Yarn Bowls

[DebraKay]

Does anyone have a yarn bowl? How do you like them? Where did you get yours and do you have recommendations? I think I want one since all yarn is not center pull and I have a fit letting a skein or ball roll around on the floor getting dirty and teasing my pups. I usually throw mine (yarn not pups) in a brown paper grocery bag. But time to upgrade! Some of the prices are pretty steep even though I find they are works of art and probably worth the price. But I would rather not spend a fortune on one and save my money for more yarn if YKWIM!

 

If anyone would like to share pictures of theirs and/or say where they got theirs, I would love to see them and hear about them! Thanks in advance!

[DogCatMom]

Well...it's not a yarn *bowl* per se, but just last night I asked DH to drill a hole (3/8" across, maybe 1/4") in the top of a plastic food jar large enough for a small skein of sock yarn. I have other large plastic containers, salvaged from an estate sale (for free! ), large enough even for a skein of Brown Sheep Burly Spun (beyond chunky/bulky, maybe a weight category of its own) to fit into. Last night was the prototype. It was a Folger's instant coffee plastic jar (the things that man will drink...).

 

Wash the jar out so that your yarn won't pick up the odors of the food that used to be in the jar. Let it air-dry.

 

Place the lid on a block of wood as if it were still on the jar: the top is closest to you and there's a space beneath it. Drill the hole.

 

Cut the now-possibly-dangling plastic tab off with kid scissors (he used wire cutters).

 

Smooth the hole with round metal files and/or flat files, depending on what's available.

 

Done.

 

Kitties, dust, dust bunnies can no longer reach the yarn.

 

If you personally don't have access to these tools, maybe someone in your social circle does? Perhaps a "Yarn Protector" Party could be arranged so that the person who owns the drill and other supplies could feel included and part of the fun rather than put upon to do "work for others." Everyone would benefit, PLUS there would be a fun gathering of crocheters (or even...knitters, who can use this device as well).

 

I've seen these jars for sale at Joann's for anything from $7.99 for a small one to I think $15.99 for the largest one. Unreal! :shock

 

And, of course, the pottery bowls have unearthly prices.

 

DCM

[Peggy85225]

I pick up pretty and sturdy bowls at thrift stores and my husband drills a hole in them for me and there I have a poor woman's yarn bowl. I like them very much, I also use the closed containers for larger balls or skeins.

[crochetluvknot]

I had never heard of a "yarn bowl" so of course I had to look it up they are very pretty some of them out there. I have used anything from plastic containers to the yarn jars at Joann's

[RoseRed]

If all else fails just grab a bowl out of the cabinet and go to town!

 

Peggy's poor woman's yarn bowls are GREAT!

[Granny Square]

This example is ugly (and sort of expensive esp. the non-sale price!!), but I use something like this

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3015&PRODID=prd61678

Edit, here's another one

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3015&PRODID=xprd90040

 

Mine is made of wood not plastic tubing and doesn't have all the pockets, but it forms a big 'bucket' that the yarn usually doesn't jump out of. You can also fold it up into sort of a satchel to move it around.

 

Re: the plastic container with the hole in the lid, I've seen the tip to make the hole with a heated nail (held with pliers) to melt the hole in the lid, to avoid burrs. One of the drawbacks with the lidded containers versus bowls (with notches not holes) or the open caddy thing is if you're working on project A and you decide to work on project B for a while, you need a second plastic thingy or cut the yarn since it's threaded thru the hole.

 

edit again - this is a cute idea

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cute_cozy_crochet_yarn_caddy

[angelsmith52]

I have never heard of yarn bowls either! Cool idea!

 

If you go to your local grocery store and ask at the cake decorating area, they will give you those gallon buckets that their icing comes in for the cakes. I have a 5 gallon one myself. Great to store the item in that you are making as well!!!

[CrochettingMama]

I've never heard of a yarn bowl either. I have used a dollar store pitcher before and that has worked well.

[nevam]

I use a large plastic container with a snap-on lid but I don't put a hole in the center. (Even an ice cream tub works well.) I snip a V-shaped notch in the outer edge of the lid and feed my yarn through it. No threading through a hole--all you gotta do is throw in the skein or ball and snap on the lid with the yarn in the little notch. Easy-peasy and cheap too.

