Features:

  • Makes Center-pull Balls
  • Smoother, Quieter and Sturdier Than the Discontinued Royal Ball Winder
  • Unbreakable Metal Crank
  • 4 oz. capacity
  • One Year Unconditional Warranty
Great! Once you follow the instructions...

I must admit, I almost threw it out the window after struggling with it for half an hour! I had seen this exact model used by a knitting instructure and "had" to have it! When it arrived, it already appeared to be fully assembled, so I gave it a shot several times and failed miserably, the wound ball only made it to the size of a tennis ball before getting tangled. Grrr... Then, I had a brainstorm - maybe I should look at the instructions - I mean, really look at them. And, alas, once I got the metal arm into it's proper position, it really worked like a charm! Quick and efficient and a very nicely wound "cake" of yarn with a center pull. Neato! So, to all considering purchasing this item, go for it - just read the instructions really carefully and you'll be good to go!

WELL WORTH THE COST AND WELL BUILT

I bought this ball winder because I have shoulder injury & its hard to wind a skein of yarn the old fashioned way! This winder is FANTASTIC! I received it today and took it out to see how well this works! I did 4 balls of yarn is about a half hour! A few little tips about this winder. 1. Make sure you read the directions that are included. 2. Make sure the winder is securely fastened to a counter so it doesn't wobble! 3. This winder is NOT for larger skeins of yarn so you will have to watch for when the winder gets full or you will have a mess! 4. Keep the tension even when winding. 5. Make sure the cat is asleep or it will be chasing the yarn skein all over the room ! Seriously, this is well worth the cost ( I bought just the winder ) I have no spinner . It looks to be well made and ready for action!

I'm so glad I purchased this!

I bought this, in conjunction with the ChiGoo yarn swift to prep yarn I recently purchased. After trying several ways to lay out said yarn for winding, I had a tangled mess - to the point of tears and cursing. It's frustrating that super cheap yarn comes in a usable skeins, but expensive yarns have to be unwound and rewound before use. After a little online research, I decided on this yarn ball winder. I used it with the swift, and tamed that new yarn in no time. I then went into my yarn stash and rewound almost every skein of yarn I have - I think about 50 skeins - in a couple of hours. Just make sure the unit is secured tightly (I used it on the edge of a granite counter) and that the yarn feeder is clicked into place. I also found it helpful to keep one hand up next to the yarn feeder, to make sure the yarn is coming through in the right place, and keep it from wrapping around the base of the unit.

Best purchases I have made for my crocheting and knitting projects.

This is one of the best purchases I have made for my crocheting and knitting projects.. I have been learning to crochet and knit and was hand-winding my yarn before I could even begin my project. Time-consuming and frustrating.... even when I used the Red Heart and Lion brands, the yarn became "loose and floppy" when you get on down into the middle of the skein. Since I purchased this winder, I take a few minutes to re-wind each skein of yarn before I start my project. The "cake" of yarn is so much easier to use. It doesn't roll around (like a round ball) and the "cakes just stack easier for storage. One thing I do when I wind each skein; when I get to the end of the skein, I remove it from the winder and place a small piece of transparent tape on the tail-end of the yarn to hold it against the "cake of yarn so it doesn't unwind. Makes for neater stacking and storage. This item is well worth the price!!!!!!

Worth the money - great balls of yarn!

As a casual knitter of wool, I finally bought this company's ball winder and wooden skein holder. Together, they make a great pair. The ball winder has a smooth, glitch-free wind. The finished ball is soft , and the yarn is not stretched at all. It's comfortable to knit pulling yarn from the inside with little tension or "catching" from the ball. I like to keep the balls "protected" so I cut off the sealing part one Ziplock quart-size freezer bag and put the ball into it. That way, I can keep 3 balls working together without getting tangled in each other. It's like a perfect world in my knitting bag. Yay! Thanks for making a great product for casual knitters. (Of note, the winder needs to be treated nicely. I probably wouldn't recommend it for a knit shop. They would need a more heavy-duty winder. This winder was made for a hobbyist, and it is well done for that application.)

Buy This!!! (The other ones are bad!)

