I Bought an Antique Spinning Wheel to Spin My Own Thread 

Your final thread looks fantastic! I'm thrilled I got to help you get started, and I can't wait to see what you spin up next. Happiest of happy spinning! 😊🧶🧵🪡✨💖

Sometimes, when I stop to think about how, from the time of the earliest drop spindles we know about (~30 *thousand* years ago) until industrial spinning factories, Every. Single. Thread: every warp thread, every weft thread, in every piece of fabric -- from the clothes on people's backs, to the *sails on every sailing ship* -- was spun by hand, my mind kinds of shuts down at the magnitude of that.

When you mentioned getting a really strong ankle from treadling, I remembered an old German fairytale which is a bit like Rumpelstiltskin in that a girl is supposed to spin a seemingly impossible amount of thread before she's allowed to marry the king, but instead of a demon gnome she gets help from three experienced spinsters. One has an enormous foot from treadling, one has a sagging lower lip from wetting the thread, and the third one has a huge flat thumb from flattening the thread. All that they ask for in return for their help is to be invited to the wedding. The king notices their deformities and asks them why they look like that, they tell him it's from spinning flax all their lives. The king is horrified and tells his new wife never to spin flax again, and she's happy to comply.

That thread is perfect for hand-stitching leather! A chunky 2ply linen thread is exactly what I use to sew 18th century leather accoutrements--first I punch a hole through the leather and use two thick blunt needles with the thread coated in cobbler's wax and beeswax. It's great watching you learn how to make the materials I overlook when sewing.

For anyone who got excited by this and feels like giving spinning a go, here are a few tips: 1. Look out for a local spinning guild: They have a wealth of knowledge, will be super welcoming to newbies and often have old wheels lurking around that could become yours (that's how I acquired my first one) 2. A spindle takes a lot less space: Consider trying spinning with a hand spindle. You can even 3d print one! 3. Spin as traditional or as wild as you like: Incredible dyers and makers produce colourful fibre packs (see Hedgehog Fibres for example), so you can start with some soft and easy bluefaced leicester that will spin like butter, try flax if you feel bold. Or if you hate yourself, spin silk. IYKYK. 4. There are no stupid questions: We all started with the same bird's nest of overtwisted, breaking fibres. Ask away! 5. Keep your first thread: Doesn't matter if it looks like garden twine, it's a precious thing! And most of all, have fun. Oh and relax your shoulders! ;)

As a self-taught spinner, the amount of stress I felt when Bernadette said she was going to learn to spin on flax was immense

At what point does a loom show up and we have an ever-ambitious Bernadette weaving the linen she spun into cloth? 😂

My husband who is so not a crafter became quite enthralled watching Bernadette spin her own thread. When it came to the use of saliva,I started telling him that a lot of us who knit with wool do something called spit splice to connect wool when we’ve run out. Then all the questions started😂

As a spinner, I'm quite impressed by how quickly you picked this skill up! There's a popular saying that every new spinner starts by making "novelty yarn," and I see that it holds true for linen as well, but you've given me new inspiration to learn to spin flax now! Excellent work, Ms. Banner

2023: Bernadette spins linen thread 2028: Bernadette mines the ore, smelts the iron, fires the blooms, and carbonizes the steel which is forged into the scythe that mows the flax.

I work as an audio technician. What you said about many sounds from the past getting lost really resonated with me. Thanks for keeping craftsmanships like this one alive. Thank you.

I have to say as somebody who attempted wheel spinning years ago, I was VERY impressed by how Bernadette basically went straight to treadling correctly & keeping the wheel from accidentally reversing direction! 😆 All her hours on the antique treadle sewing machine really, really paying off there.

The world 100% needs an ambient soundtrack of that spinning wheel It's so soothing

Ahh, so this is the 'threads' everyone has been talking about. Bernadette taking the fight to Elon Musk and winning 😌✊

Heathcliff is absolutely marvelous. I love how chill they are. My first spinning projects looked like a unicorn vomited on the bobbin because I was using waste wool fibres to learn. All my Gran's spinning explanations to me are fraught with the phrase "it'll just feel right" getting bandied about with frustrating regularity. 😂

This is perfect timing. My siblings & I recently inherited our great-aunt's small spinning wheel. I'm the only one who remembers watching her spin, but that was decades ago. A practical video is just what we needed!

