Italian Drop Spindle - Chestnut I - Ebonized
This is the replica of the 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.
It 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 ❤️
I made a video to show you how to spin and wind yarn on this spindle: LINK TO THE SPINNING VIDEO
Wood: Chestnut
Size: 11 inches (28 cm)
Weight: 39 grams
Finish: Shellac, ebonization.
Ebonization is not a stain applied to the wood, but a chemical process in which a solution is applied to the wood that reacts to the tannins in it, turning them black and imitating ebony.
This is the replica of the 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.
It 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 ❤️
I made a video to show you how to spin and wind yarn on this spindle: LINK TO THE SPINNING VIDEO
Wood: Chestnut
Size: 11 inches (28 cm)
Weight: 39 grams
Finish: Shellac, ebonization.
Ebonization is not a stain applied to the wood, but a chemical process in which a solution is applied to the wood that reacts to the tannins in it, turning them black and imitating ebony.
This is the replica of the 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.
It 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 ❤️
I made a video to show you how to spin and wind yarn on this spindle: LINK TO THE SPINNING VIDEO
Wood: Chestnut
Size: 11 inches (28 cm)
Weight: 39 grams
Finish: Shellac, ebonization.
Ebonization is not a stain applied to the wood, but a chemical process in which a solution is applied to the wood that reacts to the tannins in it, turning them black and imitating ebony.