How I Spin Flax With a Handheld Distaff - Using Medieval Tools

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How did medieval people spin long line flax with hand held spindles? Let's experiment and find out!
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[@jordanjoestar-turniptruck]

I love medieval art depicting spinning. Cats getting into the fiber, women beating people with their distaffs

[@JillianEve]

Yes!

[@Bellbebell]

When you think of the hours and hours and hours that would go into making even the simplest garments! 🤯🤯🤯

[@AvenRox]

I just discovered your channel and I suddenly realized that I could make a sorcerer dnd character who uses a distaff as a wand, with proficiency in Weaver's Tools of course. Maybe a longer distaff as a melee weapon.

[@Coastalwoolwashing]

Now I finally understand the difference between tow flax and line flax!

[@JillianEve]

Yay! It makes more sense when you can see it doesn't it? 😊🧶💜

[@ashfieldguild]

You *rock* being a medieval illuminated manuscript! Looking fab :D

[@Reszig22]

Okay I just discovered your channel and you are the absolute coolest person ever. I’m an art history major and just historical art techniques will always be absolutely fascinating to me, everything from garment construction, fabric weaving, spinning, painting. Everything is just amazing to me and seeing people recreating these methods and studying them makes me so ridiculously excited. I’m very glad I found your channel

[@alliewhitlock621]

Hello fellow Art Historian! What do you want your area of expertise to be?

[@Reszig22]

@@alliewhitlock621 I’m currently very interested in Ancient Greek coins but I’m honestly so interested in everything that I can’t decide on one thing! You?

[@alliewhitlock621]

@@Reszig22 insular medieval art, but also basically everything thing else too lol

[@greeksalad4783]

Epilogue: The wife of a noble character Proverbs 31: 19 "In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers." I was reading the ending of the book of Proverbs and came across the words distaff and spindle. That's when I did a Google search and a KZbin search to see exactly what Proverbs was referring to. Thank you for this wonderful video! ❤

[@penny7b]

I love it when we learn things about history by actually doing them. So cool.

[@wendydee3007]

I enjoy your videos for so many reasons! The costumes, your cheeky smiles, the diverse and really useful educational content...every aspect is so interesting - thank you! :o) Also - asking anyone else who uses 'traditional' methods for doing things (crafts, bread making etc) - does anyone else feel a connection to all the other people over the centuries, who have also used such methods? I always feel like I'm somehow connected to everyone else who has used old methods, like there is a timeless group of us existing in the ethers.... (sorry I've just had my coffee, my brain goes off a bit haha).

[@eileenfb1948]

Wendy Dee. Yes, I do too. I feel it is important to continue these skills so they are not lost. And so that we and others can have that wonderful delight at having made something from scratch.

[@Wosiewose]

I do too. It's like the feeling I had when standing in a thousand-year-old cathedral in Germany, and it suddenly struck me that so many people had stood in this exact spot over the centuries - who were they? what were their lives like? - and hopefully so many generations after me will also stand in this spot for centuries to come. It was an amazing sensation of actually BELONGING to the human race and being a real part of it.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

Yes, you're right! When I started doing ancient (prehistoric) textile techniques, using plant fibres found in nature ... I really felt connected to, or even part of, the life during that era. In my mind there was a story of my life as a woman (a grandma) living back then, as part of the family and the tribe. And I started searching for others who are busy with the same kind of things nowadays.

[@merkinidgit]

In my belief system, we reincarnate. With that belief it’s always interesting to see what I consider signs of past lives in our current ones.

[@amberjohnson2715]

I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but have you seen a documentary by the name of Wartime Farm? They grew it and they processed it! I believe it was episode seven or possibly eight where they grew flax for the specific purpose of using it to create linen and I think parachutes and other items in World War II. The flax reminded me of you !!! lol

[@rbmmylife]

So this isn't what you are talking about, but this video on how they grow, dry, and process flax is really cool! kzbin.info/www/bejne/infYm2qpjbuhf7c

[@christenagervais7303]

I love that whole series!

[@JillianEve]

I haven't seen it. I'll check it out! 🧶💜😊

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Thanks for the tip. I love that kind of thing. I'll check it out.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

In that same series there are also other times, like Medieval farm, Edwardian farm. The actors are in fact historians. They know a lot!

