Jumbo Ball Winder

Something special for all of you frustrated by those plastic clamp-on ball winders.  You know the ones that come loose and fly off the table when the going gets tough.  I present the Jumbo Ball Winder from Strauch.  Don't you just love when things work the way they are supposed to?  This winder is a dream to operate. To make things even better,  I have borrowed an idea I saw a few years ago at Art Fibers in San Francisco,  for a sturdy core to wind my yarn on.

The Jumbo Ball Winder 

Clamps securely onto a flat surface

I purchased foam plumbing pipe insulation in 8' lengths from the hardware store.

I cut the foam in 4 "pieces, which slide easily over the large center dowel of the winder.

 To start, I push the yarn into the seam of the foam and let it hang out the top edge

The yarn winds beautifully onto the foam core.

I tuck the end into the other end of the seam which gives me 

a ball that can be pulled from the center or the end.  

This is fantastic for knitting, plying and casting on knitting stitches.  

I recently purchased the Madd Batt'r drum carder from Strauch, 

a work horse that turns out fantastic art batts.  

So I knew this ball winder would be a winner!

Thanks Otto, for these well built and beautifully designed products

Isn't She Lovely?

This is my brand new, well brand new to me anyway, drum carder. Now I need to learn all about making batts. If any of you have tips, tricks, instructions, books to recommend, an accessory I simply must have , and/or any other suggestions to benefit a novice carder, they would be most welcome.

She is a Fricke, now made by Strauch.