It just makes me so happy that Bernadette's little corner of the InterWebs exists so that geeks like us can totally geek out over learning how to do something thousands of years old!

When I was taught to spin I told my teacher I wanted to spin angora rabbit and cat fur. They told me to start with wool. I did, but didn’t get very far before I gave up. 20 years later I came back to the hobby and started spinning cat hair and this time I stuck with it long enough to become proficient (and I can actually enjoy spinning wool now). I’m glad you persisted and started with what actually interested you.

Don't forget to condition your thread after you've spun it. Basically, you run it through a flax seed bath to smooth down the fibers. That might help to make sewing easier in the beginning of a new thread, since it has already been smoothed down and the fabric doesn't have to do that part. My teacher showed us to take a small pot lid with the kind of handle that's not a knob. Then you make enough of the flax seed water to cover the pot lid in a bowl large enough to hold the lid and you run the thread under the handle. That way you can just roll it from bobbin to bobbin while smoothing the fiber that comes out of the water, as the lid takes the thread under the water for you.

I love the end comments about the online community being fundamentally the same as the communities we used to learn from in person. Such a poignant observation on how social media isn't just mind-dumbing content isolating people and making them feel lesser-than. It is a community hall where all sorts of interactions happen including exchanges of skills, passions, and stories. It's nice to know that while we might only get to hear the "voice" of the spinning wheel generations ago, future generations will be able to hear your voice and admiration for it. Thanks for making the moment to appreciate modern society while learning about historic society.

In Finnish the sound of a cat's 'purr' is called 'spinning yarn' (kehrätä). I don't think we've got another common word for it, or if we did at some point, at least we don't anymore. It really sounds exactly like a spinning wheel whirring away :)

I love that you had to have an actual human being to show you how to do it. Skills used to be passed from one person to the next, not just from books. Books were there as a guide, but having an actual skilled mentor was always the better way to learn things.

As someone who once went through the entire process from raw sheep’s wool, scouring, combing and finally spinning it - what you did there after only days of practice is amazing. Btw. you motivated me to get a sewing machine. A Singer from 1900 ^^

At a local SCA event someone was doing a class on spinning and they were talking about how the typical medieval thread was around 30/2 which feels super thick to us modern people, but is super reasonable when you know they were spinning by hand!

In 1995, Tasha Tudor, American author, illustrator, and heirloom crafter, released a book titled Tasha Tutor's Heirloom Crafts. In it, she tells the story of weaving and sewing a linen shirt for her brother. She started by planting the seeds, and 3 years later, she finished the shirt. A picture of it can be seen across from the title page. You do such beautiful work.

I will NEVER wear a linen blouse again without respecting the wisdom and effort and skill that goes into it’s history. Just thinking about what that phrase “fine linen” actually means is so humbling! Thanks again Bernadette for broadening my mind ❤

Just in time to join the Tour de Fleece! Welcome to the world of Spinsters! When I taught spinning, I once had a student who absolutely wanted to start with flax because she wanted to spin and weave a linen canvas to paint upon. Yes, she struggled more than the folks using wool, but she got a good start on her end goal. As a side note for easier learning, the flax fibers have their own natural twist which means that twisting them S will be much easier than Z. (The wheel spins counter clockwise for a S twist.)

its so sweet how when u are sewing at the end you can see you fighting back such a genuine smile for the sake of the experiment but you are so clearly overjoyed at the creation and use of your own string its adorable!!

Everyone I know who spins does so to make worsted, chunky, or bulky weight yarn. It's wild to watch someone throw themselves into the deep end on flax spun to thread weight! Very impressive, Ms Banner.

It always fascinates me how before there was mass production of simple things we take for granted like a spool of thread, people had to make from scratch.

