St. Distaff Day 2026

St. Distaff or ROC Day

All wheel and spindle spinners are welcome to a day of fun and games.

Bring your lunch, your wheel/spindles and fibre that excites you.

In the 17th Century, lyric poet and cleric Robert Herrick wrote of the tradition in his poem, "St Distaff's Day or the Morrow After Twelfth Night":

Distaff's Day or the Morrow After Twelfth Night":

Partly work and partly play You must on St. Distaff’s Day: From the plough soon free your team; Then come home and fother them; If the maids a-spinning go, Burn the flax and fire the tow. Bring in pails of water then, Let the maids bewash the men. Give St. Distaff all the right; Then bid Christmas sport good night, And next morrow every one To his own vocation.

This was an excuse to play on the twelfth night as the next day , work begins again. The boys would try to burn the flax and tow while the maids tossed buckets of water on them. Delightful for January. Brrrr….

LDWS St Distaff Day will be much fun with games, prizes and lots of laughs. There will be time to socialize and try a few new things. It is a fund raiser for the guild.

Fee: LDWS Members: $15 Non-members: $25

LDWS workshops are open to all. If a participant is less than 18 years old, they are required to have a parent or guardian present at all times

Workshop is limited to 25 participants, please register early.

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Host or Publisher London District Weavers & Spinners Guild