[CLLinda]

If all else fails just grab a bowl out of the cabinet and go to town!

 

Peggy's poor woman's yarn bowls are GREAT!

 

 

I have a large mixing bowl with a rubber bottom that works great. It doesn't move around at all.

 

 

They do have some nice ones on Esty, if you want to check it out.

 

[LegalWoman17]

You can buy some nice ones on Etsy if you want to pay the price.

[Tampa Doll]

I pick up pretty and sturdy bowls at thrift stores and my husband drills a hole in them for me and there I have a poor woman's yarn bowl. I like them very much, I also use the closed containers for larger balls or skeins.

 

 

I was lucky enough to get one of these. It is great when I am working with a small ball of yarn. It is also very cute.

Also if you drink coffee. Take the can, plastic or tin, air it out and put a hole in the top. I put a brad in one and it works great. The yarn bobs around and does not get all over the place.

[DebraKay]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I love the crocheted one on top of a plastic container. I could do that! I do have a regular bowl but wanted one made for the job. I have been looking on etsy and have had half of them in my favorites for months. I just have a hard time justifying to myself paying $40 (usually $50 with shipping) for a bowl with holes! But the ceramics are so pretty! The turtle one I was looking at seriously just sold! But I don't know what I expected. Can't keep it in your favorites forever. I have seen the "jars" at Hobby Lobby and they seem too expensive for something that basically just looks like something I could make from my own jar leftovers. But I will keep looking and maybe find just the right one someday. Wishing I had just bought the sea turtle one now!http://www.etsy.com/listing/73576711/sea-turtle-yarn-bowl I will watch her site and see if she lists another one. I also love this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73331927/yarn-bowl-large-dark-purple-lavender and the personalized ones: http://www.etsy.com/listing/63952076/yarn-bowl-crochet-or-knitting-helper

 

I've hear teapots work well too. But I don';t have an extra teapot. I looked at the Good will once for teapots but they had none.

[Shell Lee]

I have a yarn bowl. It was a gift from my Mom. She called one day and asked "are you home?" I said yes, and they pulled in the driveway and she handed it to me. My parents had been out shopping, cruising around, etc and she saw the yarn bowls. So she got one for her and one for me. I love it for balls of yarn. Now if I could only keep the cats out of it too!

 

(She forgot to take the price tag off though, it was $19.99)

[Nox]

Ooooh! This looks VERY useful. I saw an organizer in a mag once that was round, half the height of a kitchen trash can, and the inside was divided into 4 compartments. Each space had a corresponding hole in the lid to thread the yarn. And it was big enough for regular skeins (RHSS size). I could see a pickle jar for 1-2 of that size skeins... Now my creative juices are flowing! Thanks for posting about these neat little inventions.

[Ellie 13]

I have a cloth bag from a wine store that has 6 sections (for bottles) that hold regular sized skeins. I bought an old knitting can from a thrift store. It's a metal can covered with plaid canvas, has a lid with a hole for the and a handle to carry it. My mom had one, she said they were popular when she was young (40's/early 50's ). We made some out of oat meal containers.

Ellie 13

[Lov2Crochet]

I have one of these that I bought from Wal-Mart but honestly I don't use it. I just use a tote bag.

[DebraKay]

I have a yarn bowl. It was a gift from my Mom. She called one day and asked "are you home?" I said yes, and they pulled in the driveway and she handed it to me. My parents had been out shopping, cruising around, etc and she saw the yarn bowls. So she got one for her and one for me. I love it for balls of yarn. Now if I could only keep the cats out of it too!

 

(She forgot to take the price tag off though, it was $19.99)

 

I know it would be hard to switch since your mom bought this one, but etsy has some yarn jars and bowls with lids boasting they keep kitty out.

 

Your mom got a great price! I figure if I could find a ceramic artist around here locally, they might be less expensive than on etsy. Still, if I was making them and selling on etsy, I would want the same prices they are asking. Art is worth it. I just need to tell myself, I'm worth it and buy one!

[DebraKay]

Ooooh! This looks VERY useful. I saw an organizer in a mag once that was round, half the height of a kitchen trash can, and the inside was divided into 4 compartments. Each space had a corresponding hole in the lid to thread the yarn. And it was big enough for regular skeins (RHSS size). I could see a pickle jar for 1-2 of that size skeins... Now my creative juices are flowing! Thanks for posting about these neat little inventions.

