Stanwood Needlecraft YBW-A Hand-Operated Yarn Ball Winder, 4-Ounce

I really do like this little yarn winder. I have slowly converted half of my yarn collection into cakes and it is easy to do while watching TV. Just take your time, don't rush it, this is not a race. Also, don't forget what you are doing as you are winding and make a cake the size of a dinner plate. I almost did that. The cakes hold together pretty well and a regular skein of yarn will convert into 3 or 4 cakes, depending on the size of that skein. I store them in 1 gallon size zip lock bags to keep the colors together and the yarn clean.Update: I have had this yarn winder for 6 weeks and just wanted to emphasize how much I like it. It is nothing fancy and I have to crank it myself but it does a great job. I am happy with the yarn cakes it makes. They average between 3 1/2" to 4" in diameter. That is a good size for me.

EASY to set up, EASY to use, SAVES hours of rolling into a ball, GREAT price. Where has this been all of my life! Made yarn cakes all afternoon and saved myself hours of work and cramped fingers. My unit worked like magic and if it were to break tomorrow, I'd still order another one, I like it that much. Can't thank the brain that thought this one up, wow oh wow! Highly recommend this yarn tool to those folks who use yarn for any project. Just hold your tension slightly tight and you will be astounded!

This thing is great! It came in two pieces and I was able to set it up without using the directions. It works exactly as intended and seems really sturdy! I wound three cakes in record time; way faster than I would have been able to by hand. It grips the table really well with the rubber pads and it doesn't slide around. It also has a pretty large capacity, and even when I got toward the outside of the bobbin, it didn't slide off. It's easy to thread with the open coil, so you don't have to thread it through a tiny hole. The directions say you need a swift or 'a friend's arms' but if you're working from regular skeins, you can just put them into a salad bowl so they don't roll away and use your other hand for tension. I found that with a firmer tension, the cakes came out more solid with the middle more closed and tight so it wouldn't come undone. It comes in a box that would be easy to wrap and give to someone as a gift, and the box fit into my mailbox so I didn't have to worry about anyone taking it from my porch! All together a treat product! It doesn't squeak, it doesn't slip or skip rounds, and it's so easy to use. I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of it.

This yarn winder works well. However, I sometimes go too fast and it can easily get thrown off course if you aren't paying attention. Knots can be an issue. But it is easy to use, just pay attention and don't think you can just wind away mindlessly.

I owned a royal yarn winder for almost twenty years and recently decided to get a new one. could not find a royal as they apparently no longer make them. I spent hours researching them (hubby laughs at me because they are not that expensive ) but I like to get the best that I can find. anyway everything I researched either turned out to be flimsy or loud and when I came across this one it sounds like it was made after the royal according to the discription. It works beautifully. nicely skeined yarns and very quiet and smooth. love it! hopefully it will last for the next twenty years.

Ive had this for maybe a year now and have no complaints. It works great, is not finicky. I have yet to buy a hank of yarn that didnt fit onto it.

I LOVE THIS THING!!! Boy howdy does it get the job done! Beautiful cakes even when you work super fast!

Every time I buy yarn, I imagine my grandmother, years ago, winding perfectly spherical balls of yarn, while I sat, arms held out, holding endless loops of yarn for her. My daughter had been holding yarn for me while I produce much less spherical balls of yarn, that often come unwound in loops as I work, and occasionally (read: with some lovely, slippery silk) get irreparably tangled! As romantic as my memory and imagination of the "old fashioned" way are, they aren't wonderfully practical.I bought my mother a swift for Christmas 2 years ago, and she liked it so well, she bought me one this year. My daughter's arms were less tired, but my yarn balls weren't much neater, and it took forever to get my yarn ready to work with.I finally did some research, and decided to go ahead and buy this little gadget. It took less than 15 minutes to set this little guy up, and wind my first perfect, tidy yarn cake! My daughter and I proceeded to wind every loose hank of yarn in the house, then unwind/rewind a few of my "old fashioned" balls. I was so impressed, I loaned it to my mother, who has now made every hank of yarn in her house into tidy, perfect little yarn cakes!I had no trouble getting the wire arm in place, and the clamp fit my table easily. This is primarily plastic, so I won't be tossing it around or anything, but it doesn't feel fragile, either. If you're debating whether it's worth the money, consider this: It's an investment. You will save time winding balls of yarn, working with imperfect, rolling balls, and sorting/storing those unstackable balls. The ease of use will save you headaches, and perhaps your beloved yarn-holding volunteers some tired arms.