jump to navigation

Turn a small ball winder into a big ball winder November 26, 2010

Posted by misscraftyfingers in Crafts, Tools & Accessories, Yarn.
Tags: , , , ,
9 comments

I bought a small ball winder off ebay recently. I think it’s the coolest thing ever! Now I can wind all my left over yarn into nice centre pull balls and store them neatly.

So I started to wind …… first couple of balls went ok because it was not a lot of yarn. Then, I started to wind something more and I realised that my ball winder was unable to wind a bigger ball of yarn. 😦 I don’t want to break my yarn and sometimes, I have a lot of left over yarn! 😦 I was beginning to think that I’ve wasted my money on this gadget . boo.  Oh well …. I tried to wind as much yarn into a ball anyway. Then something struck me.

When the size of the ball of yarn gets too big for the spindle to handle, the yarn overflows to the top & bottom of the ball. I thought that if I had a taller spindle, it will solve this problem.

So, here’s my make-shift spindle. 😀

It’s the paper holder for my paper kitchen towels. LOL. Somehow, this paper tube fits the plastic spindle perfectly. 😀 Well, the paper tube has to fit your spindle firmly & securely. If it’s loose, it will fly off when you’re winding. LOL.

I made a small cut at the top of the tube with a paper cutter. This is to hold the end of the yarn before the winding starts. I slide the ball of yarn out from the paper tube after the ball of yarn is wounded up.

And now, I can wind huge balls of yarn, no problem! yay!

See the picture below for comparison of the size of the balls of yarn I can wind now. The blue tweed one is about the size that can be wound up using the original spindle. The 2 larger balls are wound using the kitchen towel paper holder. 😀 Yay for paper kitchen towel holders!


from left: 1 ball of blue tweed Sirdar Click DK yarn (50 g, 150m), less than 1 original size ball of purple Sirdar Wash n Wear Double Crepe DK yarn (original sized ball is 100g, 270m), 1 hank of El D. Mouzakis Super 10 mercerized cotton (125 gr, 220m)


When I was done winding up each ball, I cut strip of paper and write the name of the yarn (if I remember) onto the strip and label the ball. 😀 I am having so much fun winding up these little balls of yarn! I like how I can store them away by stacking them up. hehe. 😀

cute yarn pom poms! March 20, 2010

Posted by misscraftyfingers in Crafts, Stuff.
Tags: ,
2 comments

I started making yarn pom poms last night and now I can’t stop. LMAO

I don’t know what to do with them yet though, just can’t stop making! 😛

I craft in my bedroom, so I’ve been cutting the pompoms here. There’s yarn fibres all over and I think if I don’t vacuum before I go to bed, I will be coughing up fur balls tomorrow. 😛

Cats & Yarn January 19, 2010

Posted by misscraftyfingers in Stuff.
Tags: , ,
add a comment

i dunno why .. but cats seem to love yarn … no matter what kind or colour. Sonny, Chip & Mama all go crazy over yarn, except Zeek (cuz he’s the coolest cat around). lol.

My Addiction December 21, 2009

Posted by misscraftyfingers in Crafts.
Tags: , ,
add a comment

Hi, my name is Shirley and I am addicted to crochet.

Everytime I start a project, I would want to finish it as fast as I can. Even if the project is not finished, I would be surfing for more patterns online for designs I like. Sometimes, I would start concurrent projects! Right now, I’m half-way through another fat-bottom bag, another summer sling tote, a new domo for myself and a hat for a friend.

Certain days at work, I wish time would pass by faster so that I can go home and work on my crochet projects. I also can’t stop buying yarn! I am afraid to count the total number of skeins I have …. hahaha. If Ryan sees the yarn, I think he will send me for therapy. 😛

It’s only been 3 months …. and I have this much yarn 😛

So, I’m Shirley and I’m a crochet addict. sniff.