Children and spinning
Usually about the age of 6, children began working
as an apprentice or in the household. Before
Victorian times children dressed and were treated
like little adults. If you stop to analyze this is it
really different than sending our children off to
school. Schooling and chores are a preparation for
assuming adult roles when they grow up. Many
children still cress as little adults. In many ways we
expect children to have the same work ethic and
stamina that adults give to their jobs. However, in
our development we have learned that there are
developmental differences between children and
adults. Children today are allowed more leeway and
freedom to be children. As always, some parents
have taken that to the opposite extreme and
children are remaining children longer.
So in colonial times children preformed many
chores in the household working side by side with
their parents. Boys worked with their fathers and
girls with their mothers.
In spinning the child might start with winding the
yarn off the bobbin in preparation to plying, wind
skeins, or balls.
They would learn to spin on the drop spindle before
advancing to a wheel. They would clean and card
the fibers for the spinner. Eventually, they would
take on a large portion of the spinning. It was
common for all the women in the household to work
on the spinning in the evenings.
Related skills needed would be weaving, knitting
and sewing these yarns and threads into items
needed by the family. Items would vary from bed
sheets to going to Sunday meeting clothes.
History of spinning
Spindle spinning has been round since people began
weaving. Before the 15th century spindling was the
only way to make yarn and thread. Think mummy
wrappings, sails for ships, all spindle spun.
Yarn and threads are used to make woven and
nonwoven cloth, knitting, crochet, lace making,
tatting, sewing, netting.
Think back into history:
Where would people use or have a purpose for cloth,
yarn or thread?
Where is cloth, yarn, thread used in the world?
What are some of the earliest cultures that used,
cloth, yarn or thread?
What area some non-clothing uses for cloth, yarn or
thread?
Qualities required of a textile is flexibility, strength
and some elasticity
Fibers made from plants
Are made of cellulose and there are 3 main groups
1. bast fibers: those that com from beneath the
surface of the stem EX: flax, hemp, jute and
rami
2. leaf fibers EX: sisal
3. Seed fibers EX: cotton
Animal Fibers
Base of protein
Again 3 groups
1. Wool from sheep
2. Hair (closely related to wool) EX: camel. Goats
( angora=mohair, cashmere, llama, alpaca,
vicuna, rabbits (angora), dogs, cats, some cows,
buffalo, ox
3. Silk. A continuous filament produced by the
silk worm while making a cocoon and silk
waste which is short and can be spun like other
fibers
Asbestos is the only fiber made from a mineral
Man made fibers were not discussed. Most likely
because my main source of reference was written in
1976. Also this is an English book and the US isn’t
mentioned.
Now you are seeing fibers out of milk, bamboo, soy,
Most people spin natural fibers and mainly the
animal fibers. Because that is what our ancestor
used.
Flax, cotton, wool and silk have been used for
thousands of years
With in each group there are all kinds of variations
from the health of the animal to climate and
conditions
Flax and wool are from Europe and mentioned in the
bible
Cotton form ancient history in countries from India
to Peru, though different species
Silk in China since 3000 BC and was a highly
guarded secret until the middle ages when both
cotton and silk are found in Europe
Tools 2
First spinning tool is the spindle; a stick with a
whorl (disk shape weight) to act as a sly wheel. And
a hook at one end. To start an empty spindle you
need to tie a length of spun thread on first, called a
leader.
Spin means to draw out
Whorl means to spin around
Spindles come in all shapes and sizes made of wood,
clay, stone or bone
A spindle can be used to spin every sort of fiber and
to such perfection that one wonder why we moved
to spinning wheels.
It is cheap, easy to make, easy to store, handy to
carry around (In Peru the girls walk to school
spinning a they go), can be
Used indoors and outdoors. And you can take them
on a plane.
Different cultures and different designs and
methods of spinning it. Top whorl, bottom whorl,
supported
Spinning Wheel
First type of wheel is the spindle wheel and can go
by many names. Mainly used for short fibers like
cotton. It’s true origins are not known. Its
advantage is faster production. 2 disadvantages:
The spinning and winding are two separate
processes. One hand controls the wheel and the
other controls both the twist and the fiber
The charka form India is considered the first wheel
to spin cotton. This is the type of wheel that Gandhi
used. There is a Chinese picture of a spinning wheel
in use that dates back to about 1270. It was used to
spin silk, hemp, rami, and cotton,
It is believe that spinning wheel dates from about
500-1000 AD or CE in the East then moved to
Europe
There is little documentation about the spinning
wheel.
