deedlee ball

plural deedlee balls · alternative deedly ball

1. A small decorative ball made of yarn.

   […] it was only Leon, looking even droopier than usual in a floppy red felt Santa cap with a dangling white deedly-ball.

   1996, Jonathan Nasaw, The World on Blood, New York, N.Y.: Dutton Books, →ISBN, page 139

   3 more examples

   The woman and the pony were posed before velvet draperies which were fringed with deedlee-balls. They were flanked by Doric columns.

   1969 March 31, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Slaughterhouse-Five […] (A Seymour Lawrence Book), New York, N.Y.: Delacorte Press, →OCLC, page 35

   He felt the touch on his shoulder, turned and it was Gil Sibbernsen, the deputy, dressed for hunting: orange shirt, green wool coat and pants, pac-boots. He was tall as Marvin but big. On his head he wore a red wool collection of flaps and plaid, topped off with a deedlee ball.

   1999, Kevin Canty, Nine Below Zero: A Novel, New York, N.Y. […]: Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, →ISBN, page 75

   Martha Stewart has turned us all into home and hearth experts. Or has she? Phenomenally successful as she is, there are still those among us who think flower-patterned drapes with deedly-ball fringe are chic. I actually knew one man so nondomestic he thought deedly-balls were what his first lover had.

   2000, Joel Perry, Funny That Way: Adventures in Fabulousness, Los Angeles, C.A.; New York, N.Y.: Alyson Books, →ISBN, page 164