A Drop Spindle Used in Chinchero

When Nilda makes yarn on a drop spindle, she holds a fluff of wool in one hand, gently pulls, twists and turns the soft wool until she teases out a strong length of yarn. She continues to wind the yarn onto the shaft (the stick) of the spindle until she has made enough to wind into a ball.

The round disk at the end of the shaft provides weight and balance so that the spindle drops straight down as Nilda pulls and twists the wool.



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This page updated 11.29.00
Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000
By David and Elizabeth Van Buskirk