Sometimes I like to work on less domestic stuff like laundry, dishes, and cooking and I find myself looking for any excuse to break out some tools.  Today was no exception to that rule and I decided to sit down and make a jig for twisting up some twine to toss in my diaper bag for those times I need to tie something up or, in an emergency, light something on fire.

I poured myself a jar of green tea and got organized.  I took two pencils, a scrap piece of wood, and a (maybe?) 5/16" drill bit to put this together.  With it I can wrap twine or any cordage easily and neatly for storage and I could add additional holes to make longer or shorter spools if desired.

I wrap the twine from one pencil to the other in a circle and then come back around the loops to lock everything together.  Using the pencils allows me to slide the loops up or down and, in this case, allowed me to pass the whole ball of twine under and over before cutting.

The jig also allows me to jump up in the middle of the project to check on laundry or a sleeping kid and come back with a minimal amount of unravel.

When I'm all done I just come around with some half-hitches to tighten things up to prevent it from coming undone in the bag or pocket.  Now I've got a nice, neat, and compact source of cordage or tinder should I need it.

Thanks for reading,


B