Sistah Crafter & US Patents

Two-hundred and ten years ago, the US Patent Office issued patent number 572,985 to Julia Terry Hammonds, an African American from Lebanon, IL. As she wrote in her patent application, Her invention "was especially adapted for ladies who use yarn, silk, cotton, and other light materials for knitting and crocheting and does away with the necessity of having some one to assist with holding while winding."

Thanks Julia! I remember my mother asking my brothers and I to hold out our arms while she transformed the loop skein of yarn to balls. My arms wished we had Julia's invention!