[@vivianramsay2527]

That was so much fun to watch! Love your costume! Looking at the flax thread and how fine it is makes me realize that medieval clothing was probably a lot more comfortable to wear than I imagined. So linen fabric hasn't changed much from then to now...hmmm. Real hands on can certainly change old perceptions. Love it!! Thank you for being so curious and taking us along for the ride!😊😊😊

[@JillianEve]

Absolutely!

[@NickProvada]

Speaking of curious, I ended up here being curious in verse 19 of my morning Readings from the KJV, about what a distaff was and how it worked. (KJV 20.31:19 ProVerbs). So glad I checked it out! Another mansion is now open to me.

[@Setyourhandlek]

This was so cool! I've been thinking about flax for a while now. The spin from the fold method and how you dressed the distaff wasn't something I had seen before. The discoveries you made through your experimentation were very interesting. Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge with us. ❤🐻

[@sandrarogers1200]

I watch a metal detectorist who lives in France. He is always finding relics from centuries ago, even into Roman times. He has found so many metal spindle whorls and I often wondered how they were used. I'm glad you put this video up to show me! They ones he finds are a bit smaller in diameter than the one you used on you used on your spindle. I am thinking that the many He has found were used, likely for spinning flax. I just ordered a drop spindle and am going to start in some time this week! I'm looking forward to it!

[@jasminv8653]

I've got a Swedish spinning handbook at home and this folded wrapping style is exactly how it instructs you to put flax on your distaff :)

[@LaurenKozur]

You are so cool!! i dont know if i am ever going to spin flax, but you make it look so fun!!!

[@j.c.culbreath-julian4230]

Hi Evie! I just found your channel and I love your content. I’m going to be sharing you with all my SCA fiber nerds. :)

[@justjo2018]

Love the video was studying Proverbs 31:19, had no idea what a distaff was your vid was very helpful! 👍🏾 (Pro 31:19 NKJV) "She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle."

[@LadyD4truth]

I just came here to also understand this verse! God bless! 🙏🏼

[@heathermacmaster5666]

Hands down your videos help me so much with all things fiber! Thank you so much for all your hard work. You are very much appreciated!!!

[@AndreaAlexander]

I love your videos because I always learn SO much! I can't wait to see what you make with the thread. 🤗 PS: Congrats on the sponsorship!!

[@JillianEve]

Thank you so much!

[@nz-nz]

Love these historical episodes Evie!

[@audriscarborough9309]

I am so fascinated with everything I am watching you do! I of course want to deep dive int, learn and read about the history of everything you just talked about! It's a great thing, thank you 😊 With joy, Audri

[@stitchwithbritt5922]

Very nice thread💕 well now I know what to do when I try to spin some flax into linen🥰

[@JillianEve]

Happy spinning!

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Once again beatiful magic ! I love your choice of music. Thanks !

[@terrythreecatfarm3112]

I really enjoyed this episode. Thank you!

[@janacagle2141]

Wonder I’d this is where the legends of magic wands came from

[@JillianEve]

There is a good amount of evidence suggesting it is. I need to make a video... 🧙‍♀️🧶💜

[@BearWomanWisdom]

I love The Dancing Goats! I’ve followed them for years on IG and gotten a number of things from their Etsy I wondered if that spindle shaft was their work 😂🥰

[@blockgamepirate3481]

This is really helpful, thank you! I like hearing about the process of figuring things out because I really have no idea how this works at all so some of the other material on spinning left me still feeling like I couldn't really grasp it at all, but this works for me much better!

[@christenagervais7303]

Absolutely fascinating!

[@tattercandy]

looks good . on my list to try

[@elsieb3176]

While reading Nancy Bush's _Folk Socks, The History and Techniques of Handknitted Footwear_, she wrote of the spinning wheel taking the place of the spindle and distaff in the late 1500s. I have a spindle but no distaff, so naturally I had to find out what that technique is. Thanks for your informative video! When you used the hackle, I scrolled back to see if that's what the woman in the lower right of the illuminated manuscript was using. I think she is! And when a dog raises its hackles, it looks like a board with nails on his back. Don't you love how things come down to us through the ages?

