This is a ball winder and I finally have one! I bought it with a 50% off coupon (of course) and I am very happy with it. In fact, I spent much of last night winding balls of yarn for fun. Have you put it together that I am referring to what I did on Friday night? Be honest, would you rather play with a new ball winder or go out partying? On second thought, don't answer that!
I wasn't sure it would be as great as it is because there were some mixed reviews online. The only part that bothers me is they keep referring to the balls of yarn you make as "cakes" of yarn. I don't care for that expression and at the same time it makes me want to eat cake.Picture #2: my hand modeling the knucks. I still have to decide what to write on the knuckles. Check out this list. There's some pretty good ideas in there! I was originally inclined to "blog this" or "knit this" but "omg! wtf?" is pretty funny.
The last picture shows off my new Knit Lites in action. I picked these up last week and think they're pretty interesting. I wrote about them before (the link = the whole story of what they are and you can see them lit up too). I finally got them on a field trip to the valley with my new pal Sopranospinner. In short, they light up, but I'm thinking you figured that out already. What's on the needles? A swatch of homespun of course (see the pretty ball?). I wanted to see this yarn knit up. Check out it's history!That brings me to an important point. Homespun is not like commercial yarn. It is unique and beautiful and yes it costs more but it is worth it. No machine can create these subtle color shifts and rich texture. It's so hard to explain this to the uninitiated. You know, the people who think knitting socks is dumb because you can buy them at Target for $2. Or the people who ask you if you churn your own butter too. Actually I did churn my own butter once so maybe they do have a point! (I churned by accident by over-whipping some heavy cream. - Try it!)
In summary, we spinners are making art. Not everyone appreciates art, and that's okay. I'll get off the high horse now; I have some more yarn to wind into balls.
4 comments:
I made butter in preschool by shaking cream around in a jar, I think.
Handspun does have a life that commercial yarn has had processed out of it. I miss it when I'm knitting with bought yarn. I'm trying not to!
And not only is it art, it's useful art. It means love and comfort and warmth and time and creativity. I don't know if the people I gift with handspun items appreciate them or not--I don't ask! But they come with a lot of good energy.
They're called cakes because they are flat, not round, I think. They also sit flat on the floor, which is nice, rather than rolling about.
Hope you're having a nice Saturday!
I would totally rather play with the ball winder than go party, but then I have 3 kids (6 and under) and no babysitter within 3 states :) I've never heard the cake thing but the kids are totally in love with the ball winder. They really used to love watching the lady at the old yarn store use the swift and winder when I bought yarn there. One time, there ended up being 5 little ones lined up on the floor mesmerized by it. :) The other mom and I told the yarn lady that she could just keep on winding, we'd be back later to pick up the kids :)
the light up needles are way cool!
back in my camp counselor days, we made butter a few times by shaking cream in a jar, but making ice cream in an old hand crank ice cream maker was tons of fun. I totally recommend it (as long as you have lots of eager helpers for the cranking) :)
Soprano, You put it really well! Thanks for writing it just so.
Weaver, I can just picture the kids lined up watching the ball winder. It is pretty cool to watch it! I had to "put myself to bed" instead of winding everything I could get my hands on all night. It's fun!
I'm glad you got some new toys!
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