# Sharing my homemade tools for spinning.



## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I like recycling things that are no longer useful.

My spindles are from dowels that where originally to make bird cage perches.
That never happened. 
The disk I got from a box of craft stuff a friend was going to toss.

Drill, glue hack saw and spindles!!
I like them because I know how much yarn is on them by being able to even fill the space between the disk.
I made 8 of them. Here are two.









I also had an old bike cart for when the kids were little. It was collecting dust so I turned it into my yard counter with ball winder!
I like knowing the minimum amount of yardage on a ball so I get a rough idea by counting the rows. Its 3 feet from outer edge of wheel to wheel so 2 yards for both set of rows. The final ball is bigger but its a minimum estimate and thats all I need. Better to much than to little.

















And my washing/drying rack. Tossed shelving stuff.
Fits perfect into utility sink or bin I like using.
After dripping in sink, hang on wall for drying.









And my yarn. I didnt make the knitting rake though, just the yarn and blanket on the rake..


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I am so impressed at your ingenuity. I love the ball winder set up. VERY creative!!!


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I especially like the bike skein/ball winder!! How very useful as it has a built-in swift!!
-Catherine


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

very cool!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

RiverPines, those are very cool tools you have there.
Nothing I love more than making use of things around the place.:grin:

So, do you spin all your yarn on those spindles, or do you have a wheel too?
& that knitting rake..how long is that thing? That looks like it will be
the warmest blanket! 

I need to come up with a swift type thingy myself. I have been pondering that
a lot this week. & I have a ballwinder that needs a permanent mount too.....
these pics are giving me some further ideas. 
Thanks for sharing them.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I have seen where people flip over their office chairs (the kind with the 4 wheels) and use that spinny part as a swift too.


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

RiverPines, thanks for sharing. So clever!


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## kyweaver (Nov 30, 2009)

I love the spindles! It looks so neat and tidy!


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

gone-a-milkin said:


> RiverPines, those are very cool tools you have there.
> Nothing I love more than making use of things around the place.:grin:
> 
> So, do you spin all your yarn on those spindles, or do you have a wheel too?
> ...


I have a Babe wheel. I spin on my spindles when I want to be on the go, like in the car and transfer it all to my wheel so its on the bobbins to fill them up for plying. So I spin on both! 

My rake is 36". I love it. I have a knitting machine but use the rake for when I want to sit outside and work or somewhere else that make the machine not practical to use.


Thanks everyone. I was hoping some may get ideas too. I love finding new ways to make use of old things that are laying around.


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