String Tidies, also known as Twine Stands, were common items in the shops and homes of Victorian England. They're still very handy for keeping unruly balls of string or twine tidy and close at hand for garden and kitchen use.
I turn these on my lathe from oak. The column is hollow so you can store your scissors where they'll be protected, safe and ready. A groove cut near the top will hold the tag end of the string, keeping the ball from unrolling. When you need a length of string, it will feed out of the middle of the ball without creating a bird's nest.
Each tidy is 4½" tall, the base is 4" in diameter and comes complete with a ball of compostable hemp string and a pair of 4½" scissors.
