Saint Distaff's Day - The Patron Saint of Spinners

St. Distaff's Day - January 6, 2013

Went to St. Distaff's Day today at our town's museum. Saint Distaff is the patron saint of spinners

(as in, spinning wheel spinners).  The place was full of women spinning wool and flax on their spinning wheels. There wasn't an empty chair in the small museum.  Our first pass through the place was to check out all the spinning wheels AND the spinner's socks.

Think about it, if you spin your own yarn, chances are you knit, too.
My sister and I have noticed the most colorful wool socks on spinners.
I took pictures of their socks last year, not this year.

This year I focused on four strange/unique spinning wheels that were "packaged"
in a wooden "suitcase".  They are called Journey Wheels (www.journeywheel.com).

This is (above) a side view of the Journey Wheel.  Notice the pedal is one single piece, 

this means the wheel is older.  Each unit is signed and dated.  Newer models have two pedals.

I really wasn't interested in this wheel until one of the participants said she had many spinning wheels, 

but uses only the Journey Wheel, because of it's ease of use.  

Notice the two pedal system.  This is a newer model.

These cost $1,600, if you could buy one, according to the inventor/builder.  

He is on "hiatus" (his own words).

Another spinner sells the coffee mug holder (in upper left corner of Journey Wheel)

that is made of plastic.  He husband and she sell them on www.etsy.com.

At the end of the day, this is what the Journey Wheel looks like packaged to go.

I don't spin wool, nor flax.

There are so many other crafts I prefer.
If you are a spinner, with hope, you enjoyed this information.

Here are other pictures I took during the event.

Attendees Hard at Work

This Spinner Wheel (from New Zealand) has Cabriolet Legs That Looks Like a Piece of Furniture

Everyone Carried a Basket, Bag, etc (INTERESTING VARIETY).