I made this distaff and spindle of cherry and then applied a mahogany stain. The distaff is a single piece of wood; the spindle is two separate pieces. On one side of the distaff I carved vines using a triangle chisel. On the other side I carved my mother's initials with her maiden name initial the largest (seemed appropriate because it is the "distaff side" of her family). The project looks simple enough and I initially thought it wouldn't be too complicated. I was wrong.