Distaffs are like keepers of the fiber. They organize fiber and yarn so that we can use them in a contained manner. With Spinning Wheels distaffs can be mounted on the wheel or freestanding beside them.

When distaffs are used with spinning wheels the fiber will be placed on the distaff in a way that it can be pulled from the distaff while spinning in a quick and easy manner. The fiber can be wrapped around the distaff and tied with a string, ribbon or such, or it can just be wound around and left free, to be pulled from as needed.

Hand held distaffs can be long or short, straight or jointed, depending on the need of the one using the distaff. Personally I like a medium length distaff that is easy to place in a belt, or hold under the arm. These hand held distaffs can be used for loose fiber, or yarn.