Have you ever debated for way too long about adding a tool to your supplies? You know, one of those things that seems like it might be awesome but you just don’t want to spend the money on it? For me, it was the skein winder. I can’t begin to tell you the countless hours I’ve spent winding yarn. Countless. And now I’m thinking differently about it because my kids are grown and I can’t coerce them into helping me…I love thinking about the hours they spent with their arms the width of the skein, squirming and trying to be patient. Quality bonding time..that’s what it was. 
It was this picture that pushed me over the edge. I wanted to warp my loom but couldn’t get motivated to wind the yarn. There are just so many other enjoyable things to do with that time. So, I bit the bullet and got the winder. Oh. My. Gosh. Game changer. Why did I wait so long?? Skeins wound in less than five minutes! In fact, I was so tickled, I texted this video to my (now grown) kids. Their response? Daughter: I see how it is….. Son: First giving my room to the dog and now this…. I feel replaced…. I love it. Seriously. Money well spent! Spin on!
SeattleSpinner
Promoting "Spinning in Public" and other crazy notions…
Ooooooooh, now I might have to go and spend some money……….
It’s soooooo worth it!!! I wish I had done it years ago!!!
It’s awesome. My thumbs hurt so bad winding balls by hand and it takes forever and I drop them and then there’s cat hair all over the yarn…. Just get one.
I just bought one myself. And I went overboard winding every skein in the house. I love how neat and tidy all the yarn balls are. It’s just TOO COOL!
Hahaha! I did the same thing..I was blown away with how fast and easy it was!!
Just amazing. Now I’ve got no excuse for messy boxes of yarn. 🙂
When so many amazing yarns including your fabulous hand spun yarns come on skeins it is a treat to use one of these! Enjoy your new toy. Oh, I mean tool. 🙂
Thanks!! I spun some lace weight a while ago and didn’t wind that yet either! Funny what motivates us and what doesn’t, hmm?
My mum had a swift and ball winder when I was a little kid – and a knitting machine! I just LOVED being allowed to operate them. So there’s opportunity yet for bonding with your grandchildren some day over yarn!
Oooh..a knitting machine to a kid must have been fascinating!!! My kids will be so mad if grandkids get it easier than they did..but isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? 🙂
That’s funny! Been there, done that! The whole family with their arms open or a skein between the back of two chairs, ….
I bought a winder one year ago and it’s totally worth the investment!
Now, this thing has become a new family toy and now they ASK if could please wind a skein or two 😉
Ahhh..the two chairs. Never again I hope! 🙂 And it is fun using the skein winder–my kids would have fought over it!
Ball winder–better than the invention of fire. Those investments can indeed pay off in pleasure. That is, after all, what this is about. Best to wind balls twice if they are going to sit a while. At least for me they come off the first time wound a little tight and winding them the second time lets the wool relax and not stretch. If you knit or otherwise use the wool stretched it will revert to its original tension and distort knitting. Probably the same with a loom.
Excellent point! I also hope that the winder/swift system provides a better tension than hand winding..sometimes that gets too tight regardless of how hard I try!
So jealous… They had one of these at my local store when I lived in Vancouver. The best part of buying yarn was getting to use it (while making excited “weeeee” sounds) 🙂
That’s funny..I never seem to have the time when I am in the yarn store to use them! Also, I do agree with another person who posted that winding too much yarn in advance can stretch it out and mess with the tension. (But that didn’t stop me from playing with my new toy and winding tons of skeins when I bought it!)