Yarn Skeiner
Purpose: Converts hanks of yarn into cakes or center-pull balls.
From Hanks: Takes hanks of yarn and winds them into neatly formed cakes.
From Balls: Can also wind from a ball of yarn inside a bucket or yarn on a ball winder into a tidy skein ready for dyeing.
Operation: You manually turn a handle, and the yarn is wound into a skein as you guide it from a stationary source like a ball winder or deep bucket to contain the ball of yarn.
~~~~
Umbrella Yarn Swift
Purpose: Holds a hank of yarn taut so that it can be easily wound into a cake by a winder.
From Hanks: It is used to hold the hank while you use a winder to turn it into a cake.
Does Not Wind: The swift itself does not wind yarn; it only keeps the yarn in position.
Operation: Opens up like an umbrella to support the yarn, allowing for smooth winding without tangling.
~~~~
Summary
Yarn Skeiner: Winds yarn into cakes or balls (primarily from hanks, but can also take yarn from balls).
Yarn Umbrella Swift: Holds hanks of yarn in place while you wind them into cakes using a winder; does not wind the yarn itself.
~~~~
Conclusion
To clarify:
A Yarn Skeiner is primarily used to wind yarn into cakes from hanks or balls. I use it to wind mohair balls into hanks for yarn dyeing. There is only one company in New Zealand that supplies local mohair yarn and it only comes in balls. If you live in a country where resources are minimal, you may need this too!
A yarn umbrella swift (most popular) is an accessory that supports hanks for easy winding, but it does not perform the winding itself.
If you are looking to convert hanks into cakes, you will need a skeiner or swift and a ball winder for the most efficient process.
A ball winder is an essential for transforming hanks or loose yarn into easy-to-use, organized yarn cakes for knitting or crochet projects. You can also use it to turn balls of yarn into skeins.
Video coming soon!
~~~~
Key Functions of a Ball Winder:
1. Turn Hanks or Skeins into Cakes: If you have yarn in hank form (long loops of yarn twisted together), you’ll need to unwind it into a more usable form, such as a ball or cake. The ball winder winds the yarn into a flat-topped, cylindrical shape (a cake) that’s easy to work with.
2. Create Center-Pull Cakes: The cake has a center-pull feature, meaning you can pull the yarn from the inside, keeping the cake stationary as you knit or crochet. This reduces tangling and yarn rolling around.
3. Organizes Loose Yarn: If you have a partially used skein or hank, or if your yarn has become messy or tangled, you can use a ball winder to re-wind it into a tidy ball or cake for easier use.
4. Efficient Yarn Management: A ball winder helps you organize multiple colors or yarn types in your stash by turning them into easily stored cakes, making it simpler to identify and access different yarns for projects.
~~~~
How to Use a Ball Winder:
Step 1: Attach the ball winder to a stable surface, like a table edge.
Step 2: Secure the end of the yarn in the ball winder’s notch.
Step 3: Start turning the crank on the ball winder to wind the yarn. If you’re working from a hank, you may also need a yarn swift to hold the hank and prevent tangles as you wind.
Step 4: Once the yarn is wound into a cake, remove it from the winder, and you’re ready to knit or crochet from it.
In summary, a ball winder is essential for transforming hanks or loose yarn into easy-to-use, organized yarn cakes for knitting or crochet projects.
~~~~
Where to Buy:
Hand Winder Steiner: Ashford Wooden Hand Steiner
Yarn Skeiner: Crazy Monkey Creations
Yarn Umbrella Swift: Wooden on Aliexpress
Yarn Ball Winder (Recommended) Temu Ball Winder
Wooden Electric Ball Winder: Ashford Electric Ball Winder (Does anyone know if it works? I have had no success with wooden devices as they slip around).
Niddy Noddy: If you’re working with loose skeins and want to create hanks from loose yarn, a niddy noddy can help you wind them into hanks.
Yarn Bowl: This can be used while knitting to keep your ball of yarn from rolling away.