Spindle and Spinning Wheel
Spindle or spinning wheels are vital for the production of fabric. It is essential to have lot of thread in order to have enough for one piece of fabric that is weaved on a loom.
In order to make yarn or thread, fibres, which are either plant - such a flax, or animal - such as fleece, are drawn out and twisted together. Since almost the beginning of time, Dynbodauls and Ghrefeims have used the spindle and distaff in order to make yarn, but only in recent years has the technology of spinning evovled.
Looking at some cultures to the south, there are some tribes on the islands, like Barun Kenke, who still uses primitive type of spinning by rolling tufts of animal hair or plant fibres down the thigh with the hand, adding additional tufts when needed until the desired length of the yarn or thread is achieved. Other tribes uses a stone to twist the fibres, by fastening the fibre to the stone and twirl around until twisted, then coil the yarn upon the stone, and repeat the process.
Scholars believe a similar method might have been used by the first Dynbodauls, Ghrefeims, and Harawyr who lived near Hailaid on Matem Ynsulas.
The spindle were the next step on the spinning evolution. It began as an eight to twelve inches long stich, which the yarn was coiled around after twisting it. In the beginning, the stick was splitted in the top in order to attatch the thread. Some time after, a hook made from bone was added at the top.
The distaff is used to hold the fibres which is to be spun. It is a short stick where one of the ends had the raw material loosely wounded around. The other end is for holding the distaff in the hand, under arm, or however the spinster prefered to hold it while the other hand draws out the fibres and twist it, by giving a whirling motion to the spindle.
The next improvement on the spindle were a spindle whorl, placed at the bottom of the spindle. Whorls are discs made of stone, clay, wood, or metal with a hole in the center for the spindle to be placed. The whorl made the spindle more steadier and improved its rotation. The first evidences of the whorl is found yet again in the Satlonia culture, which seems to have made several textile improvements and knowledge we still use today. The spindle with a whorl can be dropped and therefore creating a larger quantity of yarn. These spindles which are dropped is funny enough called "drop spindles".
The spinning wheel, slowly made its way to Kendao, the second island group in the south, in 779 AGD but only a few cities adopted the spinning wheel into their culture. Mostly these cities were poorer and needed a faster way to spin wool, cotton, and flax. However, the downside of using a spinning wheel is, that the thread and yarn has a more rough look than when hand-spinning, and most high-class weavers will not aceept low quality yarn or thread. The demand for fabric from Kendao, fell drasticly with the arrival of the spinning wheel due to the low quality thread and yarn that was being used.
Due to a arranged wedding between two merchant families in 857 AGD, the spinning wheel was brought to lower Western Agia, and slowly made its way to the rest of Western Agia and Northern Agia.
The bride from the merchant family in Namten Diwu, got a spinning wheel as part of her bridal gift. It had been a tradition that a young married woman was given a spindle, as a symbol of fate brought her to her husband. The family wanted to show off, by gifting her a spinning wheel, saying the wheel also had symbol of fate, and would bring more luck for the married couple.
The bride brought the spinning wheel to her new home in Batolakí, lower Western Agia, and slowly people some people started to import spinning wheel themselves. However, the import was expensive and some woodworkers saw an opportunity to make a living themselves by replicating them.
in 942 the spinning wheel had already spread throughout most of Western Agia, and only a few years after, the North followed. The weavers and tailors for finer families did not want the thread made by spinning wheels, since they were more rough to look at, and broke more easily, therefore the merchants dealing with the threads made an embargo on any thread made on a spinning wheel. Today the embargo is still very much in use, and only the poor tailors would buy fabric or thread that has been spun on a spinning wheel.
In order to make yarn or thread, fibres, which are either plant - such a flax, or animal - such as fleece, are drawn out and twisted together. Since almost the beginning of time, Dynbodauls and Ghrefeims have used the spindle and distaff in order to make yarn, but only in recent years has the technology of spinning evovled.
Hand-spinning: Spindle and Distaff
d.History
The spindle and distaff has a long history in several cultures throughout Agia. No one knows when the first spindle was made, as it is only known to be a technology known to many cultures. Some argue the first spindle was made near Hailaid, not long after the Dynbodauls were created by the Goddess, Irath.Looking at some cultures to the south, there are some tribes on the islands, like Barun Kenke, who still uses primitive type of spinning by rolling tufts of animal hair or plant fibres down the thigh with the hand, adding additional tufts when needed until the desired length of the yarn or thread is achieved. Other tribes uses a stone to twist the fibres, by fastening the fibre to the stone and twirl around until twisted, then coil the yarn upon the stone, and repeat the process.
