The Works of Nature and the Inventions of Man: Clothing

Tools for Spinning and Warp Preparation

The Silk-Twisting Spindle

To construct a Silk-Twisting Spindle original: 撚綿軸 nianmianzhou, one uses a small base made of either wood or stone. A thin axle, approximately one chi A Chinese foot, roughly 32 centimeters or 12.6 inches. in length, is inserted into the base. To begin, take the end of the fiber original: 纩頭 kuangtou; referring to the fine silk wadding or cotton starter. and hook the raw material onto it. The artisan holds a fork-like tool in the left hand while the right hand draws the fiber upward onto the spindle. By suspending and rotating the device, the fibers are twisted into a continuous thread original: 綿絲 miansi, which is then wound directly onto the spindle to form a fine strand. This tool is primarily used by women and young girls in the household, as it can effectively replace the more laborious work of large-scale spinning wheels.

The Warping Brush

The Warping Brush original: 繮刷 jiangshua is an implement used to separate and align the strands of cloth. It is made by bundling the roots of hardy grasses together. Including the handle, the tool is about one chi long and over one chi wide.

Once the warp threads The longitudinal threads in a loom that are held in tension. have been wound onto the warp beam original: 扞軸 hanzhou; the roller or axle that holds the warp threads., the assembly is mounted upon a wooden frame. Heavy weights are attached below to pull the threads taut. Once the warp threads are evenly spread out, the artisan holds this brush, applies sizing paste original: 漿糊 jianghu; a starch-based liquid used to strengthen and smooth the yarn., and brushes downward along the length of the threads. This process increases the luster of the fibers and prepares them to be cast into the loom for weaving. Although this is considered a "minor tool" in the manufacture of cloth, it is absolutely indispensable to the process.

The 'Tiangong Kaiwu' (1637) emphasizes that even these simple handheld tools, often made of organic materials like grass and stone, were vital to the Ming dynasty's textile economy.