This display case holds a variety of tools used in different parts of the textile process. Click on the blue dots to find out more about each tool!  Guiding questions to keep in mind: 1) What can objects teach us about the past? 2) What do the everyday objects we use reveal about our lives? 3) How is the production of cloth shaped by the culture and geography of the region? 

The skutching knife is used to separate the woody stems from the flax fibers, which can then be spun into thread. Watch the video to see how it's done! 

The textile smoother is used to remove wrinkles from a long piece of fabric. (This is one of the objects demonstrated in the video.) 

The stamps would have been used to create patterns on plain cloth. Watch the video to see the stamps close up. The photo here shows an example of fabric that was patterned using a stamp. You can learn more about this process in the activity called "Design Your Own Patterned Print." 

The darning mushroom is used for mending holes in socks or other clothing, providing a stable surface across which to darn, or repair the hole. 

Most people today-- even people in Russia!-- have no idea what a shveika is. The shveika is used to hold a piece of fabric taut and steady while sewing.  (This is one of the objects demonstrated in the video.) 

Have you ever used an iron to press wrinkles out of your clothes? If you have, chances are it didn't look like quite like this one! This heavy iron would have been heated over a fire or stove. 

The dirt that would gather on the clothes of a peasant in the Russian North (mud, manure, clay soil) could be tricky to wash out. The beater would help break up the dirt during the laundry process. Do you think you would enjoy cleaning your clothes this way? Why or why not? (This is one of the objects demonstrated in the video.) 

In the background, you can see the display demonstrating how to use a prialka. 

Standards for Learning: Virtual Display: Tools, Tools, Tools

National Core Arts Standards