A drop spindle has a very simple design consisting of a shaft and a weight at either the top or bottom. The spindle spins freely suspended from the yarn leaving both hands free to hold and draft the fiber. Bottom whorl spindles are widely used in Europe and the top-whorl spindle is believed to have originated in the Middle East.
A drop spindle with a bottom whorl spins slower and is ideal for spinning thicker singles and heavier fibers that need less twist. And a drop spindle with a top whorl can spin at a faster speed making it ideal for spinning thin yarn and fine fibers.
You could spin thin yarn on a drop spindle with a bottom whorl but you would need to spin it faster, and you could spin heavier yarn on one with a top whorl but you would have to spin it slower.
And one good thing about drop spindles is they are much easier to travel with then one of the larger spinning wheels. And you can even walk around while spinning so you are not stuck in one place for hours.
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