An Unexpected Treasure

I promised you a cool vintage knitting gadget last week and here it is. I was visiting my mother's aunt, one of the people who guided my early knitting adventures. She suddenly produced this and asked me if I knew what it was. Of course I did! Apparently, my mother's high school/college classmate (who also happened to be present) had found it in her late sister's posessions and had given it to my great-aunt because she knew my great-aunt knits.


It is a yarn holder. See the hole in the top? The yarn comes out of that hole. You can wear the loop around your wrist and wander around knitting as you go. There is a delicate flower and leaf pattern embossed into the top.


It is easier to see its purpose from this photo.


The top unscrews to reveal the cavity where you put the yarn. I think the hole in the bottom is so one can stick the needles into the yarn ball when not knitting.

It is difficult to see but the notches around the edges of the bottom hole are graduated. Each is marked with a UK needle size. So you always have a needle gauge with you when you carry this cute little yarn holder. The entire thing is made of Bakelite so I think it is pretty indestructable.

The size is not very big. I couldn't get my 100 gm ball of Opal sock yarn into it.

My great-aunt asked me if I wanted it. She had tried to use it but it only works for center-pull balls and she didn't know how to wind one. If you try to use it with a non-center-pull ball, the yarn gets stuck as there isn't enough clearance for the ball to rotate in the holder. Not being one to refuse cool things, I promptly said 'yes' and am now the proud owner of this yarn holder.