Watching this is a good reminder of just how much we take for granted - even those of us who sew usually can buy whatever thread and fabric we want in any colour, which is mind boggling when you consider how hard it would have been to do the most basic things.

So sweet to see!! My grandmother taught me to spin when I was about 5-6, and I still have our family spinning wheel that has been passed down through 7 generations of women.

The flax thread looks so much like grey hair, it's like the friendly grandmotherly spirit of all spinners is propped up beside you as you work

I once worked in a museum with a “great wheel” or “walking wheel,” which you have to spin with your hand (no treadle), and do it standing up. They are a lot older than the seated treadle wheel. The bobbin ends in a point and the fibre kind of slips off that point to create twist. I was told Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on this type of wheel.

The natural progression of her channel is eventually creating her own historically accurate materials, so I’m unsurprised, but VERY HAPPY SHES DOING IT. love to see it. ❤

As someone who has been spinning for about 15 years, this is going to be so interesting to watch! I run an ethical yarn shop with a victorian/cozy vibe and I'm really looking forward to seeing how you get on with flax! It's a very fun but challenging fibre to work with :)

I keep wanting to come into the screen and help you! For flax, you'll want to mist your fiber and keep your fingers moist. You'll also want to use a smaller whorl on your spinning wheel. The double drive wheels are labor saving devices, by using a smaller whorl, you can get a faster twist on your yarn while maintaining comfortable treadling. Your first yarns are probably going to be thick and uneven, it's part of the process, but I would still encourage you to find a use for them. It's so empowering to be able to look at where you started and see how far you've come. The first cotton I spun, I crocheted into an ornament I hung by my desk. The first wool I spun I knit into a trivet and use it almost every day to protect my table, it's almost felted from use, but I know it was the first thing I ever made from fiber.

I have been waiting for a spinning video for a long time, because the spinning wheel has been in the background in Bernadette's videos for some time! Also, I appreciate how she is not afraid to show herself learning, rather than filming only when she has acquired the skill already.

Your reflections on the historical connections felt by participating in the fiber arts really resonated with me. My mom taught me how to crochet but I never really had a community where I could gather resources and learn about innovative techniques but now that I've moved to the UK I'm finding loads of resources, communities, and even the local knitting groups are a source of knowledge and community that I cherish. I hope you enjoy your new spinning journey!

I want more videos of guests teaching you how to do things! This was so much fun to watch!

As someone who has been spinning for over a decade now, I am very impressed with your progress :). You did very good and made some high quality thread in the end with a very feisty material at that. To be honest starting spinning right with a wheel is veeeery hard. So for everyone who would like to learn this I would recommend using a hand-spindle, because you can easily "pause" the rotation at any time and concentrate better on the tention you are letting into the fibres :). The wheel will just rip the thread out of your hand if you are not fast enough. That said another thing that is worth mentioning with spinning wheels is that the circumfence of the spindle itself, will influence how much tension goes into the thread. This is not so much an issue with the historic wheel, because there is only one spindle size available, but modern hand spindles and wheels will often come with different spindle sizes. That's something to be aware of when you first start. Also the tention gauge on you wheel will not only determine how hard you can treddle, but on some wheels it will also determine how fast the thread gets pulled in, and get wound on the bobbin. That is if the wheel has a "bobbin-break". I really hope all this terms make sense though since I am translating from German :). Anyway this is a very cool video on spinning. I never heard about the flax-water, I only ever used tabwater. So this is something new I learned and will try out, thank you❤. PS: Netflix and relaxing Spinning will be eventually forever entwined, don't you worry bernadette. Just takes time and practice. I am currently working on spinning some weaving-yarn, while watching old medical-detectives episodes. A gril needs her murderous-grandma antics❤😂

I love how you view these kinds of crafts as a way to connect with so many generations before us, doing the same work, hearing the same sounds and sharing the experience - a very humbling and wholesome perspective I can’t help but marvel at

I’ve been waiting for this since you got your spinning wheel. I’m relatively new to spinning and have so far only made one jumper with hand spun wool. I love that you got Jillian involved her channel is amazing!

