The basic tools used to spin the fibers were the spindle and the distaff. A distaff is designed to hold the unspun fibers, meanwhile a spindle is a straight spike, usually made from wood, onto which the fiber is being spun. The most commonly used fibers in Europe were wool and flax.
What is the purpose of a distaff on spinning wheel?
A distaff (/ˈdɪstɑːf/, /ˈdɪstæf/, also called a rock) is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax, and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fibre.
Why is it called the distaff?
Distaffs can also be wound with wool or tow, but the etymology of distaff makes it clear that flax was the main fiber used with the tool. The word comes from the Old English stæf, which means “staff,” and dis, which means “bundle of flax,” and was first used in English around 1000AD.
What is the purpose of a distaff on spinning wheel?
A distaff (/ˈdɪstɑːf/, /ˈdɪstæf/, also called a rock) is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax, and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fibre.
What is a spindle?
1 : a slender round rod or stick with narrowed ends by which thread is twisted in spinning and on which it is wound. 2 : something (as an axle or shaft) which has a slender round shape and on which something turns. spindle. noun. spin·dle | \ ˈspin-dᵊl \
Why is the male side called the spear side?
The OED says the expression “spear side” comes from the Old English spere-healfe (in Anglo-Saxon times healfe could mean side). A citation from around 885 in King Alfred’s will refers to leaving land on the sperehealfe or spinhealfe — that is, the “spear side” or “spindle side.”
What does the word distaff mean in the Bible?
1a : a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning. b : woman’s work or domain. 2 : the female branch or side of a family.
What is the synonym of distaff?
In this page you can discover 10 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for distaff, like: womankind, gender, muliebrity, feminine, femininity, womanhood, womenfolk, womanish, female and womanly.
What is distaff used for?
distaff, Device used in hand spinning in which individual fibres are drawn out of a mass of prepared fibres held on a stick (the distaff), twisted together to form a continuous strand, and wound on a second stick (the spindle). It is most often used for making linen; wool does not require a distaff (see carding).
Do you need a distaff to spin flax?
The traditional way of spinning flax stricks is to use a distaff, but it is not required. A distaff is a long vertical pole that can be attached to the spinning wheel, or free standing next to the wheel. The long fibers of flax are tied together at one end and the rest of the fibers are fanned out.
How does a distaff work?
distaff, Device used in hand spinning in which individual fibres are drawn out of a mass of prepared fibres held on a stick (the distaff), twisted together to form a continuous strand, and wound on a second stick (the spindle). It is most often used for making linen; wool does not require a distaff (see carding).
What is the meaning of distaff in horse racing?
The Distaff Handicap is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York.
What is the male equivalent of distaff?
Apparently, the masculine equivalent of the distaff side is the spear side!
What is the purpose of a distaff on spinning wheel?
A distaff (/ˈdɪstɑːf/, /ˈdɪstæf/, also called a rock) is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax, and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fibre.
What’s the difference between a spindle and a baluster?
A baluster and spindle is actually almost the same thing, but the word spindle is more commonly used because it is easier to remember and say. Balusters usually rest on a footing; this could be a step, floor or deck, whereas, spindles are supported by a horizontal rail at the bottom that is attached to the posts.
What is spindle shape?
Definitions of spindle-shaped. adjective. tapering at each end. synonyms: cigar-shaped, fusiform pointed. having a point.
Where are spindles used?
On a lathe (whether wood lathe or metal lathe), the spindle is the heart of the headstock. In rotating-cutter woodworking machinery, the spindle is the part on which shaped milling cutters are mounted for cutting features (such as rebates, beads, and curves) into mouldings and similar millwork.
What is the opposite of distaff?
The antonym of distaff is agnate.
What is the male side of the family called?
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual’s family membership derives from and is recorded through their father’s lineage.
When was the distaff invented?
30000 B.C. The first clothes are made with animal skins and fur, leaves, and grass. 1000 A.D. The word ‘distaff’ originates from Low German and means “a bunch of flax connected with a staff.”
What is the meaning of Proverbs 31 21?
At such a time, this wife of noble character “has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.” The whole poem is about her capable oversight of everyone and everything in her house.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 31 25?
Explanation and Commentary of Proverbs 31:25 Godliness is not a concern for the culture. The culture is concerned about achievement, higher pay, and external beauty according to the world’s fashions. The eternal youth that comes from plastic surgery and thick makeup is the way of the world.
