Of Troy, there was another definition of spill (in the OED) which I thought you might know: "a cylinder around which thread or yarn are wound, a spool." Related to spool, spindle? I've always called the thingee that thread comes on when purchased a spool, but it could be transfered to a bobbin. Ah, sewing terms. It can also mean a rod you can plug a hole with. Sounds like a dowel. (I've never heard any of these terms here on the Wrong Coast.)