Oh, I love a bit of wheel spinning, It’s so much faster than a drop spindle. Go you!

Videos like this are why are you THE Victorian Mob Boss of the Internet!!!! I am literally watching this while I sew false buttons onto a victorian inspired skirt I am making from a bedsheet I dyed. Which BTW I wouldn't have had the courage to try without your videos. Thank You!

So THAT'S what they mean by "flaxen hair". I never knew what flax looked like! I always figured it was more like cotton

Whenever I think of spinning, I always think of Spirited Away and Zeniba's warm/cozy cottage in the swamp. It's so beautiful to watch something so delicate and though I know how much effort goes into it (as a fellow craftwoman), it always looks so... effortless and calming. I can just imagine how much focus goes into making sure whatever you're spinning works and doesn't just fall apart. I also have to say I love the sound of the wheel as well

I taught myself how to spin from books when I was a teenager, I am thoroughly impressed how quickly you picked this up. I’ve been spinning for 20 years now and I haven’t touched Flax because I’m intimidated by it, and I love the feel of wool and silks, and working with them. I just happen to be reading some of the history on flax spinning. Ancient Egyptians were best at this art, the finest linens, The threads are spun one fibre thin. They had a bowl with a loop at the bottom where you would put your linen inside and the fibres would go through the water under the loop as you spin. They used a drop spindle, I understand it was spun by rolling it down the thigh, but there was a very specific reason for the kind of drop spindle they used in the way that the fibres go so that they’re less likely to come apart. Personally I find it easier to make a really fine things on a drop spindle versus a spinning wheel.

just think. Some person in the past also struggled with this. and seeing you "spin your skirt in" probably happened a million times. i love history and history-bounding. Your videos give me a sense of wonder and nostalgia.

The amount of joy that radiates from a fellow artist when they're excited about the success of a new craft is truly infectious.

Congratulations Bernadette. I completely relate to wanting to jump to the hard version of something first, cause the easy beginner version is too boring to hold my interest. Additionally, I feel your videos are getting more spontaneous and joyous in feel, even though I'm sure they are a great deal of work. You've really developed as a teacher/presenter.

I love that there is such a wonderful community of people keeping these old crafts alive and not losing those little secrets that make it work. When something is forgotten, it is gone forever. Thank you to everyone who learns and teaches these skills. They might not seem super useful or relevant in today's world, but it still seems important to me. There are already many things mankind has forgotten because they were not recorded or were simply lost to time. I think it is a huge shame when it happens. Fact: The art of origami almost disappeared forever. There are indeed some designs that have been lost and forgotten.

This is so fun to watch! I live in a region of Sweden that used to be famous for growing and refining flax so it is a big part of our local culture. There is a project to lift this heritage even more, where anyone can get seeds to grow a square meter of the special flax for weaving and then meeting up with others to learn how to process it like back in the days. I’m so excited to see you really going back to basics with flax 🤩

I spin my own alpaca and sheep wool. I adore my own spinning wheel. Her name is Gert. Once spun, the yarn I crochet into blankets. Everything done on our farm. From my own alpacas and sheep. So well done on starting your spinning journey Bernadette ❤️

I loved watching you learn this wonderful skill! One thing I didn't see in any comments as a fellow antique wheel user, it is very important to be gentle with your wheel and oil it frequently just the way you do with an older sewing machine. I actually use sewing machine oil for this. It makes spinning so much easier (and quieter), especially on a double-drive wheel. Every point where something moves should be oiled regularly, like every 40 hours of spinning or so, and giving the wood some love and care once or twice a year is a good idea too. I use a beeswax/coconut oil mix on my wheel, take it apart, wipe the pieces down with a damp cloth, let them dry, cover them in the wood conditioner, let it sit for a while, then rub in with a dry cloth. This will keep the oil from drying out and breaking.

