Yarn

Spinning yarn is an ancient skill that has been in practice for over 10,000 years. It’s done by taking wool or other fibers and drawing them out and spinning them so they make a long continuous string. Some of the first tools used to assist in this work were sticks and stones. They would tie the first strand of yarn to a rock to control it then wrap the hand spun yarn around a stick, using a curved bone attached to the top as a guide. This was similar in style and build as a hand spindle. Tribes would often move around and take their livestock with them, but they would have to leave their tools behind to lighten the load. This forced them to make new tools everytime they migrated. This wasn't very difficult for them because they were mastering this art for generations. Furthermore, it allowed them to perfect the process, improving upon this tradition.

Although these tools were vital to the creation of yarn and fabric then, the most influential invention that kickstarted the innovations surrounding the industry was the spinning wheel. The first clear illustration of its existence was in China in the early 13th century, in 1237. However, it is thought that the actual invention of the spinning wheel originated long before that as early as 500 AD. Throughout the west, it became common practice to use one in the household in the 16-17th century as a cottage industry. Women and children took hold of this product and almost every household was skilled at using this new tool.

Spinning yarn made a substantial impact on the earnings of the household. An investment of about 2 shillings per wheel and 3 shillings to purchase a reel. The average pay back then was about 28 shillings per week. So for a family of five, with the mother and children staying at home to work, (each person needing a wheel) it would cost half of a week's wages to start. After this initial investment the household would then be able to accept work from the local wool-man. He would drop off wool that needed to be spun and pay them for the work afterwards. This had the ability to add 5-6 shillings a week for the household and could go a long way for a struggling family.

The spinning wheel then became the spinning jenny in 1770. Since then the process has been improved and become more efficient for mass production. After yarn was made, people had to weave or knit it into fabric. This was done by hand at first, but when the hand loom was invented, people first started to master the art of modern manufacturing and making the durable, long lasting fabrics of today. The loom was an invention that has since been innovated to become fully automated, the industrial revolution having one of the largest impacts. This took away the need for the cottage industry of spinning yarn and making fabric. However, when something is mass produced on this scale, it can’t compete with the quality of making that same product by hand.