Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A new toy


Would you believe I've never had one of these before? I joined the Ravelry Survivor Group, and while my team didn't win, I did win a gift certificate for being 'Chatty Cathy' on the forum. I chose Knipicks and ordered the yarn winder.
Like my makeshift swift? It works!
Just need two hands to operate, which I have.
This yarn was a gift from my Whoduknit Holiday Swap Pal, Chris. It is, hand dyed Silver Merino and Cormo firestar, silk and Mohair, handspun. And the yarn was spun from a Romney sheep named J.S. It's the prettiest blue/green color - doesn't show up in the photo. I think I'm going to make a simple shawlette with it to show off the great yarn.


6 comments:

Linda said...

Very cleaver idea. I don't know what I would do without my ball winder and swift (I have the cheap metal kind). I use them a lot.

Chris said...

I am going to my favorite yarn shop Thursday and spending my $100 gift certificate I got on a ball sinder and a swift. I cannot wait.

SimplyMe said...

Thumbs UP Jane!!! Enjoy your new toy! :D

pdxknitterati/MicheleLB said...

I've always vaguely wanted an ball winder and swift, but not enough to actually buy them. The ball winder would be great. Have you seen the tinker toy swift on the 'net? I think that's what i'd really want to go with a ball winder.

Enjoy your new toy!

Unknown said...

I really enjoy my ball winder and swift. On the other hand I remember many times being the holder of the yarn while my mom or grandma wound skeins of yarn.

My ball winder came from a friend whose Mom owned a knit shop. Sue's Dad had brought her a bunch of knitting stuff that her Mom no longer used, including the ball winder and a swift. She gave it to me, laughing that no matter how she tried to figure out a use for it, she just knew that I would make better use of it.

The swift is a clever thing. Another friend gave me one that looks like a drying rack.

When none of the kids were available, my Mom used the handles on the refrigerator. I think the reason she bought the refrigerator was based on the fact that a skein of yarn fit from the top of handle to the base.

Linda said...

I used the back of a chair for a long time until DH made a floor swift for me. We have no table or counter to clamp a table model to. My swift sits on the floor and spins around without any danger of falling off and clinking me on the head or collapsing on itself and getting the yarn all tangled. A ball winder was one of my early purchases, though. Very valuable tool.