to the shaft, but inside the wrap under the arm. Ah ha. This method is slow, but satisfying; a good meditative practice.

Even though my previous attempts at a geometrically balanced turtle were not successful, they still worked beautifully as center-pull balls of yarn. In the picture above I was making a two-ply yarn from the center and outside strand of one turtle. So whether or not the ball of yarn is messy, it still does its job.

I have finished single spinning the bonus box of blended fiber from Anniewhere. I put the box somewhere safe, forgot where that was, but found it before I made anything from the rest of the fiber; I’ll take that kind of luck.

I really like this Turkish spindle. The arms were 3D printed with flexible filament, and I dropped it several times on my walk with no ill effects. It is not my design, but one I purchased at a fiber festival.

I’m still quite envious of the perfectly wrapped Turkish spindles I’ve seen on spinners’ posts. Mine look like birds nests. The advice I keep reading is to wrap the yarn over two arms, and under one. I did that. I’ll keep trying, though, maybe it will click.

Turkish drop spindles are very clever, they go together in pieces, spin well, and come apart without disturbing the cop of yarn built up around the arms, but with a Turkish spindle, this bundle of spun yarn is called a turtle. I have seen pictures of some exquisitely wrapped turtles that are art forms in and of themselves. Mine looks more like a nest. I have goals.

I had trouble deciding the title for this post, so I combined all the words for maximum misdirection.