Anyone know ??

When my kids were at playgroup, they were taught a song that went:

Wind the bobbin up Wind the bobbin up Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap (and repeat verse)

Point to the ceiling, point to the floor Point to the window, point to the floor

Wind the bobbin up Wind the bobbin up Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap

The woman who introduced the song, said she had amalgamated several different versions.

I am still looking for the fulling song and the Spinner/ weavers name who was singing it at the "Praise of Hands Fair, some decades ago in the Toronto Science Center. I could go on line and see if they have records of this Fair at the Science Center. It was a huge event, all about crafts. I have fond memories of it. I also have a set of slides of the huge working drawing loom from China. One weaver sat behind the multe shaft loom and the other sat a whole floor higher in the castle of this loom and manipulated the pattern shafts from above. When the Science Center found out that I had a set of slides they contacted me and we exchange the slides I had done with the ones they had done. I do think that there is only a couple of these loom still being used in China. It is so sat to see this all disappear.

Els

A Niddy Noddy is a center piece of wood or dowel, and at each end there is a cross peace of dowling. These two pieces sit opposite to one and other. Now when you have spun a full bobbin on your wheel, you skein it with your niddy noddy. It has two heads but one body, and when you use it, it sort of nids and nods....LOL A Niddy Noddy is used for Skeining. I have a big one, you can find in Keep me Warm One Night. Otto copied it out of that book and each turn is 2 yards in length. I also have a smaller one that colapses so I can take it with me to spinning meets.

Els

I would think so Cher. although do not forget that knitting, and spinning and weaving was very often done by men as well. I know the shepherts, while to walked over the moores in Holland, alwasy had knitting on the go. They used a beautifully carved knitting stick, that was pused behind there belt. One of the knitting needles was stuck in the end so they only used one hand for knitting. That left one hand free for other tasks.

Els

The seamen in the Scottish Isles used to knit and their special patterns denoted which island and family they were from.. in case they were found

here, don't you call our Cher a dim wit OK? Or else:))))

Now how would you know that it was Eagle and not easel if you didn't have my mum to tell you? Love C

Ophelia, the same was done by Dutch fishermen as well

How is your knee coming along.

Els

Penny, please sing it for me!!!! I would love to hear the tune! AUD ;-)))

"Els van Dam" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@dial30.entirety.ca...

I did a *Google picture search* for niddy noddy, and there they was! Lots of them!

"Aud" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net...

... and look at her... isn't she sweet?!!

In Ireland, too, I believe.

Katherine

I was taught that too, Katherine, but I recently read Alice Starmore's book on Aran knitting and she thinks that, in Ireland at least, that story was made up........

Eimear

Well, I don't care. She probably doesn't believe in leprechauns, either.

Katherine

Aaaah. that's shockin'!!! How can one not believe in the little people? Leprechauns, fairies, elves, etc.... if they don't exist, then who paints the rainbows, or sprinkles about the morning dew on the flowers, and who makes those fairy rings (no, not crop circles)?

My Mom would not allow anyone with a baby to push the baby away from our door at night without a slice of bread at the foot of the buggy, so if the fairies came for the baby they would take the bread and leave the baby alone.

Peace! Gemini, the superstitious! ;o)

Books on the history of traditional knitting say the following on this "misconception". Aran patterns were not written, but passed from mother to daughter. For example, Mrs. Smith and her daughters used certain patterns passed down for generations in the Smith family. Sweaters from different families would have had different patterns, but not be unique enough to make a positive identity. On the other hand, traditional fisherman's ganseys were often knitted with the initials of the owner knitted in just above the welt. In cases of drowning, the victim would be identified by the initials knitting into his gansey. DA

I do not know about Ireland's fishermen and the sweaters they were wearing, however I have a nice book about the Dutch fisher men and their sweaters with the names that go with each one. It also stated that the women would knit their hair in with it as well for good luck.

Els

Gosh our children used to sing that one...there are a few more verses but I can't remember them now..I thought the end was Point to the Ceiling Point to the floor Clap your hands One Two Three

Wonder if this song came about when children worked in the spinning mills, and it was a way of keeping them warm in winter, or as a drill for older women who needed to release tension in their hands or something? Cher

thnx Aud for posting this url....cheers...Cher