{"id":1288,"date":"2018-05-05T15:24:53","date_gmt":"2018-05-05T13:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/?p=1288"},"modified":"2018-05-05T17:50:58","modified_gmt":"2018-05-05T15:50:58","slug":"portuguese-spindle-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/portuguese-spindle-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"Portuguese spindle: Comments"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an earlier post\u00a0on Portuguese spindles<\/a>, I left many questions unanswered. I have looked for facts about the Portuguese spindle and spinning technique but haven’t found much. Until I got an e-mail.<\/p>\n

Along came Alice<\/h1>\n

Alice is the owner of Saber Fazer<\/a>, where I bought my Portuguese spindle. She also sells tools for flax processing, dye plant seeds, wool from local Portuguese sheep breeds, and she hosts workshops (I am not getting paid to write this). Alice was kind enough to answer many of my questions regarding Portuguese spindles and spinning. She cares deeply about the spindles and manual fiber processing. A kindred spirit.<\/p>\n

Spindle design and function<\/h2>\n

While the spindles are made by a local drumstick maker, Alice hand carves all the spiral grooves herself. She says it is important to get the groove deep enough that the yarn stays in it. She has lots of antique spindles that she has based her design on.<\/p>\n

Models, materials and techniques<\/h2>\n

A deep and well made groove makes it possible to spin with a short suspension. Many antique Portuguese spindles have a metal tip. Because it is made out of metal, it can be very thin. With a thin tip, the spindle will spin more rounds with one roll with the spinning hand. A metal tip rarely allows for short suspension, since the groove isn’t deep enough for the yarn to stay. However, the low friction of the metal makes it possible for the spindle to spin freely against the fingers for short moments.<\/p>\n

\"spindles\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the image you can see some of Alice’s antique spindles, some of them with a metal tip. But only one of these is really good to spin with (third from the right) \u2013 it has a very neatly carved tip and a perfect weight. She says you can tell that the original owner used the spindle well.<\/p>\n

The metal tipped spindles are very difficult to come by, though. There are antique spindles left with this design, but few of them are still spinnable. There are also modern ones, but Alice writes that they usually are made for decoration and not spinning. She has tried to make spindles with metal tips, but she hasn’t been able to make them with a groove. Yet.<\/p>\n

To distaff or not to distaff<\/h2>\n

In Portugal, Alice writes that\u00a0spinners spin both with and without a distaff. Mostly spinners who spin in-hand style without letting go of the spindle spin without a distaff. Spinning with short suspension is oftentimes done with a belt distaff. For flax spinning, you will need a distaff to keep the fiber organized.<\/p>\n