How to dress a distaff with wool for handspinning yarn
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Where I dress stick distaffs (plural of distaff) with carded wool fibre for spinning into yarn. I use four different methods for drum carded batts, hand carded rolags, and commercially prepared roving.
A distaff is a device to hold fibre to facilitate drafting and spinning. Distaves (plural of distaff) can be of various construction, but it is the purpose that counts. It could be a nail or a hook on the wall, a broom, a stick, or a rake. Often the distaff is purpose-built and highly decorative.
Paraphrased from the Big Book of Handspinning by Alden Amos
To learn more about dressing a distaff with linen: permies.com/t/...
Thank you for the music
Floating Home by Brian Bolger
Snowy Peaks pt I by Chris Haugen
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The grey wool is from my ewe called Miracle. I didn't name her so I don't know what she did to get the name but she is the most friendly of sheep, always wanting rubs behind the ear.
The white fibre is from Not-a-Goat, so named in hopes that one day she will learn she isn't.
I aught to make a bow lathe to turn some pretty distaffs. Thank you for your video. I will use an in-hand spindle until I rebuild my spinning wheel.
Lovely. A nice break sitting with a warm cup of coffee, to thaw out from chopping wood in the snow. Lol
Sounds great!
Just came in from clearing the driveway. Snow is pretty, but it sure brings a lot of extra work.
@@CrowingHen Yes! Pretty but loads more to do. Lol Stay warm and safe! ❤️
thank you so much. I just got a new to me wheel that has a distaff, now I know how to use it. It was gifted to me by a woodworkers son. He had made it for his wife, and it was never used. He wanted it to go to someone who would use it. NOw I have a 50 year old, never used wheel to add to my collection.
Thank you. I'm glad it was helpful.
This is the first time I saw a video on dressing a distaff with rolags as well as with roving. Thank you. I mostly use rolags. My then boyfriend, now husband, bought some alpaca roving for me. (How could a gal turn down such a guy.)
What a wonderful gift.
Glad the video helped.
Like other commenters, I had no clue it was possible to use a distaff for wool spinning (or that there was a reason to) but now I definitely have to try it out! Thanks for the great video!!
Glad I could help!
@@CrowingHen I dressed it up with rolags like you showed and I love it!! It's so nice to spin from
Thank you, for this video of these various techniques!! I use a distaff for my flax spinning, and am shopping for a new distaff to use for my wool. This is so helpful!! Thank you.
Im a flax spinner too.
Glad it was helpful!
I generally use the same distaff for flax and for wool. But don't let that stop you, you can never have enough distaves!
This was a great video! I learned a lot about Distaffs and it was filmed well!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for sharing this! I don’t have a distaff, but like many fiber tools, it would probably help.
A lot of people use a stick for a distaff to try it out. Sometimes a broom handle but I like to cut a branch so it can have a Y at the top to tie the ribbon to.
Thanks for sharing! I am wondering how to make a distaff. For now I am using a Christmas Wrapping paper tube.
Great idea! I started with a broom handle.
Thank you for showing this. Ihave an old stick I want to use.
Glad it was helpful!
Well, there we go. I never thought of distaffs as for anything but flax for linen! Interesting that there are different ways to dress the distaff with wool fiber. I really enjoyed this video
One huge plus to using a distaff would be keeping the fiber out of cats' reach!
Oh cats... I wish I had thought of that when I had a feline master.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you nice video.
So nice of you
I mostly spin long line home grown flax off a distaff but have never tried it with wool. I'll have to give it a go. I enjoyed your video. It was pleasant to watch. I have a bat of flax tow fiber that I will put on my distaff to see how it works. I have plenty of wool to try on the distaff too. I do like using the distaff for my flax.
Sounds like fun.
Very interesting video. I had no clue what a distaff was until now. Is there a way to spin wool without a spinning wheel?
Thank you.
Yes, you can spin yarn without a wheel. Some traditions spin with just their hands, others use a stick to twist the yarn. I like to use a drop spindle. You can see how to make your own here if you want to try it out: ua-cam.com/video/gDhLLKfUcEI/v-deo.html
As I am studying more about what the scriptures say about women and our responsibilities I came across this passage...
Proverbs 31:10 KJV
¶ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Proverbs 31:20
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Since I did not know what a distaff was I had to look it up and came across your video. This answers my question very well. Thank you.
It goes to show the accuracy of the bible when it says, Who can find a virtuous women? And I couldn't even tell what the distaff was... Well Praise the Lord Jesus that I am saved though I am not yet virtuous as this Proverbs 31 women was. I am trusting in what he has done on the cross and his resurrection to save me and not my good works. I hope that you are, too!
II Corinthians 5:21 KJV
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Hello! Just wanted to ask, what is every distaff at 1:05 called? I have been searching for atleast the main distaff types and basically only descriptions/pictures come up, not names. Even wikipedia doesnt really say anything
Hi there, thanks for your question.
The names for different distaves vary dramatically depending on where you are and the local history. For example, the part of England where my family is from, a distaff is called a 'rock' no matter what shape.
However, I do go into more detail about the names of different shapes where I live now in this video: ua-cam.com/video/RPLNQZG5RZc/v-deo.html
The Big Book of Handspinning (should be available at your local library) has more details on the different shapes common in North America and some of the names used for them.
Thank you very mush @@CrowingHen ! I'll go get the book sometime this week.
My wheel does not have a place to put a distaff on so I was wondering what I could do use one other than getting another wheel which is also tempting
If you want an excuse to get a new wheel, none better.
However, there are other options like a hand held distaff or a free standing one. My distaff came with a bracket I screw into the wheel for the distaff to rest in. Older wheels often have an extra hole in the bench/table for the distaff.
@@CrowingHen if I had more space I’d definitely buy another one! Thanks for your lovely answer. I own a kiwi 3 so I don’t think there’s any extra hole but I’ll double check it! I just went ahead and found a beautiful hand held distaff: it’s hand carved and coming from Lithuania. Suffice to say I’m over excited to try it! Thanks again for the great videos and charming response! Hugs from Provence, Adrien
No I don't use one. I know a distaff can even be useful when spinning with a drop spindle. But I just don't.
When I first started spinning (in the 1970s, as a teenager), I read that such a thing was more useful for flax fibre than for wool. The book did not recommend it. So I did not start using it. And now I'm not willing to try it anymore. I am not a very active spinner. I prefer knitting. And drawing, and gardening, and many more ...
Thanks for sharing!
I know how you feel. I spent 20+ years spinning yarn for a living and I couldn't see the advantage of a distaff for anything other than line linen. But also, I could see all the historical examples of them being used in different cultures. I worried I was missing out. I'm very glad I spent some time learning this skill, especially with wool, as it's taking my spinning to a whole other level.
But it isn't going to be for everyone. Every spinner is unique and we use the tools that work for us.