1. industry secrets
2. so common to everyday life its not mentioned
3. the techniques have been over simplifies
because they are few, uncomplicated, and
continued repetition. It is the continued
repetition that requires great skill to make
quality cloth.
Eastern wheels may or may not have legs. You sit
next to them on the ground or low stool. Some were
turned by hand or with a crank handle.
Rimless wheels started moving to Europe in the 13th
century but were more common around the 17th
century
It is believed that Moors introduced wheel spinning
in Spain.
The Spanish carried spindle spinning to South
America
And to Africa by the Moors.
Flemish textile workers brought improved tools to
the British Isles in the 14 century because one of the
names for a spindle spinning wheel is the Flanders
wheel
In a 14th century manuscript there are several
illustrations of a med hoop rimmed wheel that is
between two wheel uprights that was used for wool.
Because of wools long draw outs no crank was used
but the spinner used her hand, or small stick called
a wheel dolly or wheel finger. With this wheel the
spinner stand to work to gain more space to draw
out the fibers.
Spinning Wheels 3
Straw is used as bearing between the wheel and the
spindle because of it siliciccous surface gave the
least friction. Leather was also used
Various methods were used for tensioning the from
simple to sophisticated
Spindle Wheels in the British Isles
Not a great difference between European and
American
Since the 16th century the large wheel type known as
the Great Wheel or Walking wheel, Wool wheel. It
was an essential piece of household equipment until
as late as the 1880s.
Walking because of the need to step forward to the
tip of the spindle and back again for the draw out. It
is said that those who worked in the textile industry
walked 30 miles a week. An energetic business
Great Wheel because of the size, about 5’ high. The
North American wheel was larger than the British
wheel.
Wool wheel because mostly used for spinning wool
and in England was primarily used for that.
Sometimes the wheels took on the name of the yarn
that was being spun, like Jersey.
The Great wheels that survive today usually have 3
legs and were mostly like are for domestic use. Go
into Williamsburg
and take a look.
The smaller wheels at which the spinner sits were
commonly used for cotton or flax spinning
In spinning flax the spinner tie the fibers around
their wrist because they were long and hard to
manage. A child was used to spin the wheel. In
Holland hemp was spun on spindle wheels until
1930. Rope making is similar but used more
complex wheels
In 1810 Amos Minor in NY started manufacturing an
accelerating head that he patented in 1803. It was
fitted to the top of the spindle post. The smaller
wheel, about 5” in diameter was made as a unit with
the spindle with a drive band connecting it to the
drive or large wheel. It is called a Minor’s Head and
was made by many manufactories.
The advantage is that there is no restriction in the
size yarn that is made which happens with the flyer
wheels
Winders
A small child or older women did winding the yarn
off onto a bobbin. A weaver can use up a bobbin in
the same amount of time it take to wind one.
Spindle wheels were used to wind yarn onto
bobbins for weaving and was done on a med sized
wheel. Children usually wound the bobbins and the
fiction of the yarn would cause their fingers to bleed.
Flyer Spinning wheel
A giant step forward is the addition of the flyer. A
“U” shaped piece of wood or metal attached to the
spindle and 2 whorls. 1 on the spindle and 1 on the
bobbin with a smaller circumference. This mad it
possible to wind the yarn on the bobbin
simultaneously with the spinning. Spinning went
from intermittent to a continuous process.
Sometimes called a long fiber wheel or a flax wheel.
Its main function for 400 years was to spin flax to
make linen.
Early wheels were similar to the spindle wheels and
the flyer was mounted horizontally beside the
wheel.
Constructed mostly of wood, metal for the spindle
and wheel axles, leather for bindings
Woods used are beech, oak, sycamore, elm, ash,
chestnut, fruit trees, pine and birch. In the 18th
century exotic woods like mahogany were added.
Parts
Distaff, must be removed frequently and has a
tapered end to slip in and out of easily.
Drive wheel most prominent feature and functions
to dive the spindle and bobbin and plays a part in
the looks and character of the wheel. The drive
wheel can vary size and design.
Axle is usually a metal shaft going through the hub
and must be perfectly aligned for true running of the
wheel. Wheel rim is raised to prevent the drive
band from slipping off.
Mother-Of-All or maidens, also known as spinning
head or flyer mechanism.
