Happy Distaff Day!

Yes it is a thing, and it actually comes with an interesting history and has me on the look out for one!

First off, what is a distaff?!
It is basically a spinning tool to hold up-spun fibre.

Distaff day or St Distaff day (unofficial Catholic Holiday) is on the 7th of January or the 12th day from Xmas. This was the day in many European cultures that women resumed their household chores, with a main one being SPINNING!

Spinning was a major task with women of all classes spinning. This task was usually done in the evening as this was a task that could be done in a relaxing way while having conversation with other women. During the middle ages the woollen industry because a major industry and around this time was when spinning wheels started to appear. This introduction of a spinning wheel over a spindle increased the production of of spun wool.

This is not only a day for women, but men as well. Men were still waiting for the first Monday after xmas (Plough Monday) so still had time for mischief.

Queen Elizabeth spinning with a distaff

Partly work and partly play

You must on St. Distaffs Day: 

From the plough soon free your team;

Then cane home and fother them: 

If the maids a-spinning go, 

Burn the flax and fire the tow.

Bring in pails of water then, 

Let the maids bewash the men.

Give St. Distaff' all the right: 

Then bid Christmas sport good night, 

And next morrow every one

To his own vocation.'

Robert Herrick in the 17th century

Different types of distaff

Distaff on wheel

Spinning holds a great importance for women in the past and it even has entered our language. Spinsters was a legal term for unmarried woman. The 'distaff side' was used for female lineage with male lineage being the staff e.g. "The crown of France never falls to the distaff" meaning the crown will always go through male lineage.

Wrist distaff

There are a lot of different distaffs, some seem to be just stick balanced in the arm wrapped in wool/flax, while some are very intricate or attached to the wheel or wrist.

If you are good with wood you can make a decent distaff, but if like me you will probably just end up with a bent stick if you tried you can make your own wrist one quickly!

This will be my project this Distaff Day, but I am missing some heavy beads. So will have to pick some up tomorrow or the weekend to finish it!

More history on spinning to come as the history is extremely fascinating and diverse across countries - Think Gandhi in India



In the mean time check out some cool distaff videos!
Dressing a Distaff


HAPPY DISTAFF DAY SPINNERS!

Posted in: spinning