Yarn winder bandwagon

[princsstrish]

I jumped on the yarn winder bandwagon and got one! It's so awesome. My boyfriend even bugs me to wind up some. He does a little every day. TOO funny!!!!

In other gadget news, I ordered a Crochenit hook and a GYDZIT. The Crochenit cuz i have a book for it and want to try it. The GYDZIT Because I've been doing much more thread work and that darn thread is just burning through my skin...hopefully the GYDZIT will work.

My boyfriend also bought me the Boye Crochetmaster Set and I can't wait to get it in. Now I'll never be for want of a specific size of hook!!!!

Next stop, knitting needles..hahahah

[threeolivemartini]

hehe that winder is ****ed addictive.. SP even winds stuff for me sometimes LOL......

[Julie]

I was winding today... :spina It's wonderful to see those balls of yarn come together.

[Deb]

*whines*

I wannnnnt onnnnnnne! :frog

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

My question is what kindof yarn do yall wind?? Sorry if I'm a little slow:yawn I keep hearing yall talk about them and just wondered:thinking2 .

[princsstrish]

I've done thick and quick chenille, regular worster weight yarn, baby yarn, mohair yarn, fun fur. Anything i have laying around. It works for all of them!!! SO cool :)

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

Ok now why wind it though , just for fun or organization? Bear with me w/ all the questions:wink

:tex

[threeolivemartini]

it makes a nice ball... if you have half skeins etc.. it makes them more tidy...

as for me.. i use alot of things off the cone.. it makes it more portable and shareable by winding it off

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

Ok thanks And sorry for all the questions :blah :wink

:tex

[rebeccav]

hey elizabeth..... perhaps post a picture of a ball to show how nice they are :camera

[threeolivemartini]

your wish is my command !! although this is a pic of several balls....


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/threeolivemartini/yarnstore.jpg

[princsstrish]

I like it too cuz if you buy some of the more expensive yarn, it's hard to find the middle pull, or they arent' a pull skein at all. The winder makes everything a center pull skein. Of course, it's easier to organize as well with it in a nice ball, with a flat bottom, not rolling around.

[MiCountess]

I ordered yarn from Melanie on :ebay and a yarn winder from some one else - Patiently waiting for both to come. Should be here by Wednesday:cheer2 :fc :

I'm So Excited:yay2 :yay2

Michelle:wink

[deneen]

I just ordered a yarn winder off of eBay and hoepfully it will be in by Tuesday. I have a who load of stuff I'm waiting to wind!!!

[threeolivemartini]

I am glad you ordered from Melanie.. you can tell her i sent you LOL ... just kidding.. i am going to see her in person in a couple weeks.. i cant wait.. what did you order from her ?

[MiCountess]

Elizabeth - I already told Melanie that you highly recommend her. :cheer2 I ordered 5 different cones of yarn. She has so many different yarns and at great prices. And her shipping is very reasonable. I plan on making each husband wife an afghan for Christmas. That will be a total of five. So at Christmas I asked all of my family members to give me a color. They were not together at the time so they couldn't pick colors that would match each others. Most of them picked blue and green, my strangest color combo is purple and tangerine and it is the one I am most excited about. So I have started ordering colors from Melanie to get started. I ordered 26 pounds worth. I believe most of the ones I ordered are a type of chenille and boucle. The weather here is supposed to get icy hope it doesn't't delay my packages.:mail :thinking2

Michelle:wink

[threeolivemartini]

well its beautiful here in NC so there should be no delay on this end!!

that sounds wonderful.. and yes she has good selection and great prices.. and she is a great person as well .. good luck on getting all those afghans done!

[MsSunflwr]

I'm on the bandwagon too! I just purchased a new winder off Ebay and I am eagerly awaiting it's arrival. Two of my co-workers who are in the same cubicle pool also crochet and are dying for the winder to come in, I think they will be purchasing one too once they see all the nice balls of yarn that I have made and shared with them.

I have been buying yarn from Melanie for a while now and my cone collection is steadily growing. I also buy from a seller her name is Askmeaboutyarns on Ebay. She has great stuff too. I have a few others, but I am definately addicted to buying yarn by the cone off Ebay. You can get really expensive type yarns at great prices and plenty of it!

I purchased a wide shelf unit from Lowe's this past weekend to store all my yarn since the built ins were full and so unorganized. Now my yarn is organized by color in the garage and I love it! I am still wanting more cones since the winder is coming, I'll have to post a photo of my stash to my blog so you can check it out. And let me know if anyone wants to swap, I've been hunting a great BURNT ORANGE yarn.