Bobbins are made to go with a specific wheel and
usually wheels are supplied with 3 or 4 bobbins.
Older wheels usually need to have hand made
bobbins
Drive bands
Link driving wheel to flyer mechanism. There are 3
different arrangements
Bobbin lead or double band
A single continuous band goes twice around the
driving wheel and once around the spindle whorl
and once around the bobbin whorl. It looks like 2
separate bands until you look closely
Single band, bobbin lead
Or bobbin lead or spool driven. The drive wheel is
linked to the bobbin by a single drive band. No
spindle whorl. Need a friction band or brake placed
across the shaft of the flyer and tightens with a peg
Single band, flyer lead/ Scotch tension
Opposite of bobbin lead by driving only the fly. The
drive band goes between the spindle whorl and
wheel and a brake is required to control the bobbin.
Ashfords use this principal with 2 tensioners
Accessories
Distaff:
A stick to hold the cleaned and prepared fibers.
Normally made of wood simple or elaborate. Also
distaffs that hang from your wrist to use with
spindles.
designs vary with country and century
Distaffs were used with all fibers it is generally
associated with flax.
As there are variations in designs there are
variations how the distaff is dressed or fibers are
arranged. The fibers and held in place with ribbons
and bands.
It was common for distaffs to be given to women
upon their engagement by the fiancé or by fathers to
their daughters
Water pots
For spinning flax
Flax spun dry makes a thread that is dry with fibers
sticking out giving a bristly effect. Spin it wet and it
is smoother thread. Originally, the flax was damped
with saliva by running it through the mouth or
wetting it with the thumb from the tongue or lower
lip.
Later it was consider unsuitable for ladies to do so
little pots were made to water and placed
conveniently to the spinner’s hand. Usually little
round pots made out of metal or wood.
Grease pots
Lubricating the wheel, axle, spindle and leather
bearings. A vital part of caring for your wheel.
Today some have little vials of oil others use
Vaseline
Seats
Important for flyer wheels wither turning by hand
or treadle. Many just use ordinary chairs. Stools are
popular, some with a narrow straight back. Seat
height varies between 13 -18” to correspond to the
height of the orifice of the spinning wheel.
Victorians chairs were very ornate. Some flax chairs
had an arm rest on the right.
Bobbin holder or Lazy Kate
For full bobbins awaiting plying. A rack that sits
next to the spinner, or near by. Can be vertical or
horitzonal
Reels
Niddy-Noddy a stick with 2 cross bars at right
angles to each other. If distance is known can
estimate yardage
Rotary reels is quicker and more accurate than the
niddy-noddy. It was stand industry equipment
Swifts
Ball winders
The Grimm fairy tales always have some one
spinning. In those tales the women area spinning
flax.
The industrious housewife spent every spare
moment spinning
There is a British folk belief that wool spins better
when the sheep are at rest. This is based on the fact
that the warmth from the fire eases the natural
grease in the wool and facilitates teasing and
spinning
Women would frequently take their wheels along to
get togethers. Spinning parties were common
occurances, esp in the country. It was a time to
socialize
The most disliked job of spinning was carding. Not
that I can blame them.
Spinster 1st meant a female spinner. A spinner was
a man. In the 17th century the term began to be used
for an unmarried female, because it was usually the
single women who did the bulk of the spinning.
More recently is became a term used with women
beyond the normal marrying age. Until finally it has
become a term for an old maid
In Europe is was common the hire women not only
for their spinning and weaving skills, but also for
work in the fields
There were spinning schools were poor girls were
taught to spin, knit and make lace for meager wages
And the houses of correction and for the poor put in
spin houses or workhouse for the purpose of
spinning and children as young as 6 would be
spinning
Spinning was a huge cottage industry in Europe and
the British Isles. I haven’t found information about
it in North America. Before the revolution Britian
forced the colonies to buy ready made cloth, made
from American grown cotton.
This allowed women to work from home and still
earn money
For many of these spinner the ultimate use of the
yarn was f no concern. Their job was t produce the
same type of yarn as evenly as possible in the least
amount of time. These spinners became very
specialized in the individual ways.
In the cloth industry there many complaints about
the quality of the cloth because not everyone carried
about the consistency or quality of the different
types of wool and quality of the yarn. Everything
would be mixed together.
The fiber that was responsible for the Industrial
Revolution was cotton.
The first actual machine was invented by William
Lee in 1589 for the knitting of stockings.