On the whole community and family thing; Sewing is something that really brings me and my mum together we come from a line of people involved in sewing, spinning, tailoring and textiles. My grandmother was a fashion artist who painted the images for patterns back in the 50s and 60s, her parents worked in a factory which made sewing machines. That side of my family comes from Leeds, a place that i know has a long history of tailors and clothing design. It's a thread (pun fully intended) that ties me back to that bloodline, and gives me and my mother a shared interest. We enjoy watching these videos together, and she helps me with my sewing projects, it's my favorite way to spend time with her

A trick for smoother plied thread: re-wind your singles before plying so the first fiber you ply is the first section of singles spun. Now your hands will be smoothing down the plied thread in the same direction that it smoothed the singles!

Wow. Bernadette is taking sustainable fashion to the next level. Making your own thread! Next level is learning how to dye it. ❤😉

I once made this journey, and the (lack of) differences between spinning flax and spinning hemp.... Made me quite happy once the US stopped its ban on hemp cloth so I could simply buy what I needed😅 Bird sounds and rain in the background make almost all tasks easier, arthritis and fibromyalgia have changed my hobbies however. Thanks for another great video Bernadette!!! (Please let your sibling know that the editing is continuing to evolve and exceed expectations)

I have been teaching myself how to drop spin tooo! My grandmother used to spin her own yarn, then weave it into fabric. She also dyed her own thread with garden vegs.

I never fully appreciated the sheer volume of human labor it took to produce textiles until I watched this. Just imagining someone making all the thread and all the fabric to create a single dress... that would be the work of weeks, for one garment. Amazing to see. Thanks for helping me learn that!

Sidebar: for anyone looking to buy a used wheel, watch out for decorative ones from the 70s. My dad got me one from a garage sale, and I _could not_ figure out how to get it working. I eventually dragged it out to the park to ask the local SCA, and they explained that it had never been made to function. It didn't have an orifice for the yarn to pass through, and it could scarcely treadle.

In an earlier video you made you told us all to never stop learning. I love how you back up your words with actions. I can't imagine how stressful it must have been for you to learn something new in front of millions of viewers, but you did it! You are a very strong person. Thank you for being vulnerable and so humble. It really displays your inner strength. Thank you also for demonstrating to all of us not to be afraid of failure. It's a learning opportunity. You are a wonderful teacher 🤗

This was SO soothing to watch! It's incredible to watch you learn it so quickly - I kept thinking how necessary apprenticeships must have been for these types of things, learning from others, like Jillian taught you. As someone who studies sociolinguistics, I loved your reflections on the sounds, the "languages" of time past, and how we've lost them to time. Thank you for sharing!

As always I am incredibly impressed not only with your passion to learn new skills and document that learning process, but with your dedication and perseverance in the learning process! Time and again you keep going despite set backs and frustrations in the learning, creative, or construction process, and that is just such an inspiration for the rest of us who also struggle with the process! If Bernadette doesn’t give up, than neither will I! ❤

Oh, that speech about the sounds and the language of the past still living through the machines and tools that have survived really hit my heart good. And very interesting note about how saliva affects the fibers, I was wondering about it being used instead of plain water just because of this story I was told as a kid, titled something like "The Three Spinners" (about three old spinners, each one of them with a physical modification caused by decades in the trade: one with a big foot after pressing the pedal, another with big thick fingers from twisting the fibers... and one with a big lower lip from licking the fingers so as to wet the fibers!) so the use of saliva to spin is definitely part of folk tales! This is a world I know nothing about but I loved the little taste you gave us , and of course the presentation is lovely and aesthetically pleasing while still being clear and informative. P.D. please tell Heathcliff I love their vibes and I'm a big fan of their hair style!

Bernadette you have NO idea the joy my heart had when you decided to learn how to spin with flax. It's secretly my wish to grow and eventually weave into my own fabric.

The fact you started with FLAX for spinning blows me away. I've always been interested in spinning but haven't had the chance to learn the craft yet. I have however done a decent chunk of reading and learning on the topic. Everyone I've met says to try wool first. Then alpaca if you want some challenge. No one ever does flax. You've provided vital information into history yet again. Thank you! Edit: your coarse thread could be plied into cording for utility uses like binding herbs to dry!

