The Lost Code

Spinning Wheel

19th century
Varnished wood
H. 87 cm
This little pedal-activated wool or linen spinning wheel differs from common spinning wheels because of its small size and vertical orientation. Spinning wheels were used to perform two tasks: spinning linen or wool fibers into continuous threads and winding the thread onto a bobbin. Pedal spinning wheels did not appear in Québec until the last quarter of the 18th century.
Parks Canada collection, Québec