How amazing is this?! My old winder broke, and I purchased two wonders that were just awful before deciding I needed to spend good money for a good winder. It winds SUPER fast, so fast that you need to slow down to get a good cake. And it winds as smooth as butter, I promise. I LOVE the closed mechanism! No more tangled, stuck yarn--that's how my last one broke. You definitely want to spend a little extra money to invest in a great tool that you will use for years!

AMAZING

Great product. It says it has a 4 ounce capacity, but could hold Red Heart's 5 ounce soft yarn just fine.

there are a few pointers I'd like to offer when using this winder

This is very similar to the Royal version and is a "must have" for anyone who wants tidy, compact, center-pull yarn balls. After winding at least a thousand of these (no exaggeration) over the last eight years, there are a few pointers I'd like to offer when using this winder. 1. Make sure you place the wire arm in the correct position. (Read the directions, they are helpful.) 2. If you use a small, fluorescent piece of duck tape (just tear it into small pieces and stick them on the edge of your work surface) to hold down the start end, you can simply pull/roll it off and around that end so it can be easily found when it comes time to use it. 3. Don't discard the outside wrap of your yarn, fold it up and slide it into the center of your yarn ball as you pull it off the spindle. This serves two purposes - it helps to keep the center stable and it is readily available for reference in the future. (Be sure to pull it out before using the yarn, as it will catch on the yarn as you pull it out. 4. As you are winding with one hand, use the other to hold tension (firm, but light) on the yarn as it goes in (approximately 5 - 10" from the metal guide). This helps in numerous ways - smaller, tighter held, yarn balls; quick knot detection; and it keeps the yarn on the spindle, especially when winding "slippery"yarns. 5. Anytime you begin winding, start slow for the first five or so wraps and then increase your speed. Wind at a steady, smooth pace and slow down again at the very end so that the tail of the yarn remains in control. 6. To finish, you can either tuck the yarn in the outside to secure it, or, use a crochet hook to pull it more securely into the outside of the ball. 7. This winder really does a great job, but like everything, does have its limits - if you put too much on an individual ball, the outside yarn strings will do one of three things, slide off and wrap underneath, catch on the wire arm, or slide off when you pull the ball off of the winder. 7. Some yarn skeins are best pulled from the middle and some from the outside when winding. When pulling from the outside, the skein will bounce all over the place as you are winding. I've found that placing the skein in a deep mixing bowl on the floor keeps it from gathering unwanted debris or fibers from the carpeting/floor as it dances about. Hope this was helpful.

Always use a sturdy surface when winding yarn cakes

This swift replaced a less expensive competators product that had a plastic handle that broke after a fall. I chose the Stanwood ball winder after doing extensive research and coming to the conlusion that this was the closest I would get to the now defunct "Royal" brand. I have not been disappointed. The metal handle is the reall value-added for the extra money you will spend on this winder. It is much stronger and more durable than its plastic counterparts. One work of advice: make sure that you are attaching any swift and winder to a very sturdy surface. I thought winding my own cakes was hellish and I dreaded doing it. Turns out it was so awful because I was using a flimy computer desk as my surface. All of the motion from winding the cake would shake the desk and that would throw everything off. Now I use a sturdy dresser and I can wind perfect cakes every time.

This Spooler put my ADD in check!

I have been contemplating buying a yarn winder for quite some time and had compared my different options and settled with the Standwood. It is the most expensive model I found, but I can tell you its worth EVERY PENNY spent! I now wish I would have gotten this winder 2 years ago! It took me a bit to figure it out and a couple skeins to find my rhythm. Here is what worked for me: 1. Set up your winder on a table where you can sit and be comfortable as you wind. 2. Make sure the metal arm is clicked in place under the spooler. 3. Ensure that you find the end of your skein from the middle. Otherwise, you will end up eventually with a tangled mess. 4. Place your skein behind the metal holder so your yarn is in a straight line towards the winder. Guide the yarn with your hand to add a bit of tension to avoid knotting as you turn the spool. Don't apply too much tension or your will end up stretching your yarn. 5. When you are done winding, tuck the end under the yarn in the spool. 6. To remove your finished ball from the spool, grab the beginning knot and as you are holding it, lift ball from spool. 7. Tuck your knot loosely into middle so you can easily find it when you start your next project. I would definitely recommend this spooler if you are a hard core knitter or crocheter. As you can see by the picture, I spent the weekend spooling my yarn stash that was in a complete disaster!

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