Simple Toorie making

[JS Sanders]

I wanted to replace the standard issue red toorie on my balmoral today. That plus having recently acquired a new digital camera, I tried to document the procedure as familiar to me. I’ve never claimed to be much of a photographer as these photos clearly indicate.

1st, I cut out two cardboard washers, with an outside diameter of 2 inches and an inside hole diameter of 0.75 inch. Next was a length of woolen yarn, 10 ft long. I used a worsted medium dark-green yarn.


Place the two washers together and wrap them with yarn. Keep wrapping until you run outta yarn. Wee wifie suggested I double-up the yarn after I’d finished, don’t see why that couldn’t be done. It would save time.


Using scissors, insert one blade of a pair of scissors between the two washers and cut the yarn all way ‘round. A tight bundle of somewhat equal lengths of yarn is the result.




Slip a knotted length of yarn around the middle of the bundle and tighten securely. Tie an additional knot to secure firmly.


At this point, I fluff out the individual yarns and manipulate the bundle into a round object closely resembling the desired end product. Different yarns probably will create differing sized & textured toories. I tend to use whatever I have at hand.


Trimming with scissors will gives the final shape. The torries I get with this technique are smaller than standard balmoral toories, but larger than those attached to store-bought glengarries.


Slainte yall,
steve