Yarn Winder Variations

I want a yarn winder, so I have been checking on what is up for auction on ebay.

I did my research first of all and knew there abouts what I needed/wanted.

Below is the yarn winder I have placed a bid on, I saw a used one that was similar marked GC, but this is new, so it must be excellent condition. Postage was a similar price and my bid price is way below what the other one went for. It has about 20hrs to go.

My purpose for the yarn winder is to join all of my scrap yarn and winding it into a ball. The balls once made, allow you to use the yarn from the centre of the ball, which I love doing.

Now while I was looking I came across some strange looking yarn winders.

This one is described as a Jumbo Ball Winder with Tension Guide.

Buy it now US $117.99 plus P&H. Holds up to 500gms.

Description:

Wooden Strauch Jumbo Ball Winder- Big -up to 1 lb yarn. Buy It now price US $98.00 plus P&H.

Description:

Vintage Singer Knitting Machine Wool Winder & Row Counter. Starting bid GBP 4.99

In Good Used Condition

Description:

Vintage..Watson`s Wool Winder Made from Bakerlite with Metal clips in very good cond.
Clips on to your table. Starting bid AU $9.00

Description:

Vintage Wooden Yarn Winder Homespun Needlecraft. Starting bid US $9.76

How do you think this one could possibly wind yarn? I thought it may be a type of swift, which I only recently heard about, but still do not know what they are good for!

Description of the swift: Which is pictured below if you are a first time viewer of them like I was a couple of weeks ago.
New Wooden (Birch) Swift Yarn Winder Umbrella Medium. Current bid: US $41.00 To see this swift in action, see the youtube video below.

It's another unusual swift!

Schacht Goko Yarn Swift Skein Winder. Starting bid US $75.00. This traditional Japanese swift spins easily on its wooden base. Holds up to 8 ounce skeins. Adjustable for skeins with 55" to 63" circumference. Comes apart for shipping

Well I suppose we have come along way since these were made at the turn of the century

Sweet little yarn or thread winder in Swedish birch wood late 19 early 20th. century. In a very good condition with a nice patina! The weight is 140 gr. and it's approx. 6" (150mm.) high, diameter of the base 3.5"(85mm.) the "yarn collectors" 2.4" (60mm.) x 4.3" (110 mm.)
Current bid: US $9.99

I would have thought this one to be a rolling pin! LOL.

BRAND NEW HANDCRAFTED PINE NOSTEPINNE/WOOL WINDER,MEASURES 10"LONG 3 1/2" DIA AROUND WIDEST PART OF PIN, MAKES UP TO 100G BALL OF WOOL. Buy it now price: GBP 2.95

Thanks to JC for the link.

This is what you call a niddy noddy.

Home made niddy noddy, directions how to make it here.

I hope you found this post a little bit interesting and different.

Quick and Easy Xmas Tree Decoration Tutorial

This assortment is just to give you an idea of the different looks you can come up with.

A closer view, silver pipe sticks and some glitter pom poms, were added for the finer touches.

Gold bells were a nice addition here.

This is where you may find the plastic ring

To begin, gather yarn in xmas colours and those handy little plastic rings from the tops of your juice or milk containers. Yarn thickness and hook size is up to you.

Join yarn to ring, any way you like.

Hdc around ring until it is covered, I completed about 30 or so.

Hdc= yo hook, insert hook into ring, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yo over hook and pull through all 3 loops.

Once completly covered you will need to chain a little hanger.

I chained 10 here.

Slip stitch to join, fasten off leaving a tail to sew join together.

We are also hiding the the little tail here by sewing it in.

First round and hanger completed here.

Another joining method is to sl st to beginning.

Chain 10 for hanger, then join where you did the first sl st, but you still have to sew in that little tail.

For this one, I am just going to go half the way around with some green yarn. I will begin and end where my hook lays.

I've chained 3 and will do, 2 dc in the same place.

I've slip stitched in between the st's I don't want to use, then repeated, with the ch 3 and 2 dc in the same place.

I've just winged it (guess work) to the other side, no fancy counting, but it looks even to me and that will do.

Sew in the loose end and choose an adornment.

I like this, simple yet effective.

I'm trying a triangular look on this one.

I winged it (guess work) around again, had to frog it once to get it even.

I hdc, 2 dc, 1trbl, 2dc,1 hdc, was what I used in the peaks.

Once again choose an adornment and away you go!

I find the end of xmas sales have plenty of adornments for next to nothing, so that is a good time to grab some.

I would love to see how your decorations come out, so please leave a link in the comments section so I can view them.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

Recent picture of 4 of my 5 daughters

From left to right, Danielle (20), Casey (22), Terrie (25), Cristy (26). It was Casey's 22nd birthday. Just thought I would share my loved one's and best friends with you all.

New Tunisian Hook Additions

I ordered these from Crochet Australia, last week and I have them already. I also received a complimentary bag of lollies.

I did not feel so comfortable with the bamboo hook and I also wanted a larger hook, so I've gone from a 4mm to 6 mm here. I also think it will help with the ply of yarn I am using, evidently you need to use a hook a couple of sizes larger than you would normally use, when working with Tunisian St.
The circular crochet hooks are to be used for hat experimentation, can't wait to try them.
I'm going to frog my experimental Tunisian scarf as I have come up with a better idea, so stay tuned.
At the moment I am working on a graphghan and want to concentrate on that, I'm having fun with it and it will be completed in a few days, so stay tuned for that on too.

Tunisian Worked In The Round

Well this is a little hat made with the Tunisian st and an extendable Tunisian hook. It does look like it is work around, but it is not. The regular Tunisian forward and return has been used here, but there is one exception. At the end of the forward row, you slip st to the beginning of the row you are working on, then you complete the return row as usual. I tell you this had me stumped for a bit. When I was working with the extendable hook, I could not reach half of the st's to work on, it was like I needed a rubber hook to bend to meet the st's I needed to work on. So then I tried 3 crochet hooks, like working with knitting dpn's, that did work but it was uncomfortable. So I tried the extendable again, this time I pushed the st's I had just worked on (say half of the row) all the way down to the end of the extension and I was able to reach the unworked st's. YES!

This hat was just a demo, the above picture is the right way out and the picture below is wrong side out. You can see the size difference in st's where I used the 3 hooks in the lower white part. The hat was worked from the bottom upwards. And a doll is my model.

Crochet Sock Anybody?

Well here we go with my first crochet sock, it's almost finished here, just have to change the yarn and shape the toe.

Now that's better it will keep my toes warm now, good fit too.

I used a ripple st pattern, I had never tried the ripple st before. Lots of colour changes, there fore lots of ends to sew in. The basic sock is very easy to make, just follow the pattern. I'm just wondering if I will get around to making it's pair, I did not enjoy making the sock as much as I thought. I picked it up and put it down for about a week. I could have made the complete pair in a couple of days if my interest was there. So I could have a sock for a decoration, or I may get enthused and complete the pair.

The pattern is from this pattern book

I have 2 new head models

My sister-in-law Robyn has been at it again!

She bought me 2 new head models.

I must say they are prettier than the other 2 head models I have, I think that is why she bought them for me, LOL.

The older and uglier head models.

My Grandson's

I just had to share these photo's of my grandson's from my eldest daughter Michelle.

Damon turned 6 last month, Jake will be 9 tomorrow and Ashton will be 2 at the end of November.

Left to right, Ashton, Jake and Damon.

Nan, misses you all so much and hopes to be able to see you all some time soon.