My Gizmo

     By now most of you know that I like tatting with King Tut thread. I buy the spools, not the cones, though it may be cheaper in the long run. I do use a lot of it off of a 500 yard spool. One of the things I try to avoid, like all of us, is twist in the thread. I got the idea that if I would take the thread off the way it was put on, that is, unwind the spool instead of just pulling it from the end, then the twist would be a lot less. And it is. The problem is keeping control of the thread.
     
    Here is my solution so far. I used a 4" piece of 1"x4" white board and turned it to a 3" circle. I added a couple of grooves for decoration and to make it easier to pick up. Then I drilled a 3/16" hole in the center and inserted (glued) a 2 1/2" long piece of 3/16" dowel that I found at WalMart in the craft department. I think that should be enough information if you want to make one. Oh, 1x4 is actually 3/4 thick, not 1. It's just called that.
    You need a lathe to do the round, or you could use a scroll saw or band saw and sand it. You could use a router for the groove if you want. Also use a router for the rounded edge on top. It is heavy enough that when I pull thread from the spool it lets the spool turn without scooting across the table.