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Treadle wheels, 19th century.
Flax, the plant which produces linen, was spun on a small wheel called a "Saxony wheel" or a "treadle wheel." The spinner sat and turned the wheel by means of a foot treadle. The small wheels required far more craftsmanship in their construction than the larger wheels which were used exclusively for wool. Treadle wheels were among the prized possessions of early settlers.
(Missisquoi Historical Society Collections)
Flax, the plant which produces linen, was spun on a small wheel called a "Saxony wheel" or a "treadle wheel." The spinner sat and turned the wheel by means of a foot treadle. The small wheels required far more craftsmanship in their construction than the larger wheels which were used exclusively for wool. Treadle wheels were among the prized possessions of early settlers.
(Missisquoi Historical Society Collections)