Skein winders can wind yarn faster and is ideal if you have a lot of yarn to wind. You can also wind the yarn into a ball easily using adjustable skein winders. Another great accessory is the umbrella swift, which can hold yarn skeins well. These can quickly be wound into balls. The devices are available in a wide array of sizes and may either be wood or metal. About the Treadle Wheel The treadle wheel is powered using the foot of spinner, instead of a motor or the spinner's hand. The spinner sits and starts pumping the treadle by foot. The drivel wheel then turns through the crankshaft and a connecting rod. Both hands are then free for drafting the fibers, which is important in short-draw spinning. A spindle, will do similarly in the end, although you need to rest it on a table to prevent falls. The lower hand will turn the drop spindle and let go of the twist. The upper hand will hold the fiber, slowly preparing it to turn into yarn, then prevent the twist from moving right into the fiber fore you spin. Beginners are encouraged to spin on the spindle first, before progressing to spinning on the wheel. To Start Spinning You will need a few things to begin spinning. First, you need a drop spindle that is well-balanced. Choose a spindle that does not weigh too much. Bring 1/2 ounce of prepared fiber, preferably wool of medium-grade of the right color, a small masking tape and a piece of wool starter yarn measuring 24 to 30 inches in length. You can also find the needed materials online. Wool does not weigh a lot, so you will find that shipping from abroad is very easy, quick and affordable. Remove a section a few inches off the roving, then take a single end in each hand. Tug the wool loose. You will notice that the fibers will separate from one another, but not break. The type of wheel, although known in Europe in the 14th century, was not in general use until the later years. The wheel was used widely to spin different yarns until the start of the 19th century and the mechanization of spinning. The Technology The technology used for spinning was already widespread before most of the people adopted, thereby making it difficult to adjust the dates of the developments.