It starts out slowly. Just a spindle and some already-dyed wool. And then it’s a spinning wheel and niddy noddy. It just keeps going from there, until you find yourself drooling over drum carders that cost more than a month’s rent, bigger and better (and more expensive) spinning wheels, wholesale fiber and large scale dyeing equipment – all in the name of prettier, smoother, brighter, more even, more time-efficient yarn production.
But what happens if you are a spin-to-knit kind of person and actually want to use the yarn you create? What if you want to actually knit socks with that sock yarn or lace with that lace weight? Have you ever tried to knit straight from a hank of yarn? It’s borderline knitting suicide! So why not just wind it in to a center pull ball, you ask. Surely you can do that by hand, can’t you? Well, sure, you could – but why would you want to wind your gorgeous yarn in to a messy, often-tangled, hand-wound center pull ball, and why would anyone want to wind more than 100 yards of yarn by hand anyway? Carpal tunnel just isn’t that appealing!
But wait -there is a solution! ANOTHER yarn toy – yes, another glorious yarn toy! The mystical, magical, wonderful ball winder, an amazing little (or not so little) gadget that takes your beautiful yarn and winds it in to an equally beautiful ball. If you have three arms, that is.
This is where having kids and a really sturdy ball winder comes in handy. And when I say sturdy, I am referring to the just-shy-of-seven-pounds ball winder I recently received from Nancy’s Knit Knacks, after three months on the waiting list. (Absolutely worth it.) This ball winder is top to bottom solid wood from the USA, with a fully enclosed gear mechanism, dual-rotating spindle, and built-in clamps to hold it in place for those times when you really get going. (Trust me, you do not want this thing falling off the table or counter and landing on your toes – it’s a solid piece of equipment, and would hurt like a mofo!) Yet, while being a monster of a ball winder, and able to handle 1lb balls and up, it’s nearly silent and is effortless to use. Not to mention the perfect balls this baby turns out – even when my four year old is the one turning the handle. Yes, I let my four year old work it. The only problem? The ball winder was easier and faster for him to use than it was for me to use my hands as the swift, so I had to remind him a few times to slow down just a little.
The final result was a beautiful, store-quality ball of (this time, commercial) sock yarn that held together nicely while still staying soft, and firm without stretching the yarn out. Both my son and I had a fun time working together, and both he and his younger brother like to ‘practice’ winding balls without yarn. And you know what? I don’t mind in the least. Between the clamps, solid wood construction and nearly 7 pounds of weight, it would take a lot before they could do any damage to it. Not that they would want to, mind you – they won’t even let anyone touch the ball winder with dirty hands. And I thought this was going to be MY toy!
Just for reference, the Heavy Duty Ball Winder, as it is called, is a bit expensive – but worth every single penny. It is done in a beautiful, natural wood that is silky-soft to the touch, with an earthy smell and the most solid construction of any knitting or spinning equipment I’ve seen to date. It makes my wheel look flimsy, and I love my wheel! This winder is an all around fantastic tool, and I’d highly recommend it, not just for appearance and ease of use, but also for the customer service Nancy’s Knit Knacks provides; they are truly fantastic people, a fantastic company that takes pride in going above and beyond what is needed to create equipment for serious hobbyists and small businesses that last generations. This is not the first tool from them I own – and I don’t see it being the last.
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oh! I want that ball winder. I have this cheap plastic one that barely fits a full skein of yarn on it. It’s a hassle to wind it near the end, I have to go superslow, and grr. I have ball winder envy, my friend. aya
I want to thank you for the fine review that you did of our Heavy Duty Ball Winder.
I thought I would share with you and your readers why we developed this ball winder.
For many years, our wholesale customers (knitting shop owners), asked us to develop a ball winder that could withstand the heavy use that shops put their winders to each and every day. So we set out to develop one. We were fortunate to have a mechanical engineer on our “staff” that was up to the task. We combined our knowledge of fiber with his knowledge of mechanics and woodworking. After 1 year of development, we arrived at the solution and started marketing the Heavy Duty Ball Winder.
It was originally intended just for shop owners and not necessarily for everyday knitters. However, we have learned that many retail customers are also willing to pay for a good piece of equipment that will last a lifetime.
Because we designed it for the commercial market, we spared no expense in its componentry and labor processes which is why it is expensive.
Because the design is very robust, we can add on a motor option as well as an electronic yardage meter (both due this year) and other attachments without needing to change the basic design. This makes this unit truly unique and an investment.
Some have referred to it as the ball winder on steroids but we think its name says it all – the “Heavy Duty Ball Winder.”
We will be developing a Heavy Duty Yarn Swift later this year which will do for swifts what our HDBW did for ball winders.
Thanks again,
Bob Shroyer
Nancy’s Knit Knacks LLC Bob Shroyer
@ aya: It sounds like you need a new ball winder! *hint hint*
To tell you the truth though, I was winding balls by hand before this winder – I couldn’t bring myself to buy a plastic winder, knowing what I’d put it through!
@ Bob: Thank you so much for explaining the story behind the HDBW – and I can’t wait to see the swift! I recieved the invitation for the survey earlier this week, and was thrilled to see some of the ideas you guys are tossing around! Thanks again for such awesome products! Oriri Draco
Update to my earlier post on the Heavy Duty Ball Winder – we are finally about ready to introduce our Power Base which will provide motorized power to the ball winder (June 2008). Although that would be exciting enough, we will then add an electronic yarn meter that will actually communicate with the ball winder and tell it when to stop winding when a user selected yardage has been measured out by the yarn meter. This type of equipment has never been available to non-industrial users and should really help shop owners and others accurately measure and wind their yarn. Bob Shroyer
June 2010
Oriri – here is another update on our products. We have announced our new Heavy Duty Swift and Skein Winder (HDSS). It is a heavy duty tool that will perform all swift and skeinwinding functions. It is based on a vertical orientation design which is easier to load and unload. We offer a standard table mount version as well as an optional floor stand. A motor option will also be available.
When we demonstrated it to the yarn shop owners at the annual TNNA show in Columbus in early June 2010, the shop owners loved it and placed orders on the spot.
We believe, at the end of the day, that this design will become the swift and skeinwinder of choice for those who need sturdy equipment that is both flexible and high performance. Like our ball winder, this unit is a no-nonsense, yet attractive, piece of equipment that will last a lifetime. Check it out at http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/swift_and_skeinwinder.htm
Shipments begin by early August 2010.
A final note – we now offer the entire set of components to wind and measure yarn:
Ball Winder
Motor Drive for Ball Winder
Electronic Yarn Meter
Heavy Duty Swift and Skeinwinder
Thanks
Bob Shroyer
Partner
Nancy’s Knit Knacks LLC Bob Shroyer