I simply love the way she compared learning a new skill to learning the mannerisms of a pet! It’s such a good comparison!

this is such a great coincidence, a couple days ago I was just randomly thinking about sleeping beauty and the consequences of a kingdom banning spinning wheels (as one does) and how bad that would be for the economy (and the poor spinners ofc) and now it turns out the whole "pricking a finger on a spinning wheel's spindle" doesn't even make sense! (wtf disney?) And then this led me again into that rabbit hole of all these original (and downright terrifying) Grimm fairy tales that I had managed to forget..

As a handspinner, I found this very fun and interesting to watch. Whoever films for you does a wonderful job. Beautifully done.

Great to see how it works. A friend of mine has tea towel made of linen which was woven by her grandma (the granny also made the thread) Its her most precious heritage 🤗

All I can say with tears in my eyes: Congratulations. You have such a great new skill! Bernadette you bring me so much joy and encouragement! You have rejoiced the heart of an old man! Thank you!

Spinning is such a cool skill. Spinning whorls are found in every archeological site, this is something people were doing for hundreds of years. They were spending long winter days with spindle, and then waving and sawing it together. It gives a very new level of appreciation for their work - how many hours have to go into the simplest garment even, when you have to go through all this process. Fun fact, in (older) Polish you can have relative by sword (your father side), or by distaff (mother side). I remember learning what distaff actually is and having this "ohh, I get it now" moment :D

My mother took a trip to New Zealand many years ago and brought back an Ashford Castle wheel. She took some lessons, but she never really pursued it. After she died, I spent some time with an elderly neighbor who knew how to spin & she encouraged me to learn. It seemed silly since I didn’t know how to knit and what would I do with the yarn if I couldn’t knit, so I had to learn both crafts at the same time, lol. I do remember being quite tense, as I was initially learning to spin, and that advice to relax your shoulders? Stellar! The other thing I noticed is, when I first started out, I spun quite a bulky yarn, but as I got more experienced, I got so that I could spin a much finer yarn so that by the time I double plied it, it was a worsted weight yarn. However, I was never able to go back and spin a bulky yarn again! I finally gave it all up when the wheel got out of alignment & wouldn’t spin correctly. I took it to a local spinning guild, and they worked on it, but could never get it to work right again. It was something that I enjoyed & I made a few garments out of the resulting yarn, which was very satisfying. This comment is nine months late, so I have no idea if you kept up with the spinning, but I hope you did.😊

You are such a cool person. You inspired me to rejuvinate my passion for sewing I had when I was a wee lad. After watching many of your videos years ago, i have now filled my office with fabric and sewing supplies (some contained in biscuit tins of course) . I have somehow ammassed a collection of 30 sewing machines, mostly pre 1930, including 4 treadle machines and one 1960s industrial singer straight stitch machine. My girlfriend loves that I can mend and alter her garments, and I have been getting into designing and making increasingly advanced pieces. Now, I am self aware enough to know that a big time youtuber suck as yourself likely will not read a random rambling comment, but to anyone else who may be reading this who is interested in sewing at all: explore it, get a simple hand sewing supplies kit or a used sewing machine and just dive in. It is fun to learn!

If I may add my advice: Keep your beginning spinning! You'd be surprised that you will find a use for it eventually even if it's slubby and whatever. And it's a good reminder of how far you have come! I think you'll find it pleasing to spin your own yarn too if you knit or weave. Happy spinning!

I love Bernadette and her energy and presence but the repeated arrival of Heathcliffe in recent videos is making my heart happy

Such crazy timing! I was just reading an article on bronze-age spinning (the wheel wasn't introduced until the Middle Ages), and it talks at length about how linen is a difficult material to learn on. Though it wasn't a widely adopted practice, some spinners used 'spinning bowls' filled with water that had a 'handle strap' of sorts in the basin. The fibers would be pulled through the strap, getting wet in the process, and then spun via drop spinning. (There was an older technique called 'supported spinning', but it largely fell out of favor as drop spinning allowed the spinner greater mobility. This is why it was quickly adopted by herders and nomads!)

