The term 'spinning wheel' is a device used for spinning fibers into yarn or thread. It consists of a spindle, which is a straight rod that is attached to a wheel, and a DISTAFF, which is a staff used to hold the unspun fibers. The DISTAFF is usually held in the left hand while the right hand turns the wheel. The spinning wheel was an important tool in the textile industry before the invention of the spinning jenny and other modern spinning machines.