I’m participating in the fourth annual Knit and Crochet Blog Week hosted by Eskimimimakes blog.
Today is day six and the theme of the day is: A Tool To Covet. The task is to write about my favorite crafting tool.
I have a lot of crafting tools I really love. I love my Addi-clicks interchangeables. I love my light-as feather place markers, perfect for delicate lace knitting. And I love the cute little black embroidery scissors my mother gave me when I was teenager: somehow, after all these years, I’ve managed not to lose them (it’s a miracle).
These things are all wonderful, but the true apple of my eye these days is a magical wheely-bopper.
It’s a truly special tool that enables me to spin as much as I want on my trusty Lendrum, and then free up my bobbins for more spinning without having to make troublesome decisions about what to ply with what. I’m talking, of course, about my splendiforous Schacht bobbin winder.
Just yesterday, I finished spinning 8 oz of this lovely variegated green BFL/silk from Sweet Georgia. Yummy.
But I wasn’t quite ready to commit to the next step. I had two bobbins full. Do I want to just ply them together off the bobbins? Do I want to split the yarn up into four equal amounts and make a four ply? Do I want to hold onto these until I feel brave enough to try chain plying? Agh! Who can decide?
Bobbin winder to the rescue!
I grabbed a few of the plain plastic storage bobbins (They come in large packs of about 20!). I just realized I’m almost out. Already. Gack!
Then I set the bobbin winder up on the desk, impaled a plastic bobbin on the winder, and commenced a-windin’.
In no time at all I had spun two very full plastic bobbins. Oooh, they’re so pretty. And my wooden bobbins were stripped and ready for wheel spinning again. Joy!
By the way, I have a runner-up favorite that I just can’t resist sharing. I took some glamour shots this morning and now I can’t get this sexy little thing off my mind.
I’m proud to present: Purple Heartwood Golding Spindle. She spins like a dream.
All She Wants To Do Is Knit 
I have seven bobbins for my wheel and I still could use that! 🙂
It spoils you. I never thought I’d make it through all 20 spare bobbins.
Spinning is not something i know about -nor do i want to look too closely at it as i have no time for another addiction!
Your addictions will find you, IME.
I am sure you are right.
Oooh I never knew spinning on a spindle could produce such fine yarns. Although, I’m with knitnrun4sanity on this one – I can’t possibly start another hobby! 😀
I didn’t think I could either. But it turns out that I enjoy spinning so much. It fulfills the meditative/contemplative needs that my house of monkey nature doesn’t allow me to satisfy through knitting.
I’m not a spinner, pretty ignorant about it honestly, but I lust after Addi-Clicks! It has been on my Amazon wish list for a very long time. Love the pictures!
Well here’s hoping that Addis find their way into your knitting bag soon.
Here’s hoping 😉
Finally got my clicks! Blogged under Best.Day.Ever! My husband read the comment and decided that even though we cannot have kids, I smother…I mean mother 🙂 … Our pets so it works!
Oooh. What a great idea! If I got some time to actually do some spinnign I think it would be super useful.
I can definitely vouch for its usefulness. When I was looking for a tool like this online I was surprised how few options there were.
Spinning is a deep hole I have as of so far avoided far falling into. I do have a Golding spindle because everyone should own a piece of art:)
Oh..my..gosh. The bobbin winder thingy. Brilliant! How did I not know such a thing existed?
I spin, on spindles, though I am toying with the idea of a spinning wheel…now you post is giving me another tool to covet 😉
Glad to be of service.
The bobbin winder is an interesting gadget, but how are you going to ply from those plastic bobbins?
The fit on the Lazy Kate just fine
That’s great. I may soon look those up. I have five spindles and it’s never enough!
Tensioned Kate’s don’t grab them, but if you use an angled one that’s probably ok.
I have an Ashford Traveller. I wonder if it would work on that? What do you think? My lazy kate is in America at the moment and I can’t remember who made it!
If you don’t currently use a tensioned or angled lazy Kate then I don’t think you’ll notice a difference. If I recall correctly the traveler has an upright lazy Kate on-board. In a pinch, you could make one with a shoe box and knitting needles. 🙂
I don’t know how the diameter of the rods for the Kate on your traveler compare to what is usually included on other Kates. One hopes they would be similar.
I think they’re the same because I can use my spindles on my traveller and on the independent lazy kate. Looks like I’m in the market for two bobbin winders because a couple of weeks ago, the bobbin winder on my sewing machine broke! I now have to do that by hand and it’s not very successful!
I love the spindle. I’m just getting into spinning but it looks yummy.
Pretty spindle!
Beautiful yarn!!! Never heard of the winder, great tool.
Q – I have to get that bobbin winder! I also have a Golding purple heartwood spindle. It is a dream!
Wow, that looks like an awesome and super useful tool! I’m hoping to learn spinning – someday – so I’ll keep the bobbin winder in mind.
Just starting on the spinning journey. I love the spindle. Very pretty.
When I read your spinning post, I’m in the urge of taking my wheel out of the closet. (storage for months because of the huge pregnancy belly). The golding spindles are masterpieces and they spin like a dream I love them!!!
I suppose those huge great wheels that you spin at while standing would be ok for a pregnant woman. But yeah, I can see how a sitting wheel would be a problem. Hah.
I love your addi turbos. I ended up buying the Dreamz symfonie needles only because I couldnt afford the addi’s… in the future, I am not going to cheap out and get some of the great ones. enjoy readng your blog _heather
OMG a Golding spindle. Even though I’m primarily a wheel spinner, I still covet the Golding spindles, although I have a couple of Bristlecone spindles that are amazing and beautiful too. (Plus, the guy that makes them is neat and interesting. You should see his pre-teen sons spin. Puts me to shame).
I’m mostly a wheel spinner too, but when I want to sit down with a spindle, this one is my best bud.