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Gift Idea: Yarn Bowls

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Gift idea for knitters: yarn bowlsI don’t have a yarn bowl, but I love the idea of them and I know a lot of knitters use them and love them.

A yarn bowl is basically a bowl with some kind of hole or groove in the side through which yarn can travel. You put your yarn cake or ball in the bowl, thread the working end through the hole and knit away, with the bowl keeping your yarn from rolling around on the floor (and protected from cats/toddlers, if that’s a concern in your house). This teapot is way too small to actually use as a yarn bowl, but you get the idea.

Some models have multiple holes for doing colorwork or for holding needles when you’re not knitting. There are all sorts of handmade ceramic versions on etsy, from beautiful pieces of pottery to whimsical pieces shaped like animals, faces with the yarn coming out of the mouth or nose and more.

I think a yarn bowl, with or without some yummy yarn included, would be a great gift for a knitter on your list.

Do you have a yarn bowl? I’d love to hear about how you use it and if you use it in a functional or decorative way, or both!

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Comments

  1. How about s strawberry pot? LOTS of holes to use and there are some nice big ones out there. I see them at flea markets all the time… and they’re so pretty!

  2. I ‘ve used a panettone tin with great success. Drill a hole either on lid or on side of tin, a large tin can easily hold a 400g ball of yarn

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitovation Stitch Dictionary

There’s always room for more stitch dictionaries on your shelf, but Andrea Rangel’s Knitovation Stitch Dictionary is unlike those stitch pattern books you might already own. That’s because this one is full of colorwork stitch patterns rather than textured stitches, lace or cables, so the designs are ripe for adding to hats, sweaters and other projects with a stockinette stitch background. 

The book starts with a quick introduction to knitting colorwork that’s also unlike what you’ve probably seen before, because it’s less about the colors themselves and more about the kinds of fibers you choose, how the yarn is prepared and the gauge you’re working at and how those things all change the look of a design. 

Most of the book is filled with motif designs and swatches. The motifs were designed and named by Andrea’s husband Sean, who is an artist and brings a bit of whimsy to the designs. 

You’ll find some classic looking leaves and flowers, mosaics and waves, but also rubber ducks, penguins, puzzle pieces, cherries and cows, snails and teapots, eyeballs and chess pieces, to name a few. Many of the designs also have funny names, like a fish named toilet bound, or cats in suits called corporate fat cat.

Of course you can use the designs in any way you want on any project you like, but there are also three patterns in the book — for a hat, a sweater and a pair of fingerless gloves — plus discussion of how the motifs were added, adjusting patterns for a different size or gauge, and adding your own motifs. 

If you like adding a bit of colorwork to otherwise plain projects that other people have designed, or you’re ready to start making your own designs with fun motifs, this book is a great place to start. The fun and funny motifs are sure to inspire you to want to pick up your needles and add a little more color to your projects. 

About the book: 160 pages, hardcover, 150+ motifs and three knitting patterns. Published 2023 by Interweave, suggested retail $28.