.......on Ebay !!!! a beautiful skein winder. The first picture shows it folded up when not in use.
Next is how it looks ready for use.
Lastly, here it is being used. Winding some alpaca yarn that I spun a couple of years ago. Having this winder means, no more whinging about aching arms, aching from them being outstetched while holding the skein (from, you know who) no more twisting around the back of a chair because you know who complains too much about his aching arms. LOL Now I can do it from the comfort of my armchair !!
Having searched for one of these for a long time, I was very happy to "win" this never used one. They were common many years ago but since the commercial yarn has been wound into balls ready for use they are hard to find. Would you believe that I can remember when the only knitting yarn available was sold in skeins...not balls. LOL
14 comments:
That's very handy, I wish my Nanna had one of those, I have a few memories of us kids standing there with our arms out while the wool was being wound into balls. My mother still has a few skeins of wool in storage (waiting for a willing victim to volunteer to help wind it I suspect)
Exactly, Pip !!!! The very reason that this wool has been in storage for sooooooooo long ! No one willing to be the "holder"
l;ovely! My daughter wants one, now that she has a spinning wheel I gave her for her sixteenth birthday! Seems like the equipment useful for fiber crafts never ends. Of course I suppose one could say the same about cheesemaking, which is my hobby!
What a wonderful toy. I love knick knacks like that and so useful as well. I also have memories of being "the hands" while Mum wound the wool:-) It really must be an age group thing because as you say....it all comes in balls now. Happy knitting this winter.
I've just discovered that the top piece screws down to hold the skein taut on the 'arms'. Maybe a little bees wax on the screw to make it slide better as this part is bare wood? I'm a tad reluctant to put any oily substance on the raw wood in case it swells and ruins the whole shebang !
Any suggestions any one...please?
I think beeswax would be the go here, we used to rub a candle on wooden draw runners that were sticking a bit.
Thanks Pip, My husband wants to paint linseed oil on it but I feel that's the not the right thing to do.
How wonderful. My dear Mum has one but only has it for decoration in her sewing room. I soon changed that when I was up there last June and converted 5 skeins into balls of wool (aslo using the ball winder that they used umpty nine moons ago for machine knitting). Mum has only offered me the ball winder..... and she isn't a knitter.
Isn't it great converting a skein into a ball of wool so very fast while sitting in comfort. Lovely photo too!
Th storm went through super fast, I think it was the same one that whalloped Melbourne a few days ago.
Michelle xxx
p.s. have a lovely time knitting the alpaca yarn. I expect it is beautiful to handle and wear.
My Mum had one too Michelle, I'd like to know what happened to that one.
My dear Mum bought hers a few years ago. During childhood my mother, Molly, was the skein holder for her dear mother, Mavis (Nana to me).
It was Nana who taught me to knit when I was 10 - I asked her to teach me when we were staying with her for Xmas 1975 (realise now was just after her husband, Grandpa Jim to me, had died that November - yet she that time to teach me)
Grandmothers are very special and very important, hope your granddies appreciate you and now want to learn from you,
sending super love and care, Michelle xxxxx
Dear Michelle, My oldest "Grandie" is 40 years old, the youngest 24 ! My youngest GG child is 8. Sadly I don't see them all that often, they all have much more exciting things to do than visit us. :(
I taught one of my female grandchildren to knit when she was about 7, she's now 25, but I'm sure she doesn't knit now.
Face book seems to be the way to go, I learn what they are up to at the moment...they sometimes ask me some questions about the past, but not often enough.
Its warming again here today, 32C forecast, so you may still be in for a burst of summer weather in Wellywood !
Take care.
LOL Wellywood.
Cathy told me to pop over, she says you have a ox tongue lily out at the moment. This is my first year growing one.
I learnt to spin when I was about 13, my Mum bought the wheel.
Hello Olive
Now I've got the time to call by it looks like everyone else came before me and I reckon all the tea and cake has gone - oh well maybe I'll get here earlier some time soon lol
Glad Linda popped in to ask about the Ox Tongue Lily - would like to see what yours looks like as well.
I've never had a skein winder - well 'cept for dh and the kids when they were younger (yes I'm old enough to know about wool when it came in skeins lol), the wool winders can be had some times on ebay as well, someone I know got one recently - paid the earth for it so they relly are in demand. Always on the lookout for one in the op shops but no joy - they make your tatty looking round balls look so nice and neat with their criss cross pattern on the side
Take care
Cathy
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