Thread-spinning Techniques

Introduction to Spinning (Part 1)

A household industry since the dawn of time, it started with the simplest of tools, and with the advent of advanced machinery, became a much larger factory-produced industry.

Adapted from the encyclopedia.com article.

Spinning tools, part I (Part 2)

The most simple of tools is most often found in many a cothold: the spindle and the distaff.

The distaff is an elogated stick held in one hand, and is used to wrap the spun material on.

The spindle is shorter, and has one end weighted, the other notched. In order to twist the fiber, one would twirl the spindle.

One might also find a spinning wheel in the average cothold: a spindle set in a frame and turned by a belt passing over a wheel, often called the walking wheel. It is turned by hand. Finer threads are often spun on a spinning wheel with a foot treadle, in order that a person be able to use both hands in controlling the threads.

The more elaborate machinery is explained in the next chapter.

Spinning tools, part II (Part 3)

Looms:

Looms come in several sizes; the largest can cover an entire wall. A few of the smaller kinds may be found in wealthy cotholds, or major Holds with weavers on the staff.

Looms are comprised of many fundemental parts:

A warp beam, to wind the threads; heddles, essentially large needles through which the thread is passed; harnesses to raise or lower the warp threads in order to allow for the weft threads to pass through; and many other parts.

This tool is often used to create tapestries form spun threads.

Looms can spin up to eleven threads at once, depending on size.

Types of Fibers (Part 4)

Pern uses fibers such as flax, sisal, cotton, and leather in order to create their clothing.

Sisal is reasonably hard to work with, it being rather fragile and expensive. Like silk in texture, it is, however, a form of plant, rather than material spun from silkworms, which did not do well on the Pernese soil.

Cotton is a Terran import that did very well, and so is very common for usage in the clothing that needs to last long and stand up to wear and tear well. It is also quite versatile: one can spin it very thin, or very thick, according to one's desires.

Leather, too, is a more versatile, if relatively stiff, fabric to use. Made form animal skins, it is often hard to sew, and requires some maintenence.

Flax is a plant, used to make linens. Also relatively easy to work with, though not as easy as cotton. It is one the largest crops used in Pernese weaving.

Dyeing Thread (Part 5)

Many dyes are kept secret; after all, those brilliant blues, greens, and oranges cannot become common knowledge.

However, the use of shellfish and some plants are widely known and used religiously, making use of the lage, metale dye vats available in the Halls and major Holds.

Knitting and Crochet: Tools and Types (Part 6)

Knitting: used to make heavy, warm sweaters and scarves, and even some bed coverings. It uses two pointed, eyeless needles of varying sizes toweave whatever artcle that is desired. The thread is wound about one needle, while the otherpicks fresh thread through the resultant loops to create a unique, knapped pattern.

Crocheting uses a single hook, made to draw thread through loops, and to weave many different styles of chains in order to make any article so desired.