[@octette]

This is amaaaaaaaaaazing!!!!!!!

[@morganc5154]

I have really enjoyed crocheting to your videos lately! I don't personally spin my own yarn, but I love that I can learn more about how yarn is made from you 💜

[@KimGibsonfiberlover]

I’ve never spun flax on a spindle! I’ll give it a try now, and make a distaff too. BTW, that whorl is actually a cone, that ice cream cone shape is really just half a cone!

[@JillianEve]

That makes sense! 💡

[@ZhangLee.]

this is so interesting

[@Blackholeguy-c2b]

I like it

[@audrascanlan900]

Hi Jillian love your videos. This actually reminds me of another KZbinr who does similar videos however more about tablet weaving and history but she dresses up as well. Her name is elweys of finichingfeild. I probably spelt that wrong but she is a amazing resource for researching the type of tablet weaving that you mention. Can't wait for the next video.

[@dawsie]

I got fascinated and looked up some of the pictures and looking at the distaff it looked like how you added your flax to the distaff and the colour was more flax in colour but when I looked at others they were very white in colour and they had a ribbon holding the wool on the distaff, I think it’s based on the roving being used as to how it’s held on the distaff. As you say the flax has longer staple to it unlike wool and cotton they are both shorter fibers and it stands to reason that they would need the extra help on staying on the distaff. This is just my observation on watching spinners using different mediums for spinning >

[@bella-bee]

That’s what they mean by flaxen hair!

[@jenniferbrighty5120]

Hi Evie, I hope you're all OK xx 💗 Wow, wow. That is definitely a very fine yarn. Thankyou so much for sharing this video podcast with us all. Between yourself and Jennifer I've learned a lot from you both this week. I still have the Flax that I was kindly gifted to me. Now I need to free up a Spindle and a Bobbin so I can try it out on both devices. I have a 2 part question though. You both used a Distaff, is that needed to hold the Flax and was your Hackle made by Mark??? Thanks again Evie for everything. Happy Spinning Fibre Friend 🐏🐏 Take care and stay safe Lots of love Jen xxxx 💖 ❣ ❤❤

[@JillianEve]

The distaff is pretty necessary for long line flax. It gets too messy without it, but there are always exceptions. The hackle is from Indigo Hound. I'm not sure if they still make them. Happy spinning!

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

Interesting! I am doing research for the prehistoric clothes I want to make myself, so I can demonstrate ancient textile techniques at the museum 'dressed in style'. Because there are so little textile archaelogic finds it's impossible to know all about those clothes. The time you depict here has 'illuminated manuscripts', but my clothes need to be late stone age (neolithic) or early bronze age and located in the region now part of the Netherlands / Germany ... About that time people started wearing linen and wool ( they only wore leather and fur before).

[@dawanariley4183]

I have some flax Lol. I keep putting it aside. I love linens

[@thewalnutwoodworker6136]

I bought my first wheel for $12! It has all of the parts and one bobbin. This thing spins somewhat well and I am a woodworker so I can make more.

[@sonjanordahl3158]

You lucky dog.

[@terrythreecatfarm3112]

Jousting with a distaff!😂

[@sparkybish]

Well, flaxen haired makes much more sense now.

[@sonjanordahl3158]

It is a slightly squished ball. :)

[@lunasmum6869]

Very interesting. I was turning out some stuff and found a finger distaff I bought years ago. Could it be used for other fibres or is it just for flax/linen? I would never have thought to put the flax on the distaff like that having visions of an unweildy ribbon tied mass difficult to hold up. So, thank you, you have given me much food for thought.

[@kieraoona]

Have you ever considered trying to spin it fine enough to make hand sewing thread for linen projects? Just curious if its something you've tried

[@JillianEve]

Yes, thread would need to be plied and this might almost do the job. 😊🧶💜

[@kieraoona]

@@JillianEve nice!! that could be fun to work with if you're making anything historical for sewing

[@luzdalucy]

Which program you're using here 9:37 ? Btw i just found your channel yesterday and became a fan, you're so talented and adorable 🥰

[@lalibellule8208]

Hello, this is a very interesting video. I have spun flax from a standing distaff or waist distaff and found it quite a challenge. Your way of preparing it and dressing the distaff is fascinating. I will have to try it. By the way where did you get your distaff that can change from a waist held to hand held? Thank you for all your experimentation and sharing .