 

I think I have what you are talking about. I'll add a picture at the end. It is great for skeins that pull from the middle smoothly. I use it often for afghans. Mine actually holds siz skeins which is perfect for most of the afghans I do. Some yarns have to be wound into balls though and then you want them to be able to roll.

[DebraKay]

I have one of these that I bought from Wal-Mart but honestly I don't use it. I just use a tote bag.

 

I just looked at our Walmart and they didn't have any. I only wanted it for the yarn I need to wind into balls. They need to be able to roll freely. I will probably break down and buy one of hte pretty bowls on etsy but I just have such a time of it paying so much for a bowl with holes. If my DH was still here, he would have such fun teasing me about that! I can hear him now....."we use coupons for everything but you paid $50 for a bowl that already had holes in it????" I miss that man!

[Lov2Crochet]

I just looked at our Walmart and they didn't have any. I only wanted it for the yarn I need to wind into balls. They need to be able to roll freely. I will probably break down and buy one of hte pretty bowls on etsy but I just have such a time of it paying so much for a bowl with holes. If my DH was still here, he would have such fun teasing me about that! I can hear him now....."we use coupons for everything but you paid $50 for a bowl that already had holes in it????" I miss that man!

 

Jo Anns and Hobby Lobby sells this same container and it would work great for balls of yarn and only costs like $7-$10 without a coupon but usually Hobby Lobby runs a 40% off coupon on their web site that you can print.

[DebraKay]

I decided a ceramic or glass-type bowl is not going to work for me. I have ceramic tile floors and 3 very rowdy pups! They were dashing around last night and knocked over a bowl I had started to use in lieu of my yarn bowl. It was working fine, but the pups almost broke this one. Luckily I was right there and rescued it before they knocked it too far. So, I started looking at many of your suggestions again in more earnest! I also found this pattern, and wanted to share it with anyone else that might be looking fo ra yarn bowl substitute: http://www.piece-by-piece.net/Crochet/yarn_bowl_bag.htm This site is run by a lady named Kathy and she has a LOT of great patterns on her site! Well worth a bookmark!

 

I may crochet one from her pattern or use a coupon and buy one o the plastic jars as suggested by some here. But I have decided as pretty as those ceramic pieces are, they are not the best choice for my home.

[DebraKay]

Thought I'd let everyone know the Snapware plastic Jar type yarn containers (discussed earlier in this thread) are on sale at Jo-Anns right now -- 40% off which makes them $4.79-%5.99 depending on the size. There is also a coupon code TEACHER2011 that will give you 15% off your entire order, no minimum if you order online or a printable 20% off entire order coupon if you use it in store! So, that makes these containers VERY reasonable! Link to coupons: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/joann.com

 

I ordered a couple to see how I like them. And of course I found some other things I needed too! They have 30% off all yarn and those coupons are good on top of the sale prices!

[Fiberfolly]

Thought I'd let everyone know the Snapware plastic Jar type yarn containers (discussed earlier in this thread) are on sale at Jo-Anns right now -- 40% off which makes them $4.79-%5.99 depending on the size. There is also a coupon code TEACHER2011 that will give you 15% off your entire order, no minimum if you order online or a printable 20% off entire order coupon if you use it in store! So, that makes these containers VERY reasonable! Link to coupons: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/joann.com

 

I ordered a couple to see how I like them. And of course I found some other things I needed too! They have 30% off all yarn and those coupons are good on top of the sale prices!

 

 

YOU (yes, I am pointing at YOU) are an evil enabler! By the way, my name is Deborah Kay

[Katieallen311815]

I think I have what you are talking about. I'll add a picture at the end. It is great for skeins that pull from the middle smoothly. I use it often for afghans. Mine actually holds siz skeins which is perfect for most of the afghans I do. Some yarns have to be wound into balls though and then you want them to be able to roll.

oh i had this item, it was ok, but I just use my work table, or sometimes, if it's a ball, i work it from right inside the laundry basket I keep my balls in, sometimes, it jumps out and rolls under my chair but I retrieve it and carry on, lol This was light weight, easy to move, worked ok, but found myself hardly ever using it, so gave it to a friend. Far as I know, she likes it well enough!