I have no trouble spending money on knitting tools when I see something I want (see last post). And there are some tools that I’m willing to spend substantial bucks on (see last post) like all the Addi Turbo needles I own or the rosewood double points I splurged on in Portland. I use these all the time, they feel good, they work well and they’re worth every penny.
But sometimes, cheap and fast is better. I’ve never owned a niddy noddy. Since I’ve managed to avoid the spinning addiction, I don’t have the need to skein yarn very often. Usually I’m doing the opposite: winding skeins into balls for which I use my swift and ball winder, two tools I’ll never be without.
I have some yarn that I unraveled from an earlier incarnation of the Eris sweater. I thought I would reclaim it and see how well it matches the existing yarn. To do that, I need to convert the balls to skeins.
My first thought was to have Jack make me a niddy noddy, but he’s in the middle of another project and I knew it would take a couple weeks to turn his focus to this. Then I decided to buy one since you can find them for $10 to $20. Or more, depending on how lovely a piece you want. But even that would mean waiting a week for delivery or driving 100 miles round trip to the Yarn Barn in Lawrence.
In the end an Internet search led me to instructions for a PVC niddy noddy (thanks for the idea Sydney). Thirty minutes later, after a trip to Lowe’s for five feet of PVC and two T-connectors, I own a niddy noddy. Total cost: $1.88. There’s plenty of PVC left over if I get the urge to make a shorter shaft.
It’s an ingenious idea, works just fine and is exactly what I want. Instant gratification without spending a lot of money. I don’t expect I’ll be using it all that much so I don’t care that it’s not beautiful. It’s functional and cheap.
The yarn has been skeined and washed and is now hanging with weights to dry.
Such a deal.
