"All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.β
β L. Frank Baum (from The Wizard of Oz)
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Hello there! This is The Yarnist. The daily newsletter that makes you want to be a Fearless Knitter the same way Chubbie Checker makes you want to "Twist Again".
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Knitspiration
πͺοΈ Yarn Winders: Are they worth it?
One of my favorite things about buying yarn at a local yarn store is those beautiful twisted yarn hanks.
The problem is those pretty pretzels of yarn can't be knit like that.
You have to have them wound.
And if you've tried winding it by hand you know how cumbersome and time consuming it can be.
While I find winding by hand therapeutic, most of us want to cast on our next project as soon as possible.
So should you invest in your own yarn winding set up?
Probably.
Margaret, one of our Yarnist Society community moderators, said it well:
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"I have 3 tools that I can't do without; a Yarn Winder, a Yardage Counter, and a Yarn Swift. When I began knitting in earnest, I purchased an inexpensive winder from Michael's. It did not work very well then finally broke apart. The Counter and the Swift were not on my radar but after researching the Stanwood tools I knew they were worth spending $$$ on. These tools are not inexpensive [but] each are well made, built to last.
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When it comes to winding, measuring leftover yarn, or winding a yarn hank I wouldn't be without these products."
β Margaret Halliday
All three of these items work together to make your life easier in one MAJOR way.
Saving TIME.
Don't have time to wait for the yarn store to wind a full sweater's worth of yarn?
Wind it yourself!
Accidentally pull out too much yarn from the center yarn ball?
Rewind it yourself!
Does the yarn store charge for winding multiple skeins of yarn?
Wind it yourself!
But there are a few more advantages of this set-up so here's a break down of the Stanwood tools Margaret mentioned.
A ball winder is hard to use without with one of these babies. But let me warn you, you get what you pay for. The wood ones might cost more, but they're much easier to adjust and will last a long time.
If you need a budget option though, this set from Inmaker is a good starting point.
You may not have known these even exist, but they're super useful.
If you've ever wanted to know exactly how much yarn you have left over from a project this is a more accurate tool than weighing. If you have yarn you picked up at the thrift store or left without a label, you can see how much yardage is there.
It's a little pricey, but worth its weight in gold!
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Conclusion
These tools are a bit of an investment, but if you're a serious Fearless Knitter, they'll pay for themselves in the time (and sanity) they save you.
But do you think?
Have you invested in any of theses tools?
Any that we should have included?
Hit reply and share your experience!
It may end up in one of our future newsletters.
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Daily Stitch
Wind A Center Pull Ball By Hand
If you have the time to wind your yarn by hand it can be quite cathartic.
The slow wrap and twist will take a while, but there's a meditative quality to feeling the yarn slide through your fingers.
And it's certainly cheaper than buying a swift and winder!
Every knitter knows the innate joy of purchasing yarn, and many also know the stress and shame that comes with an out-of-control stash. No longer!
Let bestselling author, designer and educator Marie Greene change your outlook on buying, organizing and using your yarn for good. With this tried-and-true guide, youβll rediscover the joy in your stashβno yarn diets necessary!
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