This woman is using a distaff to spin yarn. A distaff was a forked stick which held the wool or other fibre. The wool to be spun was wrapped around the top of the distaff, seen here held against the woman's shoulder. Fibres were drawn out and attached to the tapered end of the spindle, which was twirled as the spinner continued to draw from the distaff. As the yarn was produced, it was wound around the thicker part of the spindle. It could be tucked into a belt or held under the arm. This form of spinning continued in the Highlands even after the introduction of the spinning wheel. Distaffs and spindles were inexpensive and could be home-made. They were also easily carried, allowing women to spin while performing other tasks.
Click to enlarge the image, read the text then answer the following questions.
Questions
- There were two major advantages in the use of the distaff for spinning over the spinning wheel. What were the two advantages?
- Look at the photo. What do you think the two boards lying on the wool at her feet were used for? (hint : think back to Source 4)