Silk twister's wheel, cross and reeler for twisting silk by hand, c 1770.

Made:
1760-1780

Silk twister's wheel and cross for silk throwing, 1760-1780. To produce a silk yarn of sufficient strength for weaving, it is necessary to twist together the filaments from a number of cocoons; this is known as throwing. The threads of silk are hung on the 24 hooks of the wheel head by the twister and taken around the hooks of the 'cross' by the boy and back to the hooks of the wheel. The wheel is turned, which rotates the hooks and twists the doubled thread, he next puts the threads together in groups of threes and passes around the cross and back to the wheel as before. The wheel is then turned in the opposite sense to reverse the thread twist. The eight threads are then reeled into a skein.

Details

Category:
Textiles Machinery
Object Number:
1933-335
Materials:
wood
Measurements:
overall: 105kg
type:
silk thrower's wheel and cross
credit:
Hugh Sleigh and Co.