Donna<a href="http://www.ninakate.blogspot.com" target="_new">my blog</a>

[deneen]

Yea!!! Mine came in today. So far I've just gazed at it, but I'll be ready tomorrow.

[MarvieN]

lol maybe someone should check into just buying a bulk amount of them for a cheaper price with everyone of us wanting/getting them lol save some money ;)

[MsSunflwr]

I am still eagerly waiting for my winder to get here, I need to be more patient, I just bought in on Monday. I am tempted to buy more cones of yarn, but I really don't need to, check my blog later, I'm going to post a photo. I can't wait to start winding those cones down into managable balls that I can take with me.

Donna

[MiCountess]

:cheer2 :yay2 My Yarn Winder came today (The United States Postal Service) - But no yarn yet :cry - UPS has delayed my order because of the lovely weather we have been having (ice, snow:w-flake , 4 degrees :w-cold no electricity from Tuesday at 8:00 pm till 3:30 pm on Wednesday) Much better now, they say they will deliver Friday - sure hope they do.:thinking2

Michelle:wink

[MsSunflwr]

<img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/ura1.gif" />My winder arrived today! <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/mail.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/woohoo2.gif" />I wasted no time winding down the two huge cones sitting beside my bed (working on a small afghan for Baloo). The winder is awesome! What a great tool this is, and so fast and easy. I have posted photos on my blog of the yarn I wound today along with a photo the blanket as it nears completion.

<a href="http://www.ninakate.blogspot.com" target="_new">My blog</a>

[kraftinkim]

:bounce :clap :cheer2 :danc

Got my yarn winder today! Can't wait to try it - maybe I will wind the remaining yarn from my shrug.

Kim:woohoo

[labcrazyland]

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1362&item=8161960555&rd=1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1362&item=8161960555&rd=1)

Is this the type of winder that everyone is getting? I see three different brands listed usually, Brother, SInger, and Royal.

Are they fairly easy to use???

Kelly

[threeolivemartini]

that is EXACTLY the one i have..

a monkey could use this thing.. its THAT easy..

[princsstrish]

that's the one i have and it is soooooo easy and simple, Even my boyfriend can use it ;)

[MsSunflwr]

That's the exact one that I have also. I bought mine from the same seller for around $27.00 new in the box. I think I got a great deal. Is anyone mixing yarns and creating their own custom mix?

[Julie]

Is anyone mixing yarns and creating their own custom mix?

Me!!! :hi

Just be careful of your tension as you wind the two strands together. If not you end up with too much of one strand and not enough of the other. I learned the hard way. :oops

[threeolivemartini]

i do it too .. and yes you have to be aware.. but most of the time its not too bad ..

unless you have a really stretchy and a real not stretchy one and that gets a little crazy

[JPorter718]

I bought one :woohoo I bought one :woohoo

And I just have to say that I absolutely LOVE it! :heart
It's so easy to use and it makes such pretty center-pull balls.

My hubby even wanted to try it and thought it was 'pretty cool' :hyper

I have the same blue/white Royal winder as everyone else. It's FANTASTIC - such a great invention and well well worth the money.

Off to wind some more! :spina

[Piper0110]

I want mine! I broke down and bought one with a 50% off coupon from JoAnn's. But it's not here yet.

[gramhouse]

I got one on Ebay. Can't wait to get it! YIPPIE!
Pat:sheepjump :wave

[Piper0110]

It's here, it's here! I love it! I've already wound up all of my partial skeins, now working on the yarn from a sweater I unraveled. Funny how a little yarn winder can make me so happy.

[xantha]

I don't know how I lived without my yarn winder before! <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/rowofhearts.gif" />

It makes it all so easy! I have rsi issues with both wrists and I found that winding yarn tends to aggravate it more than crocheting, so I, uh, rationalized the purchase that way. <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/blush.gif" />

My puppy likes to bark at the yarn while I wind the balls up...

[crochetdiva]

OK so now I want to cry. My mom had one for years and I asked her about it the other day. She sold it at a garage sale. AAAAAARRRRRGGGHH!!!! I used to play with it all the time when I was little. I never knew that one day I would want it for myself.
:ducky :ducky :ducky

[woolandflax]

Okay ya'll, I admit I'm wanting one too but hubby can't see why I need one!! :ohdear

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/chigaboom/Crochet%20and%20Knitting%20Projects/3f8ff72e.jpg
he has his own little system going.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/chigaboom/Crochet%20and%20Knitting%20Projects/dce541db.jpg

I keep telling him though, I'll let him use it when I get it!!
(sometimes:D! )

~Rebecca

[MarvieN]

:rotfl Looks like you have a perfectly good yarnwinder right there :rollin

[threeolivemartini]

i ahve to agree with marvie.. save the 30 bucks and buy more yarn !

