Modern day Nostepinne
July 31st, 2005 at 11:09 pm (reference)
I fell prey to the cuteness that is the Harry Potter bookscarf. Given how small it is, I figured it wouldn’t take long to make. Plus, I use pearl cotton as stitch holders, and for provisional cast ons. The shiny slipperyness is perfect for both tasks.
The pearl cotton comes in skiens, which if you try and work from them directly, usually ends up a in a large pile of knotty yarn. I decided to not torture myself, and wind each skein into a ball.
My regular ball winder is about the size of a toilet paper tube, about 1" or so in diameter. The ball of pearl cotton would collapse on itself the minute I took it off, defeating the whole purpose. I first tried my real Notstepinne (fancy word for long smooth stick); but the inner diameter of the ball was still too large. Inspriation hit:
The most important part of a proper Nostepinne, is that it be very slick and not-bumpy so you can slide the finished ball of yarn off easily. Anything the yarn will catch on will ruin the center part of the ball. (I always hate it when my commerically made balls give up a wad of tangled yarn. I affectionately call that "Yarn Vomit"). A secondary consideration in a good nostepinne, for me, is a place to hold down the yarn tail that comes from the inside of the ball. You don’t want it to catch as you’re making the ball, but you want it held firmly out of the way without having to think about it.
A ball point pen filled both of these requirements easily. A quick winding of the first tail around the cap and away I went. I did find it was easier and less trauma to the ball to unscrew the end cap holding the ink in before taking the ball off. I now have three great balls of yarn ready to make into my Harry Potter bookscarf. (I’m on book 2. Just started tonite. The big question is - which will I finish first, the book or the bookscarf?)
judy said,
August 3rd, 2005 at 1:25 pm
You’re too clever!
Joann said,
August 3rd, 2005 at 7:04 pm
I can just see you making teeny-weeny tassels by feel while trying to read…lol!