This week I bring you the last of my reviews of Niddy Noddy’s Medieval Style Spindle Sticks. This one has a spiral notch.
15thcenturyspinning
Using experimental archaeology to learn 15th century spinning techniques
This week I bring you the last of my reviews of Niddy Noddy’s Medieval Style Spindle Sticks. This one has a spiral notch.
15thcenturyspinning 
From the little research I’ve done, double coated sheep had very fine undercoats and were much more common 500 years ago than they are now. Also lamb’s wool from many breeds is deliciously and fine. However, I think the durability was as important as the fineness, so I’m not sure it was quite as important as it became in later times.
I spin a lot of Cotswold and Shetland; when they are spun worsted, as would be most likely on a distaff and spindle, they are smooth enough to be worn next to the body. This is in reference to the outer coat on a Shetland. The inner coat is comparable to cashmere or fine alpaca in fineness and softness. Cotswold lamb fleece has all the qualities I want for weaving and is still wonderfully soft. I don’t know what would have been available on the Continent though, other than double coated in the more northern regions.
When buying spindles from NiddyNoddy, I reveived a wonderful packaging of Lleyn wool… it was quite coarse and the most wonderful wool I’ve ever spun. Just ask Neill what he sent with your spindles.
Thanks for the video and the spindle review.
Regards,
Mastinomama