Distaff spins a good yarn

spinning-wheel

DECEMBER 2016 | Lorraine Clarke

THE 7TH JANUARY, following the 12 days of Christmas, was jocularly known to our not-so-distant ancestors as St Distaff’s Day, when women resumed their essential work of spinning and weaving fibre after the holidays.

The distaff is a wooden rod onto which raw combed fleece is loosely wound and tied.

This was tucked under an arm or into a belt, freeing the spinner to wander about tending sheep or children while profitably using her time, drawing wool from the distaff onto her portable drop spindle to create the yarn essential for clothing her family.

All cloth ever made was first spun in this way until the spinning wheel was invented about 1,000 years ago.

Many peasant cultures still spin all their fibre requirements by hand with this simple wooden equipment.

Like fibre workers worldwide, Meander Valley’s spinners, weavers and dyers celebrate this occasion annually, for an enjoyable day of spinning as a convivial group.

They will meet on Saturday 7th January 2017 at 10.00 a.m. under the big oaks on Westbury’s Village Green, where this gentle craft can be observed just as it has been practiced for centuries.

Photo | Mike Moores