I actually got this new toy the night of my eye “episode”, but I didn’t get to tell you about it until now. The new toy is a Lacis yarn ball winder. It is the first winder you come to on this page: http://www.lacis.com/catalog/data/AB_YarnThreadTools.html When I buy unwound yarn at my LYS, the lady winds it into a ball for me with her winder. She got in some winders just like hers, so I made sure I purchased one before she ran out. When I buy yarn in wound skeins, I always re-wind in balls and now with the winder it is so, so easy. I also like to rewind my pull from the center balls when they are about 1/2 used to keep the ball neater. I highly recommend a winder to anyone who works with yarn. I do not yet have a swift, which goes along with having a winder, but I am working on getting one. I have used my friend’s umbrella swift and ball winder before getting my winder and I don’t get along too well with that type of swift. I searched the web and found a Beka swift that I think I would be more compatible with.
My local LYS lady is seeing if she can get one for me or if I need to buy one online. I know where to buy online, but I do try to support my LYS as much as I can. I also found some sites with directions to make your own swift; some are pretty involved and more permanent than others.
I like the plastic coat hanger swift and the tinker toy swift. Oh, yes, and I also like the swift with the two yard sticks. I did ask my loving hubby to make me the more permanent PVC pipe swift, but he said, “Just buy one, you deserve it.” He is so proud of everything I do and never gets upset with whatever I purchase to increase my stash or “tools of the trade”. The cool thing about the plastic coat hanger swift is the portability of it.
I finally got pictures of the red Christmas dress that I knit my great-granddaughter. Buttons on back are pearlized hearts. The flower and streamers are a pin that can be removed so she doesn't pull at it and tear the dress. On Christmas day it was put in her hair after these pictures were taken, but I don't have a pic of that.
My DIL has my camera as hers died, so I have to depend on her to take my pictures for me and she is so sweet and very good about doing so; never once complains. However, the red Christmas dress was a bit late getting completed and I took it to my daughter before getting a picture. I then had to depend on someone else to take the pictures and post them for me. The pictures are now on my FaceBook page and also in my Ravelry projects. I still need to get all my 2010 completed projects posted on Ravelry. They are all posted on my FaceBook page.
I know I talked about knitting groups at your LYS, but I do want to encourage you to make sure you support your LYS, especially if you are not charged to attend the knitting groups hosted by your LYS. There are expenses incurred by your LYS to host the knitting groups and your purchases help to keep the shop open for your convenience. If you are not so totally in love with your LYS or if you are being charged to attend knitting groups, then I most strongly recommend that you find one that you do love that much. If you are in the area, I most strongly and lovingly recommend Country Yarns on Avenue B, Snohomish, Washington. It is the best there is.
Go forth and knit!
I pray you are all always happy, blessed, loved and healthy.
Have a God filled day,
V
I never even thought about a yarn winder, what a great idea! We don't have ANY local yarns shops so I end up buying all my yarn at Michaels or Joanns which = very little selection and no personal interaction :(
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, That is just sad that you have no LYS. Maybe you should open one up. That was a dream of mine before I met the lovely lady that has Country Yarns and I wouldn't want to be in competition with her. I even had a name and a space picked out and a plan for child care corner, EVERYTHING. Of course that was for when I retire, which I keep putting off. You know me. '-)
ReplyDeleteLast time I was at Joanns, they had only electric yarn winder and you can't control like you can hand winders. You can purchase them online as well, but I think I got a better deal from my LYS.