What can I use my yarn blocker for?

Perhaps, like me, you saw a yarn blocker, were in an acquiring phase, and picked it up. Who knows, you thought, some day I may be weaving and it may be useful.

Well, I'm weaving. And I haven't used it. Though the warping mill has been very useful!

But, it found a use! (You knew that was coming, didn't you?)

See, here I am with three full bobbins. Yeah, I know, I usually wait until I have six full ones, but these were two "complete" projects in a rush to get washed and on the needles... a Totally Tubular kit in Harvest Moon for the new kit pattern Your Way: Self Striping Socks, and a new batt from Crosspatch, Greens & Purples.

I've had it in the back of my head for a while, that the yarn blocker would come in handy if I had to unply and separate yarn. I could wind both skeins off the unplied bobbin onto the yarn blocker simultaneously. Having done that exercise once with two co-ball-winders, this seemed like a good enough idea to keep the yarn blocker around.

Then, on a blog the other day (I read too many, I'm afraid I don't remember which -- maybe you saw it too, and can remind me?) I saw a yarn blocker with 6 skeins wound onto it for blocking. A switch flipped in my head ... Aha! I thought, I can wind those bobbins onto my yarn blocker ... all at the same time!

So, I dragged it out of the basement, dusted it off (who spotted the furniture wipes in the first picture? they worked wonders!) and tied it up:


It wound! Wonderful -- three skeins at once! Ahhhhh.

And that, is how the Belle makes more time for herself (grin).

Next up: Some help for Dave on making three-plies when the bobbins don't come to an even end ...