And I found . . .

A Wool Winder. Not just any old Wool Winder either, this is (or was) The Modern Wool Winder. A while back now I blipped some tangled yarn as I tried and failed to wind a hank of wool and several blippers remembered having to hold their arms out for their mothers as they wound wool. Now my mother apparently had a Wool Winder, although I don't remember her using it, but why would I? 

I am so surprised that I had no idea what was in this little box, a box that has been for years amongst my mother's sewing things. I wonder why I was never curious enough to open it up and find out what there was. Sadly, I have no hanks of wool at the moment to try it out. 

I looked up Wool Winders and there were so many on the market at one time. I suppose their use waned as wool became more likely to be sold ready wound. It is only fairly recently, with hand-spun/ hand-dyed yarns sold in hanks, that  Wool Winders might have come back into use. There is quite a range of modern ones - more modern that this one of course.