I’m working on a little lace scarf this week, and it’s made with a linen and viscose blend that came in a cake (that’s a fancy word for a short, fat ball) that kind of wants to fall apart when I knit with it.
Which has me thinking about things you can use to hold your yarn while you’re knitting, to keep it safe from animals and children and to help hold fragile balls together while you work.
Of course you can buy gorgeous yarn bowls
to hold your yarn, but I’m all about using what you have.
I have seen people use CD spindles and old soda bottles to hold yarn. Martha Stewart uses old cookie tins with holes punched in the top (add a metal grommet so the yarn doesn’t rub of the cut edges). You could do the same thing with a Mason jar, though I’m thinking I would cover the top with a circle of scrapbook paper with a hole punched in it to avoid the whole metal grommet drama.
A bowl with a binder clip attached to the side will work in a pinch, too. I’ve seen pictures online of people using stand-up toilet paper roll holders, which is totally brilliant. Or stick your yarn in a teapot and strand it through the spout.
Or you can just use a zip-top bag closed up except for the little space your yarn needs to get out.
How do you handle balls of yarn that need containment while you work? I’d love to hear your ideas.
[Photo via Geek Ware.]
Thanks for the link back! I love all these ideas. 🙂
Clever idea! I may have to steal this!
I use empty lysol or clorox or cleaning wipes containers.
I usually use a zip-top bag with a hole in it. Why does it not surprise me that Martha Stewart goes for “metal grommet drama”?
I have used a ziploc baggie with one of the corners snipped off to hold my yarn.
I just started using a coffee can. It will hold a large ball too.
I use a cloth drawstring bag to hold my project, and the yarn feeds out the top of the bag quite smoothly. If I need to knit while standing, the drawstrings loop over my wrist easily or attach to my belt.
I use coffee cans ,wipes containers . On a different note, I use popcorn cans for waste baskets.
I couldn’t resist a hand made yarn bowl that a friend made me. She got a hand knit scarf on return.
I use the old bottom-wipe containers ( the kind with a big removable lid and a starred hole in the center. I cut the star out of the hole and sand it smooth. One thing I don’t like about my system is the kinds of yarn that need containing frequently like to tie themselves in knots and still get pretty messy inside the container. I look forward to seeing other peoples ideas.
I’ve used big old plastic snack containers, like the kind that cheese balls come in. Cut a hole in the plastic lid (make sure it’s a thin plastic) and install a grommet. Smooth edge but you don’t have to mess with drilling holes and adding grommets to metal.
i use the stretchy bags from produce, red netted type that cherry tomatoes come in, best thing i have found
These ideas are so cool love the CD holder. for bigger job. get an old wine box from the ABC store it already has the dividers in it. holds up to 6 big skeins. Neat ideas Ladies
I use large plastic yogurt containers – just punch a hole in the lid.
Great Idea and I will use this one. I just pinned it.
I made my own ” Stash Bags” .