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  • Russia | Asiatic Spinning

    Russian Spinning Russia was a main grower and producer of flax, not just for Asia, but for Europe.[1] Russia primarily used a supported spindle, which is really nice for short staple fibers.[2] A Russian supported spindle. It’s made of purple heartwood. I really want one (It’s purple and spinning!)[3] References [1] “Introduction: The Culture of Cloth,” The Museum of Russian Art, accessed June 14, 2025, https://tmora.org/online-exhibitions/a-homespun-life-textiles-of-old-russia/introduction-the-culture-of-cloth/. [2] Cecile, “The Spindle Tales: Russian Spindles,” The ways of the whorl, December 12, 2010, https://waysofthewhorl.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/the-spindle-tales-russian-spindles/. [3] Cecile. “The Spindle Tales: Russian Spindles.” The ways of the whorl, December 12, 2010. https://waysofthewhorl.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/the-spindle-tales-russian-spindles/.

  • Accessibility Statement | Asiatic Spinning

    The purpose of the following template is to assist you in writing your accessibility statement. Please note that you are responsible for ensuring that your site's statement meets the requirements of the local law in your area or region. *Note: This page currently has two sections. Once you complete editing the Accessibility Statement below, you need to delete this section. To learn more about this, check out our article “Accessibility: Adding an Accessibility Statement to Your Site”. Accessibility Statement This statement was last updated on [enter relevant date]. We at [enter organization / business name] are working to make our site [enter site name and address] accessible to people with disabilities. What web accessibility is An accessible site allows visitors with disabilities to browse the site with the same or a similar level of ease and enjoyment as other visitors. This can be achieved with the capabilities of the system on which the site is operating, and through assistive technologies. Accessibility adjustments on this site We have adapted this site in accordance with WCAG [2.0 / 2.1 / 2.2 - select relevant option] guidelines, and have made the site accessible to the level of [A / AA / AAA - select relevant option]. This site's contents have been adapted to work with assistive technologies, such as screen readers and keyboard use. As part of this effort, we have also [remove irrelevant information]: Used the Accessibility Wizard to find and fix potential accessibility issues Set the language of the site Set the content order of the site’s pages Defined clear heading structures on all of the site’s pages Added alternative text to images Implemented color combinations that meet the required color contrast Reduced the use of motion on the site Ensured all videos, audio, and files on the site are accessible Declaration of partial compliance with the standard due to third-party content [only add if relevant] The accessibility of certain pages on the site depend on contents that do not belong to the organization, and instead belong to [enter relevant third-party name] . The following pages are affected by this: [list the URLs of the pages] . We therefore declare partial compliance with the standard for these pages. Accessibility arrangements in the organization [only add if relevant] [Enter a description of the accessibility arrangements in the physical offices / branches of your site's organization or business. The description can include all current accessibility arrangements - starting from the beginning of the service (e.g., the parking lot and / or public transportation stations) to the end (such as the service desk, restaurant table, classroom etc.). It is also required to specify any additional accessibility arrangements, such as disabled services and their location, and accessibility accessories (e.g. in audio inductions and elevators) available for use] Requests, issues, and suggestions If you find an accessibility issue on the site, or if you require further assistance, you are welcome to contact us through the organization's accessibility coordinator: [Name of the accessibility coordinator] [Telephone number of the accessibility coordinator] [Email address of the accessibility coordinator] [Enter any additional contact details if relevant / available]

  • Privacy Policy | Asiatic Spinning

    Privacy Policy A legal disclaimer The explanations and information provided on this page are only general and high-level explanations and information on how to write your own document of a Privacy Policy. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do, because we cannot know in advance what are the specific privacy policies you wish to establish between your business and your customers and visitors. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your own Privacy Policy. Privacy Policy - the basics Having said that, a privacy policy is a statement that discloses some or all of the ways a website collects, uses, discloses, processes, and manages the data of its visitors and customers. It usually also includes a statement regarding the website’s commitment to protecting its visitors’ or customers’ privacy, and an explanation about the different mechanisms the website is implementing in order to protect privacy. Different jurisdictions have different legal obligations of what must be included in a Privacy Policy. You are responsible to make sure you are following the relevant legislation to your activities and location. What to include in the Privacy Policy Generally speaking, a Privacy Policy often addresses these types of issues: the types of information the website is collecting and the manner in which it collects the data; an explanation about why is the website collecting these types of information; what are the website’s practices on sharing the information with third parties; ways in which your visitors and customers can exercise their rights according to the relevant privacy legislation; the specific practices regarding minors’ data collection; and much, much more. To learn more about this, check out our article “Creating a Privacy Policy ”.

