The Pearly Queen's Yarns and Purls
MAKE YOUR OWN DISTAFF
Two Ways to Create a Simple Distaff
I. Free Standing Wooden Distaff with or without a separate stand.
Materials: Wooden curtain rod pole or 1 in dowel Wooden “screw in” finial or knob Three legged or other round wooden foot stool ¼ in dowel
Choose a pole that will be long enough to extend at least 36 in above the level you place your hands when seated and spinning. Screw the finial or knob into the center of one end of the rod. Locate the center of the stool. Drill a hole in the center just large enough for the rod to fit snugly. Slide it through so about 1 in emerges on the underside Mark the rod at the place where it emerges from the stool. Drill a small hole through the rod for the ¼ in dowel. Cut a piece of the dowel long enough to protrude about ½ in on either side when it is pushed through the hole. With the rod in place, push the dowel through the hole. This will secure the large rod and prevent it from falling out of the stool.
If you have a hole for a distaff in your spinning wheel table, simply omit the stool. Find a dowel that will fit into the hole in your spinning wheel. Drill a hole that will snugly accommodate the dowel into the center of the rod opposite the finial end. You will have a finial on one end and a dowel protruding from the other end. The dowel should be long enough to go through the hole in the spinning wheel completely and be as snug as possible. Glue the dowel into the rod.
2. Chair Distaff
Materials: ½ in thick sturdy board @ 6 to 8 in wide, @ 30 in long 1 in dowel or other rod 3 ft long Screw in finial or knob 3/8 in dowel
Sand the board smooth. This is important. You will be sitting on it. If you can find a flat prefinished board in the woodcraft area of a hobby store, that is best. Some are oar shaped and flat and are perfect.
Screw the finial into the center of the top end of the rod. Drill a hole in the center of the other end to snugly accommodate the 3/8 in dowel. The dowel should be long enough to go into the hole, completely through the flat board and out to the underside. Glue the dowel into the rod.
Drill a corresponding hole two inches in from the narrow edge and centered on one end of the board. This distaff is easily assembled and can be disassembled to store or transport. To spin, sit on the plain end of the board and let the other end with the distaff extend to the side or at an angle.
Note: If using and oar shaped piece, drill the wide end and sit on the narrow end.
Midge Jackson 2012
Two Ways to Create a Simple Distaff
I. Free Standing Wooden Distaff with or without a separate stand.
Materials: Wooden curtain rod pole or 1 in dowel Wooden “screw in” finial or knob Three legged or other round wooden foot stool ¼ in dowel
Choose a pole that will be long enough to extend at least 36 in above the level you place your hands when seated and spinning. Screw the finial or knob into the center of one end of the rod. Locate the center of the stool. Drill a hole in the center just large enough for the rod to fit snugly. Slide it through so about 1 in emerges on the underside Mark the rod at the place where it emerges from the stool. Drill a small hole through the rod for the ¼ in dowel. Cut a piece of the dowel long enough to protrude about ½ in on either side when it is pushed through the hole. With the rod in place, push the dowel through the hole. This will secure the large rod and prevent it from falling out of the stool.
If you have a hole for a distaff in your spinning wheel table, simply omit the stool. Find a dowel that will fit into the hole in your spinning wheel. Drill a hole that will snugly accommodate the dowel into the center of the rod opposite the finial end. You will have a finial on one end and a dowel protruding from the other end. The dowel should be long enough to go through the hole in the spinning wheel completely and be as snug as possible. Glue the dowel into the rod.
2. Chair Distaff
Materials: ½ in thick sturdy board @ 6 to 8 in wide, @ 30 in long 1 in dowel or other rod 3 ft long Screw in finial or knob 3/8 in dowel
Sand the board smooth. This is important. You will be sitting on it. If you can find a flat prefinished board in the woodcraft area of a hobby store, that is best. Some are oar shaped and flat and are perfect.
Screw the finial into the center of the top end of the rod. Drill a hole in the center of the other end to snugly accommodate the 3/8 in dowel. The dowel should be long enough to go into the hole, completely through the flat board and out to the underside. Glue the dowel into the rod.
Drill a corresponding hole two inches in from the narrow edge and centered on one end of the board. This distaff is easily assembled and can be disassembled to store or transport. To spin, sit on the plain end of the board and let the other end with the distaff extend to the side or at an angle.
Note: If using and oar shaped piece, drill the wide end and sit on the narrow end.
Midge Jackson 2012
