Convert Finger (Cloth) (finger) to Aln (aln) instantly.
About these units
Finger (Cloth) (finger)
The cloth finger is a small measurement used in tailoring and weaving, typically about 2.1 cm (0.83 inches). It allowed precise adjustments when cutting and aligning fabric patterns. Merchants and craftsmen relied on the finger as a convenient subdivision of larger units like spans and ells. Its use highlights the practical application of body-based measurements in the textile industry. While no longer standard, the cloth finger provides a window into historical garment production and the role of human-scale units in everyday work.
Aln (aln)
The aln was a traditional Swedish unit of length equal to roughly 59.4 cm, though its exact value varied slightly by region and period. It belongs to the broader family of "ell" measurements used across Europe, originally based on the length of a human forearm. The aln played a crucial role in Swedish commerce, especially in the textile industry, where cloth was measured by stretching it along standardized rods or boards marked in aln lengths. Because such goods were often woven locally and traded regionally, the aln helped regulate and unify commercial practices before the adoption of the metric system. Although obsolete today, the aln survives in historical texts, architectural references, and Scandinavian museum records. Understanding the aln helps scholars interpret pre-modern construction records, land measurements, and traditional clothing industries, revealing a great deal about everyday life in early Sweden.