Liaghra

The liaghra was a tool used in Scottish knitting, especially in the north west, and Argyll. It had various regional names, and is sometimes known in English as a thread winder.

It consisted of two sticks crossed together in the centre and set on a swivel pin in a block of wood called the stoc. A pin of wood is fixed in each of the four extremities of the sticks, and round thus, a hank of thread is placed, which is unravelled and made into a ball, as the operator spins the instrument round.

Regional names

 * Crann tachrais – Various
 * Na Sgiathan (the wings) – Caithness
 * Bodach-sgiathan (Old man of the wings) – Sutherland
 * Eachan (Horsie) – Argyll
 * Crois-lionradh – Lewis