Gifts for Knitters Who Enjoy Something Different
Knitting With Hand Dyed and Hand Spun Yarns Accessories
Dec 6, 2008
There is nothing quite like a skien or hank of hand spun and hand dyed yarn to knit with. Knitters who enjoy working with these yarns often spend a lot of time preparing the yarn for knitting. This includes winding the wool from hanks into easy to use balls of yarn. There are some great gifts for knitters that will help with the knitting of hand spun and hand dyed yarns.
Yarn Swift – A yarn swift is an excellent gift for knitters who enjoy working with hand dyed and hand spun yarns. Knitters who work a lot with skeins or hanks of yarn will wonder how they ever survived without a yarn swift! A skein of yarn is simply placed over the swift and this allows free movement to wind a ball of yarn quickly and relatively tangle free. Yarn swifts also work the reverse way, allowing skeins to be made from balls of yarn and this is useful for knitters who want to make a skein of yarn for washing or dying. Yarn swifts are available in different materials, however wooden yarn swifts make a lovely,long lasting and luxurious gift.
Ball Winder – A ball winder will help to produce even balls of yarn. These are hand operated, table top gadgets and are ideal for using with a swift to create balls of yarn. They are also good for use with cones of yarn. Ball winders make balls of yarn that are pulled from the inside and this is useful for hand knitters as it stops the balls from rolling around.
Yarn Meter – A yarn meter will measure lengths of yarn. It has many purposes, however it is particularly useful for hand spun yarn that may be sold by the weight rather than the length. Special yarn meters are available – however many knitters use fishing line counters. These offer a low cost alternative. Measuring yarn is useful for a knitter to know what projects can be undertaken with a skein of yarn.
Storage Boxes – While this might sound like a boring gift, special boxes for storing precious balls of yarn is essential to keeping it in tip top tangle-free condition before knitting. Storage boxes also help to keep yarn so it is easy to find. There are lots of attractive storage boxes available that will make a pretty addition to a knitter's work area.
A Ball of Yarn – Last, but certainly not least on the list of gifts for knitters, is a ball of special yarn! Knitters who enjoy working with hand spun and hand dyed yarn often do so because they welcome the opportunity to knit with something a little different. Therefore a gift of special or unusual yarn is bound to be appreciated. People looking to buy yarn for a knitter who likes working with special yarns shouldn't worry about buying lots of yarn. Knitters appreciate the value of yarn, and therefore will be delighted to receive a single ball of something really different. Some unusual yarns include new generation vegetable fibers such as soy and bamboo, as well as hand spun yarns that have been created with lots of additions such as beads and sequins.
Gifts for knitters who enjoy working with unusual yarns can be purchased from local yarn stores. Some of these items are a little specialized and may have to be ordered. These are also readily available from online retailers.
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