skein winder; swift

Skein winder or swift. The skein winder is fixed by a conical-shaped peg into the centre of a four-legged stand. It has two wooden cross pieces which cross at right angles. Each cross piece has three holes at each end, into which the arms are fixed. The wool or hemp thread is unwound or wound around the 4 arms which are fixed into these holes, according to the width of the skein. The cross pieces are joined together by two small oblong frames, placed crosswise, which give the desired direction to the cross pieces when winding.

Typical of the Maramures area. Old fashioned skein winder, still used today.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
1957.2
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
forks: 860 mm x 50 mm; stool: 930 mm x 275 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
Beechwood
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
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