This is an antique spindle that is used in my part of Italy (northern Italy, Emilia Romagna) and it is a drop spindle. I collect antique ones and I use them as a base for my replicas, the fun in collecting them is that not one is like the other, they all are a bit different in size and weight.
I made a video to show you how to spin and wind yarn on this spindle: LINK TO THE SPINNING VIDEO
Estimate age: around 100 years old. Pristine conditions, only signs of time on the belly. Signs of hand whittling.
Style: this is the simpler style that is typical to my area, the mountains around Reggio Emilia.
Size: 10 inches (25cm)
Weight: 42 grams
The spindle was a treasure for every girl and woman, especially in a farmers economy, where it was essential in transforming wool into garments, in a society that was quite poor and where a wheel was a luxury.
In Italian, to spin wool is said "filare" (to make thread, more or less). During the courtship, it was tradition for the young man to gift the fiancee with a spindle. In fact, when a young girl had a suitor, it was used to say that "she had a filarino" (which you could loosely translate as having a little spinning?😅).
It is a saying that is heard just from old people nowadays, because young generations have lost the tradition of spinning and spindle gifting.
But I find it so romantic ❤️
This is an antique spindle that is used in my part of Italy (northern Italy, Emilia Romagna) and it is a drop spindle. I collect antique ones and I use them as a base for my replicas, the fun in collecting them is that not one is like the other, they all are a bit different in size and weight.
I made a video to show you how to spin and wind yarn on this spindle: LINK TO THE SPINNING VIDEO
Estimate age: around 100 years old. Pristine conditions, only signs of time on the belly. Signs of hand whittling.
Style: this is the simpler style that is typical to my area, the mountains around Reggio Emilia.
Size: 10 inches (25cm)
Weight: 42 grams
The spindle was a treasure for every girl and woman, especially in a farmers economy, where it was essential in transforming wool into garments, in a society that was quite poor and where a wheel was a luxury.
In Italian, to spin wool is said "filare" (to make thread, more or less). During the courtship, it was tradition for the young man to gift the fiancee with a spindle. In fact, when a young girl had a suitor, it was used to say that "she had a filarino" (which you could loosely translate as having a little spinning?😅).
It is a saying that is heard just from old people nowadays, because young generations have lost the tradition of spinning and spindle gifting.
But I find it so romantic ❤️
