The Nosty Project

A few days back I stumbled upon a page (literally, from stumbleupon.com) which was a tutorial on how to use a nosty, or nostepinde. This handwinding tool is used to wind wool from skeins into fancy balls, without the used of bulky yarnwinding machines. The concept was very nice. But where one earth would I find a nosty here in Bangalore? I left the idea at the back of my mind, just in case I came across a nosty in a shop here, and wanted to buy.

A couple of days back i came across another article where an enterprising young lady (not sure who though) used her lotion bottle as a nosty. Very nice idea, I thought! and promptly pulled out my own lotion bottle and got winding. The result of that exercise would probably give competition to a bird’s nest. 🙁

Last night, however, I was struck by the idea of using my deo bottle. The idea was that I probably got the type of container wrong. While it may have worked for the other lady, the fear that I may squeeze the bottle too hard while winding, and thereby spray lotion all over myself and the yarn prompted me to hold the yarn a little too loose. With the metal container I was now planning, I would get a better control on the yarn, and be able to wind it firmly.

The idea turned out to be inspired! I now have lovely looking yarn balls, with a lot less effort!!!

The process is this:

• Take a deo bottle, preferably one with a lid to hold the yarn.

• Wind the end of the yarn to the top, and place lid over it to hold the yarn. This allows you to have a center-pull ball of yarn.

• Wind the yarn neatly around the bottle up to the width required. I normally keep it to 2 inches.

• Now start winding the yarn at an angle, from the right top of the base threads to the bottom left of the base threads.  After a few times, change direction to right bottom to left top.

• Be sure to wind firmly, but not tightly. Tight will only ensure your yarns stretches, and that’s never good!
• Once done, remove the lid, and unwind the inside end from the top. Gently slide off the bottle.

And viola, you have a lovely ball of yarn! This method takes a bit of practise, but not that much.. you’d get the hang of it after the first ball itself!