Comments: This wooden spinning wheel, with its gracious proportions, has been passed down through generations of the MacIsaac family. It can be classified as a Saxony wheel because of its ornamental detail, as well as its three-legged, slightly sloping saddle and treadle wheel. The well-finished construction points to the fact that this must have been the work of an expert woodworker. The maker's initials are clearly visible on this spinning wheel. Impressed deeply into the wood, they read: "W.M.DLD." Experts have been fortunate enough to identify several makers' names in Nova Scotia, including Alexander McIntosh and his son I.S. McIntosh of New Glasgow. There was also a William McDonald in New Glasgow, and this may very well be an example of his workmanship.

The Saxony design was best known for its ability to spin both flax and wool. In Scotland, which has a long history of spinning and weaving, two types of spinning wheels were introduced to the Highlands. The first was the Saxony wheel, while the other was the "muckle wheel" also called the "walking wheel". In Canada, the "walking wheels" took on impressive proportions, sometimes three to four feet across. With this piece of equipment, the spinner was kept in constant motion, turning the wheel with one hand while guiding the yarn with the other. The spinner often walked as much as fifteen to twenty miles in a day's spinning.

The spinning wheel was a valuable asset to the Canadian pioneer. Although European cloth production had become mechanized by the 1700s, in Canada, outside the large towns, the ability to hand spin was an absolute necessity. After all, how else would the family be clothed or equipped with household necessities? In the late 1860s and early 1870s, due to a spinning revival in Canada and the northern United States precipitated by the American Civil War and the resulting scarcity of cotton, there were no fewer than 27 forms of spinning wheels patented in Canada. Although the glory days of spinning ended with the war, spinning persisted in rural areas, particularly in Cape Breton.

One of the most congenial aspects of textile production was social interaction. In many Scottish communities, women gathered for a spinning frolic to share the burden of making blankets and winter clothing. They would arrive at 10 a.m. and would continue until the evening, refreshed throughout the day by animated conversation and copious servings of tea. According to William D. Cameron, who entertained Casket readers from 1913 to 1919 with his vignettes of Antigonish County life, "in the fall and early part of the winter, particularly, in every home could be heard the almost incessant Stur-ur-ur of one or two spinning wheels, and the regular Clack de-clack-clack of the loom."

Comments: The distaff or "cuigeal" played an integral role in the production of flax. It usually came from the top limbs of a spruce, the ends of which were lashed together to form a cage-like device. Sometimes fine cane, brass or metal wire could achieve the same oval or coned effect. The flax was wrapped around the distaff and worked with the fingers as it was gradually drawn while spinning. During this process, the distaff was tucked under the spinner's arm, or into a belt around the waist and cradled in the elbow so that the left hand could reach the fibres.

In 19th-century Antigonish County, textile production ran the gamut from carding to spinning, knitting, weaving and sewing. Every home "was a veritable little factory for its own special purposes." Women did much of the work. They cultivated fields of flax which they harvested and combed, and raised sheep for shearing, preparing their wool by soaking, bleaching and pounding it. However, it should be noted that many of the first weavers were men, like Red John Cameron who came to Lower South River around 1802. He was a professional weaver who had learned his trade in Scotland and "he made the loom do duty and busily plied the shuttle at night, and at intervals in the day time, whilst resting from his hard manual labors in the woods...It is stated, on undoubted authority, that besides his daily work in the forest, he had earned in the loom, during the winter, over sixeen pounds."

Comments:This late 19th-century wood and metal sewing machine has many of the components of modern-day machines. It has a balance wheel, arm, head, cloth plate and stitch-forming device. The stand consists of a treadle, fly wheel, brace, drop leaf and two drawers (these are missing). There is also a hood or cover to protect the machine during periods of disuse. The design is very basic, lacking decorative mouldings or castings. Some machines at this time boasted inlaid ebony or mother-of-pearl and easily passed for a fine piece of parlour furniture. Although the machine lists patent dates from the 1870s, it offers few clues about its place of manufacture. The brand name "New Home" is prominently featured on the box and treadle. The machine does have a striking resemblance to the Singer Manufacturing Company's "The New Family" model advertised in the Casket in February 1898. According to T. Eaton's catalogue for 1901, a similar sewing machine cost approximately $22.50.

The development of the sewing machine in the 1850s not only transformed the lives of tailors, seamstresses and homemakers, but also revolutionized manufacturing and marketing as well. The sewing machine, dubbed the "iron seamstress", got off to a slow start in Canada and was initially rejected by tailors and women. The tailors felt it would drive them out of business and women resented the challenge to their sewing expertise. Nevertheless, companies like R.M. Wanzer and Company, Charles Raymond, and Rogers Brothers emerged throughout Canada. Marketing strategies showed a high degree of ingenuity. Sewing machine companies promised installment plans, offered warranties and hired female demonstrators to show off the sewing machine's many assets and to provide free instruction to housewives. Machines were sold at reduced cost to the wives of clergy, in the hope that others would want to imitate their middle-class patronage.

The sewing machines of the day offered the seamstress two options: chain stitch or lock stitch. Improvements such as these helped propel clothing manufacturers into ready-made women's and men's wear. Paper patterns for clothing also appeared on the scene and were an instant success. By the turn of the century, the sewing machine, rather like the parlour organ, was a important icon of social status.