Scholars believe a similar method might have been used by the first Dynbodauls, Ghrefeims, and Harawyr who lived near Hailaid on Matem Ynsulas.
The spindle were the next step on the spinning evolution. It began as an eight to twelve inches long stich, which the yarn was coiled around after twisting it. In the beginning, the stick was splitted in the top in order to attatch the thread. Some time after, a hook made from bone was added at the top.
The distaff is used to hold the fibres which is to be spun. It is a short stick where one of the ends had the raw material loosely wounded around. The other end is for holding the distaff in the hand, under arm, or however the spinster prefered to hold it while the other hand draws out the fibres and twist it, by giving a whirling motion to the spindle.
The next improvement on the spindle were a spindle whorl, placed at the bottom of the spindle. Whorls are discs made of stone, clay, wood, or metal with a hole in the center for the spindle to be placed. The whorl made the spindle more steadier and improved its rotation. The first evidences of the whorl is found yet again in the Satlonia culture, which seems to have made several textile improvements and knowledge we still use today. The spindle with a whorl can be dropped and therefore creating a larger quantity of yarn. These spindles which are dropped is funny enough called "drop spindles".
The Spinning Wheel
History of the Spinning Wheel
Around 634 AGD, the spinning wheel was invented on the Eastern part of Saithon island. There are arguements whether it was invented in Kha'a or Sindred. Since Sindred is believed to be the first settlement in the known world, it would feel natural that they develope the spinning wheel.The spinning wheel, slowly made its way to Kendao, the second island group in the south, in 779 AGD but only a few cities adopted the spinning wheel into their culture. Mostly these cities were poorer and needed a faster way to spin wool, cotton, and flax. However, the downside of using a spinning wheel is, that the thread and yarn has a more rough look than when hand-spinning, and most high-class weavers will not aceept low quality yarn or thread. The demand for fabric from Kendao, fell drasticly with the arrival of the spinning wheel due to the low quality thread and yarn that was being used.
Due to a arranged wedding between two merchant families in 857 AGD, the spinning wheel was brought to lower Western Agia, and slowly made its way to the rest of Western Agia and Northern Agia.
The bride from the merchant family in Namten Diwu, got a spinning wheel as part of her bridal gift. It had been a tradition that a young married woman was given a spindle, as a symbol of fate brought her to her husband. The family wanted to show off, by gifting her a spinning wheel, saying the wheel also had symbol of fate, and would bring more luck for the married couple.
The bride brought the spinning wheel to her new home in Batolakí, lower Western Agia, and slowly people some people started to import spinning wheel themselves. However, the import was expensive and some woodworkers saw an opportunity to make a living themselves by replicating them.
in 942 the spinning wheel had already spread throughout most of Western Agia, and only a few years after, the North followed. The weavers and tailors for finer families did not want the thread made by spinning wheels, since they were more rough to look at, and broke more easily, therefore the merchants dealing with the threads made an embargo on any thread made on a spinning wheel. Today the embargo is still very much in use, and only the poor tailors would buy fabric or thread that has been spun on a spinning wheel.
The Function of the Spinning Wheel
"Round and round the spinning wheel goes,
how the spinster only knows"
A spinning wheel has the same objects that are used in hand spinning. The spindle, however, is mounted horisontal, and the wheel which is turned by hand, makes the spindle turn. Then the distaff is attached to the same table as the wheel or held in hand, while the other which needs to turn the wheel at times, need to draw out the fibres and hold it at a certain angle for it to twist properly. This technique is very difficult, since you cannot turn the wheel all the times, which makes the spinning uneven and rough.
Flax and wool she spun
The distaff her hand held straight
She sang of work and fate
This is the spinster's song
Round and round the spinning wheel goes
How, the spinster only knows.
The thread is going to be long
That's what the spinster sung
This is the spinster's song
Round and round goes the thread
Around the spindle it was spread
With the weaver she was wed
That's what she sang instead.
This is the spinster's song
Round and round the child was running
While the spinster was humming
Learned the child the spinster trade
With songs she had made
This is the spinster's song
Round and round the wheel turns no more
the spinster fell onto the floor
The thread from her hand dropped
That's when her singing stopped
This was the spinster's song.
This is a great article (sorry it took me so long to read it, I've had it opened in my browser for a year! D:) I love the cute little song, and it's interesting to see how the spindle and spinning wheel evolved and what was their impact. Was it the same in our world as in Agia?