The Niddy-Noddy

Southwest Virginia Project

Return to Southwest Virginia Project Main Page

A hand reel for winding yarn

From: Source:Earle, 1898:200

The yarn might be wound from the spindle into skeins in another way, — by using a hand-reel, [or as known by its] universal folk-name, niddy-noddy. This is fortunately preserved in an every-day domestic riddle:

Niddy-noddy, niddy-noddy,

Two heads and one body.

The three pieces of these niddy-noddys were set together at curious angles, and are here shown rather than described in words. Holding the reel in the left hand by seizing the central " body " or rod, the yarn was wound from end to end of the reel, by an odd, waving, wobbling motion, into knots and skeins...