Gallery of Products made for IMC 2026 at University of Leeds
I have been starting on a display for The IMC (International Medieval Congress) 2026 at University of Leeds where I will be in attendance on 8th and 9th July 2026. Some of the new items of interest I have created from English Oak, Ash and Beech timber, as follows
I have been working particularly on Distaffs this year - please see last years IMC Page for my creations last year including spinners, niddy noddy, wool combs, hackles, etc here.
This distaff is inspired by the Oseberg distaff which is a historic Viking Age spinning tool discovered in the famous 830 AD Oseberg ship burial in Norway. It is a handheld distaff used to hold unspun wool or bast fibers securely during the drafting and spinning process.
The above is my Lendbreen Distaff Project
The Concept
Was to create a functional and symbolic distaff inspired by the archaeological distaff recovered from the Lendbreen ice patch in Norway. The piece combines historical inspiration with Norse symbolism and modern craftsmanship.
The design is informed by:
· The Lendbreen distaff discovery from Norway.
· Exploration of historical spinning tools, including Jillian Eve's exploration of historical spinning tools and her use of a Lendbreen distaff replica in practical terms.
· Replica distaffs and historical textile tools produced by The Dancing Goats.
· Norse cosmology and the Nine Realms.
· Thought to meet Fibonacci proportional relationships.
Historical Inspiration
The original Lendbreen distaff survived for centuries in glacial ice and provides rare evidence of textile production in the Scandinavian mountains. The project celebrates the importance of spinning, wool, and textile production in Norse society.
Symbolism
Nine Ridges
I have included nine carved ridges or grooves.
Each ridge represents one of the Nine Realms of Norse cosmology:
1. Asgard
2. Midgard
3. Vanaheim
4. Jötunheim
5. Alfheim
6. Svartalfheim / Nidavellir
7. Niflheim
8. Muspelheim
9. Helheim
The ridges are evenly spaced and form the visual centre of the piece.
Artistic Intent
This piece feels to me as though it could have emerged from a Norse mountain pass a thousand years ago and then been rediscovered in the ice.
It is a tribute to:
· The women who spun fibre into cloth.
· The preservation of history through the Lendbreen ice discoveries.
· The modern revival of historical spinning practices championed by Sally Pointer, Jillian Eve and The Dancing Goats.
The enduring Norse idea that thread, fate, landscape, and story are all woven together.
This is my interpretation of the Scottish Dealgan Drop Spindle (also historically known as a farsadh or fairsiad) is a traditional, whorl-less hand spindle originating from the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland. Unlike standard drop spindles that use a separate circular weight (whorl) to maintain momentum, the Dealgan relies entirely on its distinct cone-shaped, bottom-heavy wooden body to spin.
Above is my interpretation of timber needles for nallbinding and like, these are being made from Fenland Bog Oak, which is very black and likely to be between 2000 and 5000 year old timber due to the colour, these should be available in a range of sizes and shapes for you to view at IMC Leeds 2026.
For items currently available please visit my Etsy Shop. For all other enquiries and to make a comission, please contact me at: colin@talkingpointwoodwork.co.uk
Contact
©2024-2026 Talking Point Woodwork and Colin Baker. All rights reserved.