Yarn Bowls - The Complete Guide

Summary

• All TirGlas ceramic yarn bowls are individually handmade in Stoneware pottery with leather handles.
• Yarn bowls are simple yet useful tools for knitters and crocheters.
• Designed to keep your yarn clean, tidy and tangle-free while you work.
• A curved cut or swirl lets the yarn slide through smoothly.
  
• Combining practicality with beauty, a yarn bowl is both a helpful tool and a lovely addition to your home décor.

What is a Yarn Bowl?

Key Features of Yarn Bowls

A yarn bowl, also known as a Wool Bowl or a Knitting Bowl, is a bowl-shaped object that is used to hold yarn. It is typically made of a material that is smooth and non-abrasive, such as wood, stoneware, ceramic, or even plastic. Yarn bowls come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they can be decorated in a variety of ways. 

1. Curved Cut or Swirl: Yarn bowls normally have a 'curved cut' or swirl in them, which is where you thread your yarn. The yarn will come through this curved cut but the ball will stay neatly in the yarn bowl (often spinning around inside the bowl). 
2. Suitably Heavy: The bowls should be heavy enough to stay where you place them on any surface, preventing the ball from rolling away or being pulled into the bowl.
3. Stoneware Bowls: Commonly made from wood, ceramic, or stoneware, these bowls are designed for durability and a smooth, snag-free surface. All our yarn bowls are handmade stoneware pottery bowls.
4. Home Décor: Whilst practicalities important, our yarn bowls are 'statement 'pieces'. They are all handmade stoneware pottery bowls with unique leather handles and are a decorative item in any room in your home.

It's important to look closely at the dimensions when choosing the best yarn bowl as they come in all sorts of sizes. Generally, in our experience a yarn bowl will measure around 10 to 16 cms in diameter (4 to 7 inches) for a 100gram skein of yarn.

How to use a Yarn Bowl

Using a yarn bowl is straightforward once you get the 'hang of it'!

1. Insert the Yarn: Place the yarn ball or skein in the bowl, leaving the loose end accessible.
2. Thread the Yarn: Feed the yarn through the slot or hole, which can be a fixed opening or a spiral groove.
3. Start Crafting: As you work, the yarn unwinds smoothly, staying in place within the bowl.
4. Stable Placement: The flat, weighted base keeps the bowl steady, even when you pull the yarn.

Some yarn bowls also include a central spindle to guide the yarn, ensuring it flows freely while preventing tangles.

Key Benefits of Yarn Bowls

1. Prevents Tangles: The main advantage of a yarn bowl is to keep the yarn from tangling. The curved slots ensure the yarn threads evenly without snagging.
2. Keeps Yarn Clean: By containing the yarn, the bowl keeps it off the floor or other dirty surfaces, maintaining its cleanliness throughout your project.
3. Enhances Organisation: Yarn bowls keep materials tidy, especially when working with multiple yarns. Using separate bowls for each colour prevents mixing and tangling.
4. Adds Convenience: Whether crafting at home or on the go, a yarn bowl’s stable design keeps your yarn in place, reducing frustration.
5. Protects Yarn Integrity: The bowl secures the yarn gently, helping it maintain its shape and quality.

TirGlas Yarn Bowls

• Individually handmade stoneware pottery yarn bowls. Artisan craftmanship.
• Unique decorative modern pottery yarn bowls - handmade in Wales.
• Available in four glaze colours and with a Flared Base or a Round Base.
• All bowls have leather handles handmade in the TirGlas Studio.
• All bowls are large enough to comfortably fit a 100g ball of yarn.

Do I Need a Yarn Bowl?

The big question!!! From our own knitting and crochet experience, once you start using a yarn bowl you'll wonder how you ever managed without one! They do make managing your yarn so much easier, helping to keep it tidy, clean and tangle-free.