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Ball Winder

By Sarah E. White, About.com

A ball of yarn on a ball winder.

A ball of yarn on a ball winder.

(c) Sarah E. White, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Definition:

A ball winder is a machine with a crank that turns a spindle. You place one end of a skein of yarn onto the winder and slowly turn the crank to unwind the yarn from the skein and wind it back into a ball.

This is most easily accomplished with the help of a yarn swift, which helps hold the yarn skein and makes unwinding the yarn from the skein easy and organized.

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