Spinning wheel

Spinning wheel

Breeding small ruminants was an important source of nutrition and income for the inhabitants of the Bovec Region, but it provided many other necessities for everyday life as well. Of these, sheep wool was the most important; by using various techniques of processing, the locals made clothing and other personal items. A felting process was used to create wide-brimmed shepherd’s hats; weaving to make precious woven fabrics and wool blankets; and knitting to make socks, jumpers, scarves and other pieces of clothing. Wool yarn was a bit different, as it first had to be spun and twisted into a thick thread.

The locals did this with differently shaped and often beautifully decorated spinning wheels, which are still kept in many homes as an important part of the family legacy.

This horizontally shaped wheel, typical of the Bovec Region, comes from Log pod Mangartom and has been kept in the Tolmin Museum since 1971.