{"id":52709,"date":"2015-07-09T00:36:14","date_gmt":"2015-07-08T14:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypoppet.com.au\/makes\/?p=52709"},"modified":"2020-10-22T13:05:33","modified_gmt":"2020-10-22T02:05:33","slug":"whats-the-deal-with-yarn-bowls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypoppet.com.au\/makes\/whats-the-deal-with-yarn-bowls\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the deal with Yarn Bowls?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Yarn<\/a>

Wheel Thrown Yarn Bowl<\/a> by New Moon Studio<\/p><\/div>\nDuring a recent visit to my local yarn shop I stumbled across a a curious piece of knitting accoutrement which I didn’t know existed but now, of course, I must have; a Yarn Bowl<\/strong>.
\nIf you are fairly new to knitting like I am, you may not have seen or heard of a yarn bowl, let alone see a need for one. I was curious so I decided to investigate!<\/p>\n

What is a yarn bowl used for?<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s a bowl in which to put your yarn while you\u2019re knitting and solves the problem of the ball of yarn rolling and bouncing around the room during said knitting. Happens to me all the time and boy is it annoying.<\/p>\n

How does it work?<\/strong>
\nYarn bowls have a cutout which is used as a guide for your working yarn. The working yarn is placed through the cutout, and when the yarn is pulled, thanks to the weight of the bowl, the ball will roll in the bowl freely without getting tangled or rolling away.<\/p>\n

Why not use a center pull ball instead?<\/strong>
\nSometimes, especially with hand wound balls, knitting from the outside of the ball is the only option, BUT more importantly (depending on the project) center pulling a cake or ball of yarn can impart an over-twist in the yarn which can result in a bias knitted fabric or twisted garment. Read about it here. <\/a><\/p>\n

So if a yarn bowl is sounding like a good idea, here are some tips to choosing a good one.<\/p>\n

How to choose a good yarn bowl<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Choose one with a wide base so that it won’t tip over when a heavy ball of yarn is rolling around.<\/li>\n
  2. It needs to have a opening where the yarn can slip thru from the top (as opposed to just a hole), so the project can be taken out of the bowl without any problem. The bowl can also then be used for more than one project at a time.<\/li>\n
  3. The pottery (or wood) needs to be very smooth where the yarn comes out. Even the smallest rough edge will catch and fray the yarn.<\/li>\n
  4. Collared or high-walled are best or the ball will spin right out!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Thanks to a quick search on Etsy, I’ve discovered that yarn bowls come in all shapes and sizes, with designs to suit every knitter. Here are some of my favourites (FYI these are affiliate links)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    \"Ceramic<\/a>

    Ceramic Fox Yarn Bowl<\/a> by Barruntando<\/p><\/div>\n

    \"Large<\/a>

    Large Super Cute Tabby Cat Yarn Bowl<\/a> by misunrie<\/p><\/div>\n

    But if you aren’t quite ready to commit to the purchase of a yarn bowl, here are some DIY alternatives that serve the same function.<\/p>\n