spinning wheel

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Early machine for turning textile fibre into thread or yarn, which was then woven into cloth on a loom. The spinning wheel was probably invented in India, though its origins are unclear. It reached Europe via the Middle East in the Middle Ages. The improvement of the loom in 18th-century England created a yarn shortage and a demand for mechanical spinning. The result was a series of inventions that converted the spinning wheel into a powered, mechanized component of the Industrial Revolution ( drawing frame; spinning jenny; water frame).

Find more facts and information related to the .
Copyright 1994-2008 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.

Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

	Wheel put positive spin on their latest success ; ...is proving to be very positive for Spinning Wheel in the Simco Trophies Intermediate...Wynne, Ant Drummond and Craig Davies. Spinning Wheel manager Mark Cockerham was thrilled...also felt that the win was justified. "Spinning Wheel played well and they deserved the victory... Read more
	SPINNING WHEEL'S TASTY FOOD MARRED BY UNDERSTAFFED DINING ROOM.(Weekend)(Dining Out)(Column) ; ...speed on a recent Friday evening, the Spinning Wheel roadhouse filled its two dining rooms...coffee we tried to order at the end. The Spinning Wheel has an unassuming rustic setting with...worth watching. Obviously popular, the Spinning Wheel is no newcomer to the area. Part of... Read more
	SPINNING WHEEL STUMBLES ON PARTY NIGHT.(Weekend)(Dining Out)(Restaurant review)(Column) ; ...recommended the popular fish dinners at The Spinning Wheel in North Syracuse on Friday nights...much for a quiet Thursday dinner. The Spinning Wheel roadhouse has a wraparound porch, and...dining. THE DETAILS THE RESTAURANT: The Spinning Wheel, 7384 Thompson Road, North Syracuse... Read more
	The song of the spinning wheel. ; ...one woman, Laura, carrying her spinning wheel, and her husband, Pat, toting...Little did I know locating a spinning wheel would be a project in itself. Of course I wanted an antique spinning wheel. After all, this was a craft... Read more
	Stephen still missing ; ...Stephen's mum Debby works at the Spinning Wheel in Paignton and she contacted...she is helping to stage at the Spinning Wheel tonight. Debby said: "I am holding a charity night at the Spinning Wheel on Thursday in an effort to raise... Read more
	In the flesh live in Paignton ; ...outfit In the Flesh descend on the Spinning Wheel in Paignton tonight. And they'll...his UK Karaoke. Tuesday evening's Spinning Wheel guest is Matt Perosa, and he'll...band Crossfire. Admission to the Spinning Wheel is free. Read more
	Wheel to simmer again with ska ; ...Simmertones returns by public demand to the Spinning Wheel in Paignton tonight to headline a special...Simmertones will all fit on to the Spinning Wheel stage. "Is a 10-piece outfit over the...this coming week's programme at the Spinning Wheel, XLR take centre stage at the venue... Read more
	Missing piece of panto jigsaw. ; ...is appealing for help in finding a spinning wheel for its forthcoming pantomime, Sleeping...currently quite safe as we do not having a spinning wheel on which she can prick her finger...Anyone who can lend a traditional spinning wheel for the week of the show, and preferably... Read more
	Yarn Spinner in Cleona, Pa., Appreciates Old-Fashioned Methods. ; ...dyed it and spun it into yarn on a spinning wheel? If never is the answer, you might...description, from a plastic toy Ronco spinning wheel ( It actually knits, instead of spins...functional. Her mainstay is a 100-year-old spinning wheel from Missouri that has been refinished... Read more
	Woman finds 'flexibility, independence' by spinning hobby into a career? ; ...the craft when she inherited a spinning wheel passed down from her Hungarian ancestors. She brought the spinning wheel, along with a how-to book, to...Sleeping Beauty and the infamous spinning wheel. "It is rare that a program can... Read more

For more facts and information, see all related premium articles

Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses

	Spinning Wheel Spinning Wheel Background A spinning wheel is a machine used to turn fiber into thread or yarn. This thread or yarn is then woven as cloth on a loom. The spinning wheel's essential function is to combine and twist fibers together... Read more
	spinning wheel spin·ning wheel • n. an apparatus for spinning yarn or thread, with a spindle driven by a wheel attached to a crank or treadle. Read more
	Omphale's Spinning-wheel Omphale's Spinning-wheel (Saint-Saëns). See Rouet d'Omphale, Le . Read more
	spinning ...shell. The primitive Gurkha wheel was used to spin coarse yarns...gradually superseded by the spinning wheel. It consisted of a spindle...driving belt passing over a wheel. The great, or wool, wheel, revolving the spindle directly...spindle. The flax, or Saxony, wheel—a more ... Read more
	spinning jenny Early multiple-spindle machine for spinning wool or cotton . The hand-powered spinning jenny was patented by James Hargreaves in 1770. The development of the spinning wheel into the spinning jenny was a significant factor in the industrialization... Read more

See all related entries

For Students and teachers!

HighBeam Encyclopedia provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including: