I pulled this little paper bag - 'FREE Daisy Maker with the compliments of Woman's Own' - out of a basket of haberdashery stuff in the charity shop, looked inside and thought, "What the heck is this?!" I bought it and came home to get online and do some detective work.
It came as a 'flat pack' - you fold the pegs back so they stand up, then push the disc down so it fits between the outer and inner pegs. And that's a Daisy Maker!
But what do I do with it?! I found these 'instructions for crazy daisy yarm winders', and a 1948 crazy daisy winder pattern book, which might help but I think refer to a slightly different device.
Then I started getting somewhere - I found my daisy maker included in this fantastic list of yarn daisy makers and looms (mine is a '1000 flowers loom'). It's the work of Sarah Bradberry, whose extensive Knitting-and website is just fabulous - a real labour of love. She's also assembled a Daisy Looms and Winders set on Flickr.
Cathy of California's blog is packed with yarn daisy info and colourful photos, and her Etsy shop sells vintage yarn flower looms. There are other vintage looms popping up on Etsy and Ebay from time to time, or there is a loom currently available called the Knit-Wit.
OK, enough natter - I need to go and try this daisymaking lark myself... watch this space.
* SONG OF THE DAY: Daisy, Daisy... *