I’m currently teaching myself how to use my great great aunt’s 1904 singer treadle sewing machine. There are days I want to cry because I wish I had an older person to help me with it. It’s crazy to think about how, once upon a time, you not only would have learned to do these sorts of skills from your mother or grandmother but often times on the machine she would have been using for years. The years of experience on a machine that they know intimately would be such an amazing way to learn. So much ancestral knowledge was lost to history with the dawn of the industrial revolution. I love seeing people returning to these skills to help preserve and renew them.

My mom used to learn how to spin and weave, it was very cool seeing her explore such an ancient craft as a hobby. Sadly, nowadays the spinning wheel sits unused, but everstime I see it I remember her joy and pride of learning how to do it, the hours spent reseaching and then telling me about it, her pure exitement over it. Sewing and knitting (and soemday, hopefully spinning and weaving) makes me feel really close to her 😔

My MIL was gifted an 1880s English fancy parlor wheel (small upright) made to spin flax and cotton thread. I took it to a spinning class to learn to use it. Teachers reaction was the same. They put me on a wool wheel taught me basics and then spun cotton on my wheel. Just enough to say I did it. My cousin raised sheep and would give me hus wool. Bought a larger wheel spun wool for crochet. Parlor wheel sits on display because it is beautiful to look at until I decide to sell it. Really enjoyed your video. Brought back fun memories.

Your channel is a treasure. A real gem amongst the cacophony of endless content. Every time I pop in to catch up on what you have been working on, it’s like I’ve entered an oasis where time flows a little slower, where the world is a little calmer and simpler and more satisfying and delightful. My whole body relaxes and my mind feels refreshed and invigorated. Thank you so much for all that you do. I’m not unaware of how much work goes into creating videos like these and of that work I am deeply appreciative. The challenges you take on inspire me to not be afraid of the learning curves inherent in acquiring any new skill set. Also, I can’t help but think that there is a lot of historical significance to your channel and the channels of the other creators in this space. Something as simple as you highlighting the soundscapes that have been lost to us …. It’s not a thing I ever thought about, but I will always consider it in future. It’s important that these skills not be lost to us completely. We never know when we will need to call on them for one thing, but also, rediscovering the old ways can possibly inspire solutions to modern problems. The “fast” everything in our current culture is clearly a large problem for us to tackle. In that vein, your channel feels very important to me.

As an experienced wheel spinner who taught myself on spindles I made myself, wow ❤ You chose the hardest route possible! Antique wheels can be finnicky af, and every one I've had has had its own personality. And then immediately trying to go fine with tow! Most of us start by making wool rope singles 😂 Amazing job and the final thread is as lovely as that wheel!

Oh, I'm excited, a video about traditional spinning. Watching this brings back memories with my grandmother. She owned a spinning wheel which she used to make yarn from raw wool from the sheep she was keeping. I once tried it when I was a little girl but I didn't manage to get an even thread out of it. You could call my produce 'effect wool'. Spinning is an art. For her, it was a form of meditation, for me, it was stressful. She passed away in 2008, aged 94, but I still remember her sitting at her spinning wheel, murmuring some prayers under her breath as she spun the woollen yarn on cold winter evenings. I'm really impressed that you go for fine threads for starters. I found wool pretty difficult when I was 10 years old. Kudos to your assistant for helping you. They do a great job :)

Many moons ago, my mom taught us how to make spindles and how to spin and weave. Then, I moved to Sweden and visited the Friluftsmuseet in Halmstad and discovered a little cottage with a loom in it. We went inside, and an older woman came in, I asked if she knew how to spin as well as weave, since the loom was hers. She said no, but she wanted to learn. So I taught her, and she taught us how to use her big loom. The spindles she had were hundreds of years old, she had found them in the attic of an old barn. It was an honor to work with her, and still, to this day, spinning has given me connections to people in the most beautiful of ways.