[@melissacook240]

I went looking for some fiber and found a blend of wool, flax and silk. Have you tried a wool and flax blend?

[@JillianEve]

Yes, I spun and wove some on my channel for my "Wisteria" project.

[@deb1120]

😍😍

[@merkinidgit]

Sometimes that shape is referred to as “lentil”

[@MrsPbio]

When do you wet spin and when do you not need to?

[@Skirt553]

The shape is a bicone

[@myrany8407]

where are you sourcing your flax from please?

[@pamcypher3353]

Hi, where did you get the two part distaff?

[@randalllaue4042]

Was surprised that people were not growing their own flax for weaving. Time consuming but worth it. Can skip the costume, this is holding back the craft. Bringing it to future.

[@woochles]

Did you get that from Omar in Egypt? I have a kg of stricks from him that I need to figure out a distaff for.

[@JillianEve]

This one came from a local shop. 😊🧶💜

[@saracarlson-kringle]

I recently came across some interesting information from another youtuber who crochets and knits about linen and wool, which you might find interesting as well [or not]. I googled 'the energetic frequency of linen' and found an article by 'Salts and West Clothing' and by 'Life Giving Linen'. Everything has a frequency, including our fibers! A nearly dead person runs a frequency of about 15 [as does polyester, rayon and silk] - a living human, 100 - linen, a whopping 5,000 - and wool, a whopping 5,000! Yet, linen and wool together collapse the energetic fields because the energy of wool runs left to right, where the energy of linen runs right to left. I'm interested in knowing if that is because one is plant based and the other animal, or what...

[@swirlingabyss]

Lenticular.

[@april5666]

I've been enjoying many of your videos -- thank you for all the effort and research you do for each of them. I'm a newbie arts & craft fiber person and have been moving out of felting with wire armatures to looking at historical fiber processing etc for further project exploration. I just wanted to give a quick mention/referral to an amazing historical crafter/demonstrator that gathers and processes all her own materials and does educational demonstrations in England. I thought you and your followers might find what she does interesting and helpful to your work too. Her name is Sally Pointer and her video on using natural elements to die wool and flax is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4TWn4hjeqiMpNk. She doesn't get the bright deep pink and neon greens, but she gets a great array of colours and if you watch to the end of this one, it is amazing to me how different water can make a huge difference in each batch done. Sally Pointer also uses flax and burdock (apparently there was a lot more burdock used than originally realized -- so if you ever become a master flax spinner, you might want to try a greater challenge with burdock fibers -- lol). She also has some interesting projects with nalbinding too, one of which is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fp67ooairbGBlbM. Happy projects everyone. I'm waiting for my first spindle and will be rewatching your videos, Ito troubleshoot as I learn, I'm sure. Thank you again for all the work you share with us :)

[@zenithquazar4767]

Ahh so this is what they mean by flax colored hair

[@pwhite2579]

bi convex

[@thewalnutwoodworker6136]

Someone is getting sponsorships at 20k?

[@virginiapozo7385]

Me encanta aprender contigo ,desde Chile un cariñoso abrazo,gracias 🙏

[@angryhistoryguy5657]

What is the source for that image of the woman jousting with her distaff? I need to send it to everyone I know.

[@JillianEve]

The image comes from Beinecke MS 229, on 329r 😊🧶✨

[@sadiesspincraft6319]

Absolutely loved this video it makes me wish I was there with you we could of done a medieval day, week, month, year or life 😀 . Thank you so much evie for doing qll your hard work and sharing it all with us xx

[@JillianEve]

That would be so fun!!!

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Eve I absolutely love your videos. When you started your video and audio productions were OK. Now you look and sound very professional but, still cheerful and fun.

[@carlleegamble3744]

I like you exploring archaeology and spinning. Thanks for the history lesson.

[@mariapaby]

"give it a spin" 'Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo yes more but nooooooooooooooooo

[@bella-bee]

So can we use a smooth rod as a distaff and take rolags off a blending board or drum carder with it directly, or wrap a batt around it, and spin wool that way? I like the idea of manipulating the distaff instead of drafting. I often find my Rolag flops over my hand and gets caught up prematurely in what I’m spinning on my spindle, and this might stop that happening. I’m going to try.

