I am not crazy about the way that that yarn comes. It comes in balls. Not pull skeins. I suppose that it would tangle too much if it was in a pull skein, but still. I spend solidly half of my crocheting time pulling yarn from the ball, chasing the ball across the room when I have pulled too vigorously and it rolls off the couch, and then re-winding the mass of yarn that has come off as it rolled around on the floor. I am unwilling to crochet from a ball rolling around on the floor, if you're thinking that might be an acceptable solution to my problem. But I had to do something about it.
I went to Target, thinking that they might have something I could use to keep my yarn from rolling around on the floor. I looked at paper towel holders, closet organizing systems, and I even toyed with the idea of using one of those free-standing toilet paper holders. None of them were perfect though, and I knew that I would have to fuss with whatever I brought home to make it work. I knew that I could come up with something better.
When I was in college I took a sculpting class. One of our projects required an armature, which we made from plumbing supplies and a block of wood. Something about that project popped back into my mind to use as a solution to my problem. I took a trip to Home Depot to see if I was right.
I picked up two 1/2" metal floor flanges from the plumbing department. I got two 1/2" x 5" pipes that were threaded at both ends, and I got two 1/2" caps to seal the ends. I then went to the paint department and grabbed a can of aqua spray paint and some clear gloss spray. My grand total at checkout was right around $25. (Pardon my hand and camera shadow in the picture! lol!)
I got my supplies home and went to work. I threaded the pipe into the floor flange, and then twisted the cap onto the other end of the pipe. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! It took less than a minute. I grabbed a sheet of paper, so I wouldn't spray paint the lawn, and I went outside.
I put two light coats of the aqua paint on the pieces. I used a third coat to hold on some glitter, because I love glitter almost as much as I love size 3 crochet cotton. Then I sprayed the heck out of it with the clear gloss. I let it dry for about a half hour. It was a warm sunny day, it might take longer if it was overcast and cold.
My new yarn holders work great! The spindle parts work like the thread holder on a sewing machine, so I don't have to pull as hard to get the yarn off, and the ball just spins instead of rolling around. The floor flange is heavy enough that I don't pull it over, and I can see making a bunch of these for when I'm working with lots of colors. Tres Convenient!!
xoxo
