Object Stories: Ethel Mairet’s hackle
This might look like an instrument of torture but in fact a hackle is really a giant comb used to blend different colours and types of yarn for spinning.
This one was used at Gospels, Ethel Mairet’s weaving and dyeing workshop in Ditchling. It was mounted on a wall with the tines facing outward and heated by a candle to soften the lanolin content in wool as it was eased through.
H Taylor & Sons Ltd, Belfast
Hackle, c1920s
Wood, metal
#ObjectStories are short and sweet tidbits written by the museum’s Curator Donna Steele. Each fortnight we’ll share another gem from our renowned collection.