[@YunMei17]

Where did you get your flax? I wanted to grow my own, but the birds/squirrels got my seeds. I might just order the flax for my first time spinning, but would like to know where to get the prepped flax.

[@JillianEve]

I got this from my local spinning and weaving supplier called The Fold in Marengo, IL. I've also seen sticks on Etsy as well. 🌱💜🧶

[@Cheese18191]

Oh my god that's where wands come from.

[@JillianEve]

Yep! 100%

[@abcstardust]

Thank you for showing us the Medieval techniques. I love that era.

[@HugoOsorio-bm7my]

que loco, vine porque lei de los spindles y distaffs, queria ver el proceso! chido! 😁

[@tinahooper3470]

Hi Jillian. I have a question. When I hear flax thread/yarn, it makes me think itchy. How soft is it?

[@rowenazuercher5363]

I can't wait to try this method of spinning flax! I never would have thought of this, but it makes such perfect sense and you modeled it so well!

[@JillianEve]

I've done two full spindles now and it's awesome!

[@patd8063]

Great video. I am not brave enough to spin flax yet.

[@MatinMO-y1r]

It's actually the section right after this one, on "Spin Patterns" in fabric.

[@Serenity-fu8xz]

Oh my goodness, I’m gonna use my knotty knoddy as a distaff because it comes apart into a piece that looks just like that distaff

[@dvorak920289]

So THAT'S how they could fit flax fibers on such a short distaff! Thank you for another delightful video of experimental archaeology (even though from middle ages)! Have you tried wetting your fingers while drafting flax? Does it make much difference to you in the consistency of the yarn you make?

[@JillianEve]

Wet spinning gives a smoother surface, but when it dries, I don't notice a huge difference. I think it really helps tricky joins though.

[@eriickaugusto474]

hahaha I love your videos, I always learn a lot and have fun with your speech, such a nice person!!

[@timothychandler1725]

I in the pass at a fiber festival, I saw a woman spinning flax. You would need a cup of water 💧 by you. The woman 👩 use water 💧 to wet her fingers while spinning. The water hold the flax to the twist. So try the 💧 next spin. So dip your fingers in the water, and spin your linen.

[@JillianEve]

Historically, that would have been saliva, not water. 🧶💜

[@benjamindejonge3624]

Flax is the most finest vegetable weaving material next to marihuana and nettles

[@sandybrown1439]

I think you look absolutely adorable in your costume

[@mastinomama8939]

Nifty trick! I spin so much flax but never tried to spin from the fold! Thanks for this inspiration.

[@Cellottia]

I think you've made a major discovery! Excellent!!

[@ArtemensiaK]

I will try this method as my very first spinning experiment, I guess 🤣

[@lgassin]

Super-amazing development in flax spinning! I wish I had your fiber brain :). The TdF project also looks !

[@adamakaru2683]

Hahahahahahaah Ho I am sure you have a lot of fun, but who wouldn't thank you.

[@riaraccoon]

You were correct about the biconical shape! 😊

[@faramund9865]

Good stuff.

[@Gigimamapa5]

Awesome techniques 🥰

[@bettinavanhassel1576]

Thank you for sharing your experiment. I haven t spun satisfying thread yet but this method looks great! ❤ I enjoyed your references with the archeology evidence and medieval illuminated manuscrips scenes. I'm in a linen revival group and sharing your explanations will be very educative for all of our members. 😊

[@pascalegravel9394]

Thank you so much for all your awsome videos, and for the numrous hours you put into research, trial and error, crafting, and everything else needed to produce this quality of content. You are an inspiration!

[@L.M.F3]

Hi, I really like your two piece distaff, may I ask where you got it?

[@JillianEve]

I think it was from the UK? I'm having trouble finding the shop.

[@L.M.F3]

Thanks Jillian 😊

[@mikaeelmalik1724]

loving the history with my spinning toutorials

[@hiromi1038]

You are indeed an inspiration! I would like to spin my own yarn and knit into anything! Lol❤

[@lisascenic]

Fascinating! Thank you!