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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Never say never.

Hi!

All our guests left on Tuesday, and I've been slowly putting my house back together and catching up on emails and such.  Thanks to all who left comments while I was away - I did read them, although  I didn't always have time to answer.

A month or so ago, I declared to Alicia that No One ever hand-winds hanks of yarn into balls, and she skipped off and bought herself a swift and ball-winder.

So guess what I just did?!


Hee hee hee. 

This morning I was digging through one of my stash boxes looking for something, and I came across this old hank of handspun.  I thought it might work for a Miranda hat, so I put it aside.  I made this so long ago, I can't really remember what the fiber is, except that I do remember it's superwash.  I also remember that I have a whole lot more of it - I think I bought something like 3 pounds, and only made this one hank!


When I found a little time to wind it this afternoon, I decided that rather than get out my own swift and ball-winder, I'd use the lovely nostepinne my father made me years and years ago.  Dad was a great woodworker, and this beautiful tool is just one of many cherished items he made for me.


It felt so nice and relaxing and organic to hand-wind this ball.  The wood on the nostepinne is smooth and silky from the oils of my hands and the wools I've wound on it; the shape fits perfectly into my hand, and the heft is just right.  This tool lives in the knitting basket right next to my chair, and although I don't use it often any more, I do get it out and just hold it.


Have any of you ever wound a ball of yarn using a nostepinne?  Somehow, I find it less tedious than hand-winding.  I guess that's because I love mine so much.

18 comments:

  1. I've never even seen one of these gizmos! I have to get one!

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    1. If you think this is a cool gizmo, you should check out the "diz!" http://sockpr0n.blogspot.com/2008/06/etsy-friday-and-what-to-do-with-diz.html

      Although I admit it's pretty spinning-specific. :-)

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  2. What a beautiful tool! Even better that your dad made it for you. I've got a Knit Picks ball winder, but that definitely feels tedious. Enjoy your treasure!

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  3. What a beautiful story! My husband is an incredible woodworker. He's a violin maker and is in the process of making a viola for my 17 year old daughter. I'm not a musician so this is just the thing to have him make for me. I can't wait to tell him about it.

    I'm a new knitter so I didn't know any better than to hand wind my yarn. I love to do it. Crazy, huh?

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  4. That's a beautiful tool, really! A great present from your dad. I usually wind yarn into balls by hand, but I've never used an actual nostepinne, I improvise with a toilet paper roll.

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    1. You know I love to find good uses for toilet paper rolls, LOL!

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  5. That is such a gorgeous nostepinne, your father was so talented! I love the look of yarn wound that way, it always has that distinctive shape. I've never tried winding with a nostepinne, but I do sometimes wind yarn by hand into a haphazard ball.

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    1. It does have a distinctive shape, doesn't it? I also love that it makes center-pull balls. I'm kind of surprised you don't have one, with all the recycling you do!

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  6. I was so happy to read this post -- I've been hand-winding my Cascade 220 for my Gray Day Pullover (even though I have a swift and ball winder) and have enjoyed the process again. But then I also just learned about a nostepinne and have been thinking of getting one. The fact that your dad hand-carved one for you makes my heart swell. Lucky daughter, you! xo

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    1. It can be very meditative, can't it? I vote that you get yourself a nostepinne!

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  7. OMG, fibber!

    The tool and yarn are both lovely. Also, it is confirmed yet again that spinning tools have the awesomest names ever.

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    1. Hehehe! I know - you really can't believe much of what I say ;-)

      and yes, spinning tools DO have the coolest names!

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  8. Your dad made this for you? What a treasure! I've never heard of it. You won't believe this, but I still make my husband hold the skeins between his hands while I wind up my yarn into balls, not really cakes, because I don't know how to do that. Is this spousal abuse?

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    1. I love that! More proof that your hubby is a keeper :-) Mine would do it too, if I asked him to, but since I have the tools, I never do!

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  9. How lovely! What a lovely gift from your father!

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    1. He loved making spinning tools for me :-) He also made 2 of my spinning wheels and my large 4-shaft loom!

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  10. How wonderful to have these heritage-gifts from your Father. Makes winding yarn personal.

    hugs

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