# Parts of the Spinning Wheel



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

This is taken from The Spinner's Companion by Bobbie Irwin

*Axle*: Center shaft of the drive wheel

*Bobbin*: spool which yarn winds onto as it is spun

*Brake*: on some wheels, a tensioning device that causes the bobbin to turn slower than the flyer, or vice versa, so that the yarn can wind on

*Crank*: device connected to the axle and footman that turns the axle of the drive wheel

*Distaff*: optional device that holds fiber for access during spinning (especially flax)

*Drive band*: cord that connects the drive wheel with the bobbin or flyer whorl

*Drive wheel*: Large wheel that turns the spindle or flyer

*Flyer*: fork-shaped device that guides yarn onto the bobbin

*Footman*: vertical bar connecting the treadle and the crank

*Maidens*: upright parts that hold a bobbin

*Mother-of-all*: platform that holds the maidens and the tensioning device

*Orifice*: the hole or tube through which the yarn feeds in

*Spindle*: a pointed shaft that rotates to twist fiber, or the shaft that holds the bobbin

*Table*: the platform that supports the drive wheel and the mother-of-all

*Tension knob*: device that controls the tension of the drive band or break

*Treadle*: a foot-operated pedal that turns the drive wheel

*Whorl*: small grooved disk at the end of the bobbin or spindle around which the drive band or break band passes


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

This is great March!

I still forget what the footman is called and will still call it 'that stick that goes from the teadle to the big wheel'.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi I know what you mean. It seems to me that the Footman should be what they call the treadle. But I think a lot of the terms are old English type things. Think of a coach and the footman is the person who would stand or sit on the back and would attend the people inside (I think that is right).

I love the mother-of-all and the maidens, what great names!
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Here is the definition from Wikipedia. This seems to fit:

Male servants were more highly paid than female servants and footmen were something of a luxury and therefore status symbol even among the servant-employing classes. They performed a less essential role than the cook, maid or even butler, and were part only of the grandest households. Since a footman was for show as much as for use, a tall footman was more highly prized than a small one, and good looks, including well turned legs, which were shown off by the traditional footman's dress of stockings worn below knee breeches, an advantage. Footmen were expected to be unmarried and tended to be relatively young; they might, however, progress to other posts, notably that of butler. One 19th century footman, James Tayler, kept a diary which has been published. He was, in fact, married; but kept his marriage secret from his employers and visited his family only on his days off.


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