  • Maldives | Asiatic Spinning

    Maldives Spinning I'm finding nothing except this one set of photos on Facebook[1] These look like something that would come from the region. But beyond that I'm clueless![2] References [1] #DhivehiArchives A Lacquered Spinning Wheel Made of Wood, Acquired from Maldives in 1893  📷 the British Museum, December 13, 2021, photograph, Facebook , December 13, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4789751341085457. [2] #DhivehiArchives A Lacquered Spinning Wheel Made of Wood, Acquired from Maldives in 1893  📷 the British Museum, December 13, 2021, photograph, Facebook , December 13, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4789751341085457.

  • China | Asiatic Spinning

    Chinese Spinning 手纺 is the hanzi for spinning, and the search parameters usually have to say “-baoding.” China is known for spinning silk, but did you know that there was an “industrial style wheel” as early as 400 CE. However, that source isn’t exactly an original, so the treadle thing could be from as early as 400 CE to as late as 1000 CE. It was popularized in pre-13th century by Haung Tao-Pho, who brought the cotton industry and the treadle spinning wheel to many parts of China around the years 1295-1296. The treadle wheel allows a skilled spinner to spin 2,3, 4, or even 5 threads at one time! Okay, that’s… not entirely true. It is unclear if the primary purpose of the wheel was to spin or ply. It does both, but the intended and original purpose is unclear. These wheels are used with silk, cotton, and a bast fiber common in Asia called “ramie” (ramie is often mistranslated as linen, but was and is hugely popular in places like Japan and India, as well as China). This is done by having all the movement of the wheel be focused in the feet (unlike other Asian wheels, which are hand cranked). The foot motion is that of an oar or a bicycle, rather than the European treadle of pressing a pedal up and down. The dominant hand (for this wheel IS ambidextrous) would draft the prepared fibers, held in multiple bundles, which the non-dominant guided the threads to the wheel using a stick as a tensioning agent. While I am interested in this stick, I think it was just a simple dowel rod, no notches or anything carved, but I am still unsure. So much of this wheel comes down to how the fibers are prepped. If you have a big bar thing helping with fiber preparation (it’s in some of the drawings), it’s part of the silk processing process. This was NOT COMMON in the early years. Well, why not? The quality wasn’t as consistent and the preferred method was the single thread doubling done on the hand cranked wheel. The other fiber this wheel is really good at is the ramie, the bast fiber. Those fibers and long and needed twisting more than spinning, and would have come pre-spliced and often on little balls that sat in front of the wheel. Cotton had to first be made into roving, and is a much shorter draw, making continuous spinning more difficult (though not impossible). A replica of a Chinese wheel, as used by its creator. D iagram showing a period Chinese woman plying 2 threads at once (so 4 threads go down to 2), with notations to guide the reader in the article On the mathematics of spinning, which I did not understand. Also shown more modern Chinese woman spinning 2 threads at once using the same type of wheel. It shows how the wheel is perpendicular to the user. Chinese woman spining on small table wheel. This style of wheel was more the "domestic style" wheel that was used in non industrial settings. We have evidence of this wheel being found as early as 200 BCE in "certain regions" of China (I'm afraid that I do not know what regions those are). References Lung, Chien. “A Chinese Woman Spinning.” Guache on Paper, 1736. Meisterdrucke. Li, S.-W., Shi, K., Wang, M.-J., and Yao, Y.-A.: Structural analysis of ancient Chinese textile mechanisms, Mech. Sci., 13, 625–634, https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-13-625-2022 , 2022. “The Very First Spinning Wheels?” New Zealand Spinning Wheels and their makers, May 18, 2017. https://nzspinningwheels.wordpress.com/the-very-first-spinning-wheels.

  • Thailand | Asiatic Spinning

    Thailand Spinning According to Wikipedia (not a great source, but it’s where I start), not much is known about Thailand before the 13th century. [1] I'm wondering if that's why I'm not finding anything. So this spinning wheel was gifted to the US National Museum during the STL world fair in 1904.[2] It looks like an Indian wheel that's lost several strings to me! It also looks like it lost its spindle. Whorls for cotton thread have been found in excavation sites in Sukhothai.[3] But I’m not sure what these would have looked like. My guess would have been a takli, especially with all the other Indian influences they have had, but I wouldn’t consider the takli a two piece spindle. Found that they used hemp as a major fiber type.[3] The hemp is treated very similarly to flax, where it's dried and retted, then the fibers are spun. That's been spun in Thailand since 3,000 BCE.[3] The silk has been dated to 1,000-300 BCE.[3] How did it get there? Not sure. It's very similar to Chinese silk. One theory is that they had their own silk worms to play with, but Northern Thailand definitely had silk in the first century BCE. Cotton was imported from India as early as 100 CE.[3] With the date of these imports, it's likely that cotton was also grown, just in small amounts. By the 12th century cotton was a cash crop. References [1] “History of Thailand.” Wikipedia, June 7, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Thailand . [2] “Thai Spinning Wheel 19th C.,” Original catalog card describes this as a spinning wheel. Part of an acquisition in 1905 by the US National Museum, from the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904, of Thai (Siamese) textile-working tools and equipment from the Royal Siamese Commission., n.d., National Museum of History , Bering Center. [3] Jackson, “Thai Traditional Fabrics: 3,000 Years in 15 Minutes,” My Thailand , May 20, 2019, https://www.mythailand.blog/2019/01/14/thai-traditional-fabrics/amp/ .

