Ok, I’m a creator. I can’t help it- I was just born that way I guess. I’m in the process of unraveling a sweater to harvest the yarn for something else and since I’m new to these great finds and very inexperienced at winding and handling yarn that wasn’t rolled or skeined with a machine I came up with this nifty spinner thingy.
I still have to figure out how to wind the yarn into balls without twisting it… or perhaps it’s twisting when I knit. :?? Don’t know yet. Anywho. Here’s my latest creation made from stuff around the house…
The Yarn Spinner Thingy.
It’s 36" around the dowels and as you can see it spins.
Has anyone come up with innovative ideas to aid them with knitting?
YEAH !!! That’s the stuff I like to see!
I made these…
The VERY short DPN’s (2 inches) near the blue container are great for knitting the fingers on gloves. They are salvaged broken needles and the containers are from M&M’s candies, also good for corralling straight pins, safety pins, sewing needles, and snacks.
Let’s see more!
Hmm interesting, Julie. That bottom part spins? Ok so explain to me when you use your swift and do you roll your yarn from it into a ball? I’m still having a time with twisting… most noticeable when using 2 yarns held together.
Zowie, Trucker… that’s a lot of needles! I can see making the dpns, but the crochet hooks are something to be really proud of! I have several dowels I purchased to attempt to make my own dpns then attempt to knit with (never used dpns).
Hey Marni? Have you checked out Amy’s video on making a center pull ball? If you don’t have a ballwinder (or made one yet) I am happy that I can wind them like this, I don’t have any trouble with my yarn twisting like it does when you take it from the outside of the skein. taking it from the outside you have to coral the sucker so it doesn’t roll around, this way you can put it in a bag or what-have-you and keep it clean but it stays put
Video is here
some knitting books will have a description of the procedure as well…
Also, you may want to locate the Stitch and Book book, there’s a page in there on how to cheeply make your own Nostpinde which is a wooden “thingie” also used for winding yarn into balls that pull from the middle. you make it out of a chairleg you can buy from Home Depot as it is turned on a lathe and has the grooves for sort of holding the ball to start with… You have to see the pic for that to make sense, but search the web for Nostepinde (Nostepinne, it’s spelled different ways) to see what one looks like
Did I mention I don’t like to spend money? (I got kids to do that) :rollseyes:
I use the idea of the Nostpinde by using the broom handle. It never seems to get used around here anyway…
Just another thought…
KNIT ON !!
I do use Amy’s way for winding. Still having problems with 2 yarns held together though. Hmm, I’ll have to see if I can find info on this Nostepine thingy.
Trucker I don’t quite know what you’re talking about when you say using the broom handle… maybe if I saw this thing it would make sense. Yup I’m a cheap knitter too. That spinny thing is to wind the yarn as I unravel it from some thrift store sweater. After it’s spun on there, I threaded a different color yarn through it to hold the shape of my spinner. Then wash the yarn and hopefully slide the yarn back on the spinner thing and then wind it into center pull balls.
I think I’d only need a swifter if I bought a hank… I think
I’m in the process of unraveling a sweater to harvest the yarn for something else and since I’m new to these great finds and very inexperienced at winding and handling yarn that wasn’t rolled or skeined with a machine I came up with this nifty spinner thingy.