[Piper0110]

Rebecca, that is one of the best pictures I've ever seen. What a great husband you have. Now that's someone who supports your addiction.

[woolandflax]

Yeah, I'm pretty attached to him!:)h He doesn't even blink when I say I'm going shopping for yarn or if I show him my receipts. :eek2 Of course, I'm the one who does the bills and the checkbook so that's probably why.:hee I think I better hold onto that chore for my own safety! lol

~Rebecca

[Donna]

Oh, man, I love those photos, Rebecca! That is priceless! :)h

[MsSunflwr]

I agree Rebecca! I haven't gotten my boyfriend to actually wind yarn for me yet, but he has agreed to, as long as we are watching boxing:rolleyes

But my neices and my nephew really love winding the yarn for me. I have a cute photo of Journey winding yarn in my studio on my blog page. She thinks she is crocheting right now. They were fighting for a turn at the winder, I told them to relax, there was plenty for everyone to wind. I would have attached it here, but I am nowhere near as computer savy as everyone else seems to be, so please visit my blog, and leave me a comment please.

My blog (http://www.ninakate.blogspot.com)

[rebeccav]

hubby doesn't wind my yarn, but he does card my wool, while he's watching football. oh no.... it's almost over! what am i going to do now!?!:eek2

[yarnjunkie]

Ok, now I have some yarn winder questions. :thinking2

* How big a ball can be made with this thing?
* Can you only make pull skeins/balls?

...Non-ball winder question...
*What is the difference between a hank and a skein?

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure there will be more to come...
...Inquiring Minds Want To Know!!

[monkeemaven]

Great pictures, Rebecca! So where can we find a guy like that? ;)

* How big a ball can be made with this thing?
* Can you only make pull skeins/balls?

...Non-ball winder question...
*What is the difference between a hank and a skein?

How big a ball? Yardage depends on the yarn weight; the largest I've done is about 6" across / ~600 yards of worsted weight. 1300 yards of laceweight works into one ball quite easily.

It makes center pull balls best; I suppose you could tuck the center-pull end back inside and pull from the outside, but I don't see why.

A hank is a big loopy thing. (like these) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/monkeemaven/febblog/feb01a.jpg) It's powerful difficult to knit straight from one as it's just... a big loopy thing. Often hanks are twisted up a bit more - like Cascade 220 (http://cascadeyarns.com/cascade220.asp) - when sold in stores.

Skeins are the ovalish things which seem most common at Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, Michael's... they're center-pull and usually can be knit from that form. Examples include most Red Heart anything, Lion Wool-ease, Jiffy, Fisherman's wool... I guess most Lion, though I've seen a few which are center-pull balls with a cardboard tag stuck in the center. Oh, there's a pic... Lamb's Pride (http://www.kaleidoscopeyarns.com/brown-sheep-lambs-pride-worsted-wool-mohair-blend-yarn.html) comes in skein form.

I guess Fun Fur and other common novelty yarns are in skein form, too, but finding the center is a crap shoot.
Keep asking questions I can answer! It makes me feel smart!

(My recent ball winder excitement: Before (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/monkeemaven/febblog/feb02a.jpg) ; after (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v393/monkeemaven/febblog/feb02b.jpg). :D )

[yarnjunkie]

:ty Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I kinda feel like a DUMB:donkey but I figure it's the only way I'll learn, right?!

[woolandflax]

WhoooHOOOOOO!!!!!:woohoo :woohoo

Hubby just let me get my ball winder!!!

We're realizing that when handwinding the cone yarns, it twists it all up something awful!! So since i get more for "his" money buying it on the cone, he said to get a ball winder!!!

Now I can hardly wait for it to get here!!!:mail

~Rebecca

[MarvieN]

Yay Rebecca! You'll love it and hubby will wonder how he ever got by without it ;)

[Deb]

:cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2

Two Four Six Eight

Winding yarn is REALLY Great!!!

:cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2 :cheer2

(oh... in case you're wondering... yah.. I got a yarn ball winder in the mail today. wooo! :woohoo )

It truly is a
:h-val

And I can tell you right now... I will be winding yarn til there's no yarn left... and then the sweaters in my house are in complete danger of being frogged. :wink

[princsstrish]

Deb, we'll forgive you if you suddently go missing...hehehe Yarn winding is way too addictive :) I find myself using up a skein part way only so I can wind it :)

[MarvieN]

Awesome! What a great Valentine's gift heheheh Have fun with your new toy!

