A pirn is a rod onto which weft thread is wound for use in weaving, fitting inside a shuttle so the thread can be delivered as the shuttle passes back and forth across the loom. Unlike a bobbin, a pirn does not rotate while thread is drawn from it; it sits fixed in place inside the shuttle and the thread comes off the end of the pirn rather than unwinding from around its center. A typical pirn is made of wood or plastic, tapered along most of its length and flaring more sharply at its base, which fits over a pin inside the shuttle, and it is wound from base to tip, rather than evenly end to end as a bobbin is, so that the thread pays off cleanly without snagging.
Facts
OriginPirns became important with the development of the flying shuttle, which is typically attributed to John Kay, who patented it in 1733. 1 Connections
Sources
1. Pirn, Wikipedia
IntroductionQuote, Introduction
Pirns became important with the development of the flying shuttle, though they are also used with other end delivery shuttles.
Leclerc Shuttles and Bobbins (Camilla Valley Farm)
Pirns versus bobbins paragraphQuote, Pirns versus bobbins paragraph
Pirns are wound from one end to the other unlike bobbins where the yarn is wound back and forth across the length.
Dictionary.com: pirn definition
Dictionary.comIn Group: Loom Parts and Attachments, Definition entryQuote, In Group: Loom Parts and Attachments, Definition entry
a weaver's bobbin, spool, or reel.
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