Question about nostepinnes?

#1

Have any of you used a nostepinne? If so, did you like it or dislike it? I spent a loooonnnngg time winding a ball of yarn on my own last night and got very frustrated! :wall: I am looking for an easier way of doing it, but not sure I want to invest in the ball winder and yarn swift if I don’t have too, considering that if I purchase a skein from my LYS, I can wind it there. Thanks.

#2

i went to a knitting class and the instructor taught us how to wind the yarn on an empty toilet paper roll. It’s a piece of cake to do- empty toilet paper roll, make a 1-2 inch cut on the top of the roll, take 6 in of yarn and put inside the tp holder and then pull through the cut you made to hold it in place. wind the yarn around the center 10-15x and then wind around making an x on the roll etc. i bought yarn winder thing- and every time i use it i make a complete mess of my yarn. i’m obviously not doing something right- so I put it back in the box and continue to use my trust tp roll. hope this helps!!

#3

I’ve never used one, but it seems to me that using a cardboard tube to wrap your yarn would probably be easier.

#4

Thanks Knitwit (gosh, for some reason that does not sound good :wink: ). Can you then slide it off of the toilet paper roll when you are done with it?

#5

Not sure, but since it was my idea, I’ll give it a shot tonight, and get back to you whether it works or not.

:oops:

I didn’t see Knitwit’s post. But I’ll give it a shot anyway, and still let you know how it goes.

#6

sorry about that- I didnt tell you how to finish the ball- you pull the tail out of the tube, hold it and then slide your yarn off. presto- center pull ball. be sure to wind your ball loosely ~ the first couple of times i did it the little tp holder was smooshed.
Let me know how it goes :XX:

#7

Thanks! Now, I have to finish a roll of toilet paper! :lol:

#8

A long time knitter showed me how to roll a ball of yarn similar to what Amy does on her video. She emphasised that the yarn needs to breath and not pull the yarn tight as you roll it…she showed that you roll over your hand, slide your hand out, then roll perpendicular to the last time you rolled, slide hand out, then roll again perpendicular to the last time…insuring the that yarn can “breathe”…so I always do it that way…it has always worked…

if my husband is not willing to hold the yarn with his hands, I usually just put the hank over the back of a chair and lean the chair into my lap and roll away…it works and I have never had trouble even with Colinette Isis which I was warned was hard to ball.

#9

by the way, knitwit, thanks for the tip, worked beautifully. Though another idea that I’m having is to create a small workboard that uses the TP holders, then just putting the balls of yarn on it. Might be a little easier to take yarn off the skeins.

#10

Glad to hear that it worked out for you. Once you get your new setup going , you’ll have to share the details.