[woolandflax]

Okay since getting the ball winder and being home sick, hubby has gone crazy winding all my yarn....well not all, he still has quite a ways to go but he's getting there!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/chigaboom/Crochet%20and%20Knitting%20Projects/eeed350c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/chigaboom/Crochet%20and%20Knitting%20Projects/efa04622.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/chigaboom/Crochet%20and%20Knitting%20Projects/b699d10c.jpg

It was music to my ears when he asked if I had any more yarn in skeins and if not, would I go buy some so he could keep winding!!!!!:)h :)h :)h I'm so in love with my hubby!!!:heart

~Rebecca

[rebeccav]

rebecca, that looks so nice and organized!! i'm going to buy myself one... can't stand it anymore :hyper

:ebay

[woolandflax]

thanks, you should get one right away! they are so worth the money and i think I will finally be able to keep track of what I have in my stash now.

~Rebecca

[rebeccav]

well, i ordered one. so i should get it in a week or so :time :hyper

[Deb]

Wow Rebecca! :eek That's alot of yarn your hubby wound for you! It looks just great!

And Rebeccav... umm.. why did you wait so long??? :wink U am having too much fun with this thing!

[jingles96]

Awesome! What a nice hubby you have! :)

[dennymare]

Okay I jumped on the bandwagon with both feet. But......since getting it I have unable to use it darn it. Can't get it away from my daughter, she is working her way thru all my skeins as I write this will post a pic soon of her winding away.
Mary

[rebeccav]

mine hasn't come in yet......
the PO is just rotten here :thumbsdown

[Julie]

You all are going to be so happy when you get it. I used mine today to wind a few balls of LB Wool-Ease. MUCH easier than fishing around for the tail in the center. :heart

[rebeccav]

it finally came yesterday! :mail

my children and i have been some winding fools :loco :heart IT!!

[Jessica36]

Just thought I would let you all know that JoAnn's has them on sale at their website for $30.00 free standard shipping on any order over $25.:yay2

[jingles96]

Ah! They're out of stock :(

[crochetaddict033]

i want one:elle :skeleton ..............I'm having fun with these new smilies....

[goldi316]

Waaaah! I want one SO bad, but I am broke broke broke, can't get one. I had been hoping my daughter would pick up on my broad (as in the side of a barn) hints and get me one for my birthday, but she's been, ah, somewhat distracted lately, with a marriage going down the tubes... :ohdear Projected my poor little budget forward and it looks like months before I'll be able to afford one of these, especially now that gas prices are skyrocketing. :worried:yell:cry

<sigh> I am SO jealous!

I'm wondering, is there any way to handwind a self-pulling ball? I was really looking forward to trying out the knitpicks laceweight yarn I got a few weeks back (before my budget broke completely), but since it's in hanks, it has to be wound up first...

goldi
My blog (http://goldilocksofyarn.blogspot.com/)

[Donna]

I'm wondering, is there any way to handwind a self-pulling ball?
Yes, there is! :cheer I do it all the time on a TP roll, like this: http://www.spellingtuesday.com/reusing_yarn.html

Or you can do it without a TP roll like this: http://www.onceuponapattern.com/custom/pullskein.html

I prefer using the TP roll, though. :lol I haven't bought a yarn winder yet either! :P

[goldi316]

Ooh - Donna! Thank you!!! :clap This is perfect! Now I can take the pressure off my poor daughter. And pretty soon I'll be ready to start frogging on all those thrift store sweaters I bought some time back, too.

This is priceless - guess it pays to ask, doesn't it? :manyheart

goldi
My blog (http://goldilocksofyarn.blogspot.com/)

[Donna]

You're so welcome, Goldi! I'm glad you asked! :manyheart The owner of my LYS said she hand-wound balls for a very long time before she had a yarn winder. Of course, I'm sure that was before she was an LYS owner. :lol

[mc_crochets]

He won a bid on ebay that he forgot he put in!! man I don't know why I didn't just buy one before....the price is SOOOOOO outweighed by the benefits...ive actually worked off of CONES pulling and twisting before :think :eek :badidea not a good idea let me say!! btw I :manyheart the smileys AND the option to click to insert them :hook happy hooking!!

[Donna]

btw I :manyheart the smileys AND the option to click to insert them :hook Thanks! Isn't it great? :clap