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Do you have . . .
a ball winder and/or swift? Do you like having them? I am contemplating getting one or both. I love having center-pull balls. But, I can't decide if the $70 is worth it.
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Michelle
-- Mom to Beth, 11 and Sam, 8
I would never get the ball winder but I like the swift (swift is the part where you put your skein, right?). I hope that dh will make me one like my grandmother has, old fashioned with pegs to change the skein size I think that a swift is definately worth owning.
I wouldn´t get a ball winder though. Personally I hate center pull balls and often I rewind them at home into old fashioned balls of yarn.. But then, I am weird too, I love using minuscule needles, my favorite are size 1 and 2 Maybe with thicker yarns I would learn to appreciate center pull balls..
I have both. The swift was free when I got my spinning wheel, and I really like it, but I usually still wind balls by hand rather than use the ball winder. We got a ball winder when dh got his sock machines, because you really need a center-pull ball with those. I usually only use the ball winder if I want to make a 2-ply yarn. I wind a center-pull ball so I can ply from both ends of the ball and not have any waste.
Be aware that if you get a ball-winder, it won't do you much good without a swift.
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Thea
wife to Chris since 8-7-99
mom to Louisa May 9-30-2002
and Morganna Rose 6-17-06
Location: somewhere between complete exhaustion and utter euphoria
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Our LYS is ACMoore or Michaels. They do not even carry a ball winder for sale, much less to use after buying yarn. I am getting yarn off the internet too. Some of what I get is center-pull skeins but not much as I am branching out. Hmmm.
I have the ball winder and really like it... makes winding center pulls fun A swift would be nice, but I don't knit enough to justify the expense right now.
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Aimee
Mamaaaa to Kenna (6/97), Jake (3/99) & Josh (8/01)
Location: baking a happiness cake with the ingredients I already have...
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yep, I think they are essential! Hand wound balls tend to stretch the yarn out (which will give you gauge issues later on when you knit it and it gets a chance to relax, the finished gauge on your project will change) It's just difficult winding by hand to keep perfectly even, not tight tension when you are winding. The winder does it easily though
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Theresa, Mama to AJ, Ethan, Greg + Rusty Little Turtle Knits
Location: somewhere between complete exhaustion and utter euphoria
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mamaferreira
I have the ball winder and really like it... makes winding center pulls fun A swift would be nice, but I don't knit enough to justify the expense right now.
How do you use the winder without the swift? I have a couple of ideas but since I have never even seen a winder in use, I may be way off. Thanks.
I have seen a swift/ball winder for sale for under $40, so maybe it's worth that, eh? I certainly thought so.
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~Chelsea
SAHM to Sebastian (6/4/02)
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The face of a child can say it all,
Especially the mouth part of the face
and Sam, 8 
I think that a swift is definately worth owning.
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