  • Afghanistan | Asiatic Spinning

    Afghani Spinning Spinning cotton is done on a drop spindle.[1] Cotton has been grown in Afghanistan since the 3rd millennium BCE.[2] Wool is also spun on a drop spindle, and is usually done thick.[3] Afghanistan was known for having a soft cashmere, even if it wasn't produced as much as it could have been (there was no infrastructure to process the fiber, so it was all done small scale by hand)[4] The woman in the middle is spinning! And it does look like drop spinning! So weird![5] A woman spinning what appears to be cotton on a floor hand cranked wheel[6] References [1] “Spinning a Lucrative Yarn in Afghanistan,” ReliefWeb, October 3, 2012, https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/spinning-lucrative-yarn-afghanistan. [2] Daniel Balland, “Cotton III. in Afghanistan,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, October 21, 2024, https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cotton-iii/. [3] “Spinning Wheels in Afghanistan: A Livelihoods Case Study,” studylib.net, accessed June 16, 2025, https://studylib.net/doc/10771146/spinning-wheels-in-afghanistan--case-studies---livelihoods . [4] “Cashmere in Afghanistan,” From The Mountain, accessed June 16, 2025, https://www.fromthemountain.com/cashmere-in-afghanistan#:~:text=As%20a%20result%20of%20ASAP,of%20this%20globally%20beneficial%20enterprise. [5] Lillias Hamilton, Views in Afghanistan, October 9, 2014, photograph, Wikimedia Commons, October 9, 2014, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Views_in_Afghanistan;_by_Lillias_Hamilton_Wellcome_L0025448.jpg. [6] R.B. Holmes, Pathan Woman Spinning, North-West Frontier , January 7, 2022, photograph, Facebook , January 7, 2022.

  • Search By Country | Asiatic Spinning

    My Story Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Cyprus Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Timor-Leste Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen

  • Nepal | Asiatic Spinning

    Nepal Spinning घुम्ने पाङ्ग्रा Ghumnē pāṅgrā (Spinning Wheel) धुरी Dhurī (Spindle) कताई फाइबर Katā'ī phā'ibara (Spinning Fibers) in Nepalese Wheels are very similar to those of Japan, with spoked wheels that are hand cranked. A woman at her wheel, the drive band is a thread made of cotton, likely scrap from something else. The spindle isn’t really visible, but from what I can see, it’s almost full of thread.[1] Depending on material, the spindle spinning could be done as drop or in hand. Animal fibers were mostly done drop, while plant fibers were mostly done in hand. While this did vary from region to region, this seems to have been fairly consistent across Nepal.[2] The primary fibers were yak, camel, hemp, and cotton.[3] References [1] Jon G Fuller, “A Nepali Woman Spins Wool Thread with a Hand-Cranked Spinning Wheel in the Medieval Newari Village of Khokana, Nepal Stock Photo,” Alamy, April 5, 2013, https://www.alamy.com/a-nepali-woman-spins-wool-thread-with-a-hand-cranked-spinning-wheel-in-the-medieval-newari-village-of-khokana-nepal-image454084442.html. [2] Josefin Waltin, “Spinning in Nepal,” Josefin Waltin spinner, January 17, 2018, https://waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/spinning-in-nepal/. [3] Ibid

  • Search by Type of Spinning | Asiatic Spinning

    Let's be honest... Some of us already know how to spin and are willing to make our Asiatic persona fit around the type of spinning we do. I'm all for it. These are the main types of spinning that you find in Asian cultures in period and how you can tailor your persona around the spinning aspects Pick a Type of Spinning Itogurama Wheel Charkha Drum Wheel Chinese Treadle Book Charkha Drop Spindle Supported Spindle In Hand Spinning