You can really see and hear the excitement of when you finally manage to do something!! I love her videos

Bernadette: has been sewing all her life, made a career of it Also Bernadette: Wow! It’s thread!!! Really, one of the best things about learning a new craft is the sense of new appreciation and wonderment about the most common things.

The spinning wheel does make a very relaxing and satisfying sound. And congratulations on creating usable thread in only a few weeks! I've only used spindles and still struggle to make yarn after a lot more than a few weeks of trial and error. :)

I love what you said about the sounds that are lost to time, and how wonderful it is to get a glimpse of some of those sounds today! Wonderful video 💕

When I need to kick myself into gear for a task (clearing my space, doing laundry, starting a new craft project), I often put on one of your videos for companionship, and this one really highlighted why - it is so, so, so fun and exciting and invigorating to experience someone learning something. Getting to observe someone being curious about something, trying different techniques for it, experimenting with it, failing and continuing, is just so heartening and delightful to see. The long thread you showed after a few attempts, with its wonky and straight stretches, was such a lovely artifact - physical proof of trial and error, or learning, of investment and time. It really struck me as a mini-version of human efforts to figure out this craft in the first place, which was another big part of what makes this project so moving. It is so awe-inspiring watching you feel and figure out why we've learned to hold the distaff on which side, why SPIT works so well with flax, seeing that human history come through you from so VERY long ago. The sheer complexity of ancient and new technology and science and expertise and knowledge-sharing on display in this project is honestly mind-blowing. Like, you're learning how to do one of humanity's greatest technological achievements - with help through a video call! That's an insanely cool convergence of innovation and collaboration! I don't know, it just really moves me. Thank you for sharing so much of your curiosity and learning, it is such a buoy to the spirit.

I just have to say: I absolutely fell in love with this channel and creator. It’s big channel production value with a small creator coziness and quaintness. I really feel like I’m sitting with a friend when I watch this videos while handsewing. And SO EDUCATIONAL 💝💝💝

You did amazingly well, especially as you’ve chosen probably the hardest way to learn to spin. You broke all the rules, not starting with a drop spindle, starting with a second hand antique wheel instead of a modern one and spinning flax straight off. Yet you made some really good thread from day one. I’ve been spinning for about 15 years so I have an idea of what I’m looking at and I’m really impressed by what you have accomplished. Keep spinning, you have a natural affinity for it I think. 😊

Takhli spindle … it spins the finest of yarns and yes, I’ve sewn with my threads! Spinning fine silk also creates the most beautiful thread. I’ve not spun flax, but I wish you the best of lucks. And yes, coarser fibers does spin up more easily. But a supported takhli spindle creates a very functional and useable thread.

I hear repeated comments still help the creator, so, even though Lady Bernadette may never see this, I need to tell *someone*, even all this time later, I come back to this video and yearn to make my own twine. Circumstances willing, I shall get to experiment on Tuesday. 🤞 Very excited! Thank you Lady B, for the inspiration, and allowing us to witness you beginning to learn a new skill.

I was taught by an old Savile Row tailor to iron my linen thread after waxing it, it makes a world of difference to how it then handles when subsequently sewing with it, in a good way.

Lovely wheel, great spinning! And excellent advice from JillianEve! What helped me a lot was preparing the flax on the distaff carefully. I always re-hackle a new strick, or comb it with a dog comb. And I separate out the fibres carefully before winding them onto the distaff. Also, making a smaller bouffante on the distaff helps. Advice from a very experienced flax spinner was not to prepare more fibre than you can spin in a day.

Such a peaceful introduction to the wheel & tradling. Even if you never see this, I thank you for that.

I remember my Mom spinning wool as a kid. She always made it look so easy haha We did start to finish; shearing the sheep all the way to knitting the wool socks. Thanks for reminder of fond memories 😊

A tip for your friend: if the wheel is turning back the other direction, chances are you aren't pushing the treadle all the way to the bottom. The footman has to go all the way to the bottom of it's rotation or it'll swing back the other way. Their drop spindling looks amazing! Great job to you both!