How long does it take you to wind your yarn?

[forty-two]

I use a swift (improvised from found objects, but works *awesomely* :rockon) and nostepinne (also improvised - a sz15 knitting needle - and also works great :tu), and it takes me about 3-4 hours to wind 200 yards. Easy, frustration-free hours, but yet quite slow - definitely inhibits spur of the moment projects :doh.

I have been thinking about getting a hand ball-winder, and I was wondering what sort of speed increase I would get. Thus this post ;).

What do you use to wind your yarn, and how long does it take you? :popcorn

[UltraMother]

Ball winders are great- make sure you get one with covered gears. I also simply wind balls on my hand, just throw the hank around my knees.

[inesperada]

I wound on my hands last night, and it took about 30 minutes.

[greenleafknitter]

I don't have a swift or anything. I just use the tops of 2 chairs back-to-back and just wind the yarn into a ball. I think it takes me 1-1 1/2 to wind 400 yards. :think

[Punkie]

I have a swift and a hand ball winder. It maybe takes me 2 minutes to wind 200 yards. I think I'm being generous (adding extra time) with that number.

[forty-two]

I knew I was slow, but *wow* :jawdrop. Granted, I'm usually winding while watching T.V. :shifty, but still...:shrug3

[Punkie]

I just looked up some specs, and it looks like most of them do at least 50 yards in less than a minute.

[TraceMama]

Links, please? :kiss

I have no idea what one of these things might even look like. :O

[Punkie]

I have this one: http://www.knitpicks.com/accessories/Royal_Ball_Winder__D80667.html

[Wonder Woman]

I have an umbrella swift and an industrial ball winder :o I can wind a skein of sock yarn in 2 - 3 min, or less. :yes

[BlissfullyEsther]

I have a wooden umbrella swift (which FIL found in an op shop for me even though he didn't know what it was :giggle) and a nostepinne (which DH turned from a red gum fence post) and more recently a Royal brand ball winder.

It used to take around an hour to ball up 100 grams on the noste, but with my Royal it takes about 1-2 mins, if that. Well, it actually takes about 5 mins because the boys have to help which can take a few stops and starts and then I often re-ball it after they've lost interest because it's a loose-tight mess. :giggle But when I'm on my own it takes longer to set up and pack up the two gadgets than it takes to do the winding. :rockon I keep my noste in my knitting travel case now to rewind the balls when I knit down to that messy remnant which gets all tangled, iykwim.

The two brands which I hear constant recommended are Royal and Knit Picks/Knit Pro (depending on where you live).

[Sonata]

I did a few skeins at home and it took about 20-30 minutes each. (Normal amount; sorry not sure of exact yardage!) The next balls, I wound on the store's ball-winder. I agree with Punkie, 2 minutes would be a generous time allotment.

ALL future ball-winding will be on a ball-winder!!!! :yes

[Tandem mama]

:cup I wind by hand. I don't even know if I do it "right@

[Eowyn]

This is the one my LYS has that I drool over regularly: http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/ball_winder.htm

I want it. :shifty

By hand takes me forever. :yuck

[Wonder Woman]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0078T6KQY/ref=aw_cr_d_arts-crafts is the one I have :yes

It was my Mother's Day gift that I ordered on behalf of my husband :P

[knitlove]

I have the knitpicks ones and I love them it takes no time. How ever the balls arent' a compact and neet as if I do them by hand. I will ball my sock yarn (witch is my walking around knitting) by hand so that it is less bulk to carry.

[ellies mom]

I have a swift and a hand ball winder. It maybe takes me 2 minutes to wind 200 yards. I think I'm being generous (adding extra time) with that number.

Yeah, that. Between the ball winder and the swift, I spent maybe $60. I've had the ball winder for over 10 years and the swift for over 6. Definitely money well spent. My first purchase would be the ball winder and my second, the swift.

[knitlove]

Yeah, that. Between the ball winder and the swift, I spent maybe $60. I've had the ball winder for over 10 years and the swift for over 6. Definitely money well spent. My first purchase would be the ball winder and my second, the swift.

this may depend on how coordinated you are. The Swift made the biggest differences for me but I could never lay out a hank on my feet or chair and have it work without getting all knotted up eventually. With my swift I can get it on and then wind it up smoothly no untying knots and going both directions and having to go through the middle to, I have no clue what I am doing difrently :shrug3 other than using the swift.