Spinning

Spinning is the process of making yarn out of loose fibres of wool or flax. Spinning is done using a spindle, a short spiky wooden stick with a flat round disc of stone or bone attached. Thin yarn could be made with a light spindle, but with a heavier spindle the yarn ended up thicker.

First a piece of wool or flax was attached to the spindle. Then the spindle was turned, stretching the material to a long, twisted yarn. One hand was used to keep the spindle turning while the other held the wool or flax. Sometimes the wool was placed on a long pointy stick called a distaff. The spun yarn was then wound around the spindle.

The book of Exodus (ESV) mentions “twined linen” a number of times. This type of yarn is used to make the tabernacle and the priests’ garments.

Twining was a technique for making stronger yarn out of several thinner strands. The strands were twisted around each other using a spindle. This stronger yarn was more suitable for processing.