Tuesday, March 1, 2011

My Wooden Dowel & Me and Other Yarn Tails!

My yarn holder!

I'm currently sewing the squares on the wrong side of my Sunshine and Shadow Throw above so they will lie down flat.   

Are you like me...tired of having your yarn skein roll off your lap or chair as you crochet and onto the floor?
  
Tired of tugging at the yarn to unroll as you crochet?

Boy, I sure was!

I thought there has to be an easier way to access my yarn as I crochet.

I needed something like... a toilet paper roll holder....what could I use that I had on hand?  

Suddenly I had an idea and hunted up a long wooden dowel and quickly threaded two skeins of yarn onto it.  I stuck the wooden dowel with the yarn skeins into my yarn pile so it was upright and steady.

I sat the yarn container with my new yarn holder next to my chair and started crocheting.  

Guess what?  

It works!   

The yarn rolls smoothly off the wooden dowel as I crochet and no more yarn rolling off my chair/lap and onto the floor (and across the floor).  I could have my hubby make a more study base for the wooden dowel but as a make-shift solution this works for me for now.    

What do you think of my new invention?  

Do you have this same problem and have you solved it differently? 

Crochet Library


My little crochet library is growing.  

When I started crocheting again in 2008 (for the third time) I never thought I would stick to it like I have.  Nor did I think I would be crocheting, not one, but several throws.  I really enjoy crocheting...picking a pattern, selecting the colors and sometimes just winging it.  It's relaxing and fun.

Yesterday I watched another episode of "Hoarders"...every time I do I start to straighten up our rooms.  

  It's a great motivator...to de-clutter.  

Now I must warn you the next photo is pretty ugly!     


Yarn stash...BEFORE   

Another mini-hoarder like problem was "growing" in the corner of our family room.

My yarn stash was getting out of hand...AGAIN!

I have tried different storage methods for my yarn.  First, I bought several small to medium size plastic storage bins (one is in the photo above) to store the yarn.  But they didn't hold much and I got VERY lazy about putting the lids on and off.  Not working for me at all.

So, I mentioned to my hubby I needed to find a new solution as the messy look was starting to drive me crazy.  Hubby suggested I use some plastic bins we had previously purchased at Staples that are open on the sides, have no lids but stack neatly.  

I washed up three of them and started to put my unused, new yarn in them.  My yarn stash stores neatly upright in them and each bin holds quite an amount of skeins.  Currently, I have them stacked in the corner of our family room.  It looks neater plus they are still easy to get to and view.  

I also use some collapsible fabric bins to hold current projects, used yarn and other miscellaneous yarn.

Yarn stash...AFTER


Now I know probably many of you would not store your yarn stash in your family room.  But this is where I mainly crochet and I like having my yarn where I can get to it easily when I am inspired.  Anyways... it's my family room and I can do what I want here.   

Of course, hubby can not keep any of his hobbies here.  That's a no-no.   I make the RULES and I can change the RULES as often as I like because I'm the Queen.  LOL!

Keep on crocheting!

8 comments:

  1. I do have to chuckle. We are like two peas in a pod. However, I have not thought up that dowel trick yet. Perfect.

    And boy, do we have similar taste in our reading material.

    Toodles,
    kate - g.b.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sandy great minds think alike, I stick my yarn onto a kitchen roll holder, very similar to your dowel ....lol....I get quite ratty when my yarn goes flying across the room !!
    Love your new all sorted stash and your books too :-)
    Yayyy for being the Queen of the family room !
    Hugs Fee xxx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looks like you have everything organized neatly. I too use the open bins to store my yarn, but I have them in their sides with the yarn in them like you would place a bottle of wine. So the opening is in the front and shows the yarn. I like your dowel rod idea too. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like the Queen's rules, n I'm sure hubby is King of his shed.
    Good thinking with the dowel. I try to use my yarn from the centre so it doesn't roll

    ReplyDelete
  5. The yarn dowel is a brilliant idea, I was only thinking yesterday I could do with something like that. I will have to find me a stick and give it a go.

    Thanks for the great idea!

    xxh

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think you should patent your invention dear Sandy.;) What a colorful post - happy March to you.;)
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just found your blog and page yesterday, searching for an idea of how to use a dowel with a skein of yarn. You have one of the only ideas on the net. My only problem was, after I bought three dowels, (different sizes), how you get the dowel into the yarn.
    I slid it down, but it got caught on knots in the center. I love the idea. Right now, I am using a towel rack, but I had to wind the yarn around the towel spool before using the yarn. Being an avid crocheter, I need an inspiration, and you are one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kateej,
      Glad you found me! With my handmade yarn holder (dowel) I never had any problem with yarn knots catching on the wooden dowel. You have to work the dowel down into the middle of the yarn skien. Sometimes it does catch on the yarn if it isn't in the center of the skein but I just work on it keeping it in the middle until it works all the way through the skein. I did notice as the yarn skein became smaller it didn't feed off the dowel as well. Maybe it's the type of yarn you are using that is rougher? My little invention wasn't perfect and later I posted about a wooden dowel holder that I purchased that works better here: http://teacuplane-sandy.blogspot.com/2011/03/easter-basket-baby-throw-wip.html

      The wooden dowel is good to use when taking the yarn from the exterior of the skein. Since then I have started pulling the yarn from the interior of the skein and as long as it doesn't knot up at the beginning that works beautifully. You usually know right away if there is a problem pulling from the interior. Good luck! I hope this helps you.
      Sandy

      Delete