  • Bast Fibers | Asiatic Spinning

    Bast Fibers Spinning – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan, Laos, Nepal, Philippine, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand Amenia The fibers spun in Armenia are cotton, silk, and linen for fabrics.[1] Azerbaijan Spun wool dates to the 4th millennium BCE in Azerbaijan, and while dyed spun flax date to 34,000 BCE.[2] Bhutan In Bhutan, nettle or stinging nettle, though now rarely used, is said to have been the original and chief fibre used by weavers in ancient Bhutan.[3] Cambodia Fibers produced in Cambodia were silk, cotton, and hemp, [4] and banana fibers are used to make resists strings.[5] Japan In Japan, before the innovation of cotton and silk, all there was to wear was hemp.[6] Laos When the Tai Kadai arrived in Laos, the people there, the Mon- Khmer, had a tradition of weaving cotton and hemp.[7] While it’s possible they imported spun cotton and hemp, it’s more likely they spun it themselves. Nepal The primary fibers in Nepal were yak, camel, hemp, and cotton.[8] Philippines Fibers in the Philippines are mostly cotton blends with other plants, such as abaca, pineapple, and banana fibers.[9] Russia Russia was a main grower and producer of flax, not just for Asia, but for Europe.[10] Sri Lanka Hemp has also been processed and spun through history in Sri Lanka, also using the wheels.[11] Thailand Found that Thailand used hemp as a major fiber type.[12] The hemp is treated very similarly to flax, where it's dried and retted, then the fibers are spun. That's been spun in Thailand since 3,000 BCE.[13] References [1] “Arts of Armenia,” Textiles - Armenian Studies Program, accessed June 16, 2025, https://cah.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies/resources/artsofarmenia/textiles.html. [2] Cosima Stewart, “The History of Weaving in the Caucasus,” Cabana Magazine, December 21, 2024, https://cabanamagazine.com/blogs/atlas-of-craftsmanship/the-history-of-weaving-in-the-caucasus . [3] “Thagzo: The Art of Weaving,” Ich Links, accessed June 22, 2025, https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [4] Albion Gould, “A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia,” A Brief History of Weaving in Cambodia, July 3, 2023, https://albiongould.com/a-brief-history-of-weaving-in-cambodia/#:~:text=Weaving%20in%20Cambodia%20dates%20back,hemp%2C%20which%20were%20sourced%20locally. [5] Emily von Borsitel, Textile Arts Center, August 27, 2019, https://textileartscenter.com/feature/the-complex-art-of-cambodian-ikat/. [6] Jim Austin, “Short History of Japanese Textiles,” Kimonoboy, July 1, 2018, https://www.kimonoboy.com/short_history.html. [7] “Textile Guide: Lao Weaves,” House of Wandering Silk, August 1, 2016, https://www.wanderingsilk.org/post/2016/08/01/textiles-360-lao-weaves. [8] Ibid [9] Arel B Sia-Ed, “Inventory and Resource Mapping of Fiber Yielding Plants in Mountain Province ,” www.ijsmsjournal.org , 2019, https://www.ijsmsjournal.org/2019/volume-2%20issue-1/ijsms-v2i1p101.pdf. [10] “Introduction: The Culture of Cloth,” The Museum of Russian Art, accessed June 14, 2025, https://tmora.org/online-exhibitions/a-homespun-life-textiles-of-old-russia/introduction-the-culture-of-cloth/. [11] “The History of Sri Lanka Handloom Culture,” Khiri Travel, January 1, 2022, https://khiri.com/the-history-of-sri-lanka-handloom-culture/. [12] Jackson, “Thai Traditional Fabrics: 3,000 Years in 15 Minutes,” My Thailand , May 20, 2019, https://www.mythailand.blog/2019/01/14/thai-traditional-fabrics/amp/ . [13] Ibid.

  • Sri Lanka | Asiatic Spinning

    Sri Lanka Spinning The spinning and weaving of cotton can be traced back to at least 543 BCE.[1] The story goes that Prince Vijaya saw Kuveni, Queen of the Yakshas, spinning cotton at a wheel, and they fell in love and started a dynasty of Sri Lankan royalty.[2] Hemp has also been processed and spun through history, also using the wheels.[3] Silk is also found being processed in the homes of Sri Lankans.[3] You know, I can’t honestly figure out the wooden cone thing. If she’s spinning silk, it could be a reeling… thing. And I’m struggling to come up with other guesses. I’d love to hear them![4] References [1] Thilina Premjayanth, “Fibershed Sri Lanka,” Fibershed, March 24, 2023, https://fibershed.org/affiliate/sri-lanka/#:~:text=Cotton%20spinning%20and%20weaving%20in,home%20or%20community%2Doriented%20industry. [2] “The History of Sri Lanka Handloom Culture,” Khiri Travel, January 1, 2022, https://khiri.com/the-history-of-sri-lanka-handloom-culture/. [3] Karin Hellaby, “Traditional Crafts of Sri Lanka,” Stitchtopia Craft Holidays, accessed June 20, 2025, https://www.stitchtopia.co.uk/holiday/traditional-crafts-of-sri-lanka#:~:text=Handloom%20weaving%20is%20a%20centuries,create%20intricate%20patterns%20and%20designs. [4] Evolution of Sri Lankan Textile Education from Ancient Times to the 21st Century, 2008, photograph, Google Images, 2008, https://images.app.goo.gl/Zp57pxLNSeouXtRy6.3

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