Spinning using a Saxony wheel

Spinning using a Saxony wheel

ID: QZP99_93154_04_12 DESCRIPTION: Mòr Bean Aonghais Bhig (Marion Ruadh Campbell) spinning with a Saxony spinning wheel. The early spinning wheel, the muckle wheel, had a simple design. A drive belt linked the large wheel to a small spindle (usually a thin iron rod) to which the teased wool was tied. Turning the large wheel slowly with one hand while holding and twisting the wool with the other caused the spindle to draw more wool from the bundle. The wheel could then be reversed so the spindle wound the wool that had just been spun. The muckle wheel was eventually replaced by the Saxony wheel which had a number of advantages. It was smaller and had a drive-belt system which turned not only a spindle but also a bobbin. This allowed the wool to be twisted as it was wound on the bobbin. This type of wheel was turned by a foot pedal which let the spinner sit down. This image comes from a collection gifted to Edinburgh Central Library by Dr Isabel F. Grant. The collection includes photographs taken by a number of different photographers. PLACENAME: unidentified CREATOR (AV): Margaret Fay Shaw SOURCE: Edinburgh and Scottish Collection, Edinburgh Central Library COLLECTION: I F Grant Photographic Archive Asset ID: 38505 KEYWORDS: