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​As The Yarn Bowl Turns.

"A bad day woodworking is better than a good day working."

​~ Author unknown

Jumbo Yarn Bowl Sets. How & Why They Were Designed.

4/22/2022

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After our first few months of success with our Large Yarn Bowls in 2014, Bob started getting requests for "BIGGER" yarn bowls. While he was excited to go bigger, this presented several design challenges for both of us; as Bob searched for choice hardwoods from felled local trees, and I started testing the functionality of the bowls at work.
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Bob's new #JumboYarnBowl line grew rapidly as he created XL, XXL, XXXL yarn bowls suited to different yarning styles and works in progress. Testing these bigger bowls, I found they worked best with just two balls of yarn fed through the yarn groove even though there was tons of extra space in the vessel... More than two balls of yarn would inevitably tangle in the bowl before the groove; something I vowed to work out... As fellow yarn enthusiasts snapped up Bob's new hardwood artisan yarn bowls, we were encouraged by lots of reviews from happy yarners who enjoyed "room for everything!"
One day, as Bob chucked up a huge piece of cherry on the lathe, he commented on what a massive, beautiful yarn bowl it would make. However, at only 3 1/2" in depth, a yarn groove wouldn't fit properly with the lower profile. I took one look and visualized a giant cherry bowl filled with all the yarn I needed for a single project. So, I asked him to finish it without a groove –for me. That was my first #JumboYarnBowl and I was hooked.
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Our first Jumbo Yarn Bowl Set #1105 (SOLD) in 2016
"What I really wanted was a wheel of yarn that I could spin around at my side, seamlessly switching colors as needed..."
Instantly, it became my favorite yarn bowl –I could load it up with a ton of yarn, but I still wanted to pull multiple balls simultaneously (or a couple together) from the top of the bowl without the yarn balls tangling.  What I really wanted was a wheel of yarn that I could spin around at my side, seamlessly switching colors as needed.

Finally, I popped a jelly jar in the middle of my "wheel" and our first jumbo cup/hub yarn bowl was made! It worked like a dream, every ball rolled without tangling, but then I really wanted a matching cherry tool cup/hub...
😳
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Labor intensive! Bob's cherry tool cup/hubs take as much wood and more finish time than his large yarn bowls which are 2-3 times larger in size.
When I asked Bob to make this small cherry cup to complete my new Jumbo Yarn Bowl Set, he groaned. Turning a small cup is easy he explained, but fitting his big man hands inside for twelve+ coats of hand sanding and silky finishing is not only difficult but the repetition generates a lot of hand cramps. For this reason, I understood why it took a few months of nagging before I was rewarded with two prototype tool cup/hubs (an extra one for our PA friend/tester Donnamarie).​

Those first tool cup/hubs were larger then we wanted, so I begged for "just one more" (and smaller, please, honey). After a bit of grumbling, Bob completed the perfectly sized hub for our first Jumbo Bowl Set. I was thrilled, then the set sold right away and I couldn't get Bob to make any more tool cup/hubs come hell or high water!
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Over a year later, I got a request from Sherry. She had purchased a (deeper) Jumbo bowl, saw the picture of the set we had sold a year previously and emailed asking if Bob would make one. I laughed, then replied "good luck, I have been asking for a year... sorry but..." Then I told him Sherry asked for a hub, and Bob said yes!? I suppose, if I want something like this from Bob in the future, I'll get it quicker if I ask my friend Sherry in Oklahoma to ask him for me. 🤣😂😂 Isn't it amazing how the "process" works?

UPDATE!

Bonus Glass Cup Hubs now included with all XXL, XXXL & JUMBO Sized yarn bowls.
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Turning, Drying & Wabi-Sabi

4/20/2022

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Fresh hardwoods are not always available here, and while Florida live oak is plentiful, premium hardwoods like cherry, pecan, cedar and camphor; to name a few are a rare find. Recently, Bob found a reliable source for prime cherry hardwood; a particular favorite for its minimal warping, stunning tones and a very hard durable finish that resists dents and dings.

Turning fresh hardwood into yarn bowls is a lengthy process spanning several months. Each bowl starts after a fresh log is cut into blanks. Each log is stripped of bark and trimmed with a chainsaw. Next the blank is mounted on the lathe for a rough turning, shaping and hollowing.

​After roughing out, each bowl is set aside for a drying period of one to four months time depending on weather conditions (humidity, barometric pressure and temperature). 
Heckathorn Yarn Bowls Drying
As the rough-turned yarn bowls dry over time, it’s interesting to observe the dramatic warping and cracking in the front left and top front right bowls. On a positive note, the rest of the yarn bowls made of cherry wood show minimal warping and cracking.
The drying period is the most critical stage for fresh turned wood. A stretch of dry, cool weather for example can cause the bowls to warp and crack. Some hardwoods (like cherry) are less prone to warping and cracking, other hardwoods gently warp, while many crack considerably, or warp and crack. Nature determines the condition of the bowl when it’s dry enough; as interesting wood patterns and challenges emerge. The choicest bowls are finished first. 

Most wood turners reject cracked and warped bowls; discarding them to focus on more pristine specimens. Bob sets these nature challenged bowls aside until his supply of hardwood gets low, and he has the necessary hours to rescue these gifts from nature. This is when the real magic begins –with restoration techniques that result in his most artful offerings. 
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Here's an example of natural cracking during the drying process. These bowls are extreme examples of how a combination of certain weather conditions can crack and warp bowls.
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​Bob has several techniques to prevent drastic warping, however, when nature takes its course, the wood can have a mind of its own!

The larger cracks are filled with our proprietary sparkle inlay; in custom colors mixed to complement the bowl. Fine cracks are filled to match the wood tones. Bob’s process follows the ancient Japanese philosophy “Wabi-Sabi” using ancient "Kintsugi" techniques, embracing the flawed or imperfect; highlighting the cracks and repairs to honor the life of an object rather than allowing its service to end at the time of its damage or breakage. 
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Large yarn bowl #644 (SOLD) had 2 dramatic cracks on the east and west sides, Wabi-Sabi makes gives it life!
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Large yarn bowl #690 (SOLD) had 2 dramatic cracks on it's north and south sides, Wabi-Sabi adds interest.
For more examples of this ancient technique, see "Wood Wabi-Sabi Trending Home Decor"
Drying Jumbo yarn bowls is Bob’s biggest challenge to date. These HUGE hardwoods usually crack considerably -even before they are removed from the lathe!
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This large oak bowl has developed multiple cracks on its east/west sides and notable black line spalting on the north/south sides. Bob meticulously filled in the fine cracks to match the darker grains, and the larger cracks were filled with custom-matched inlay. This was a challenging process as the wood and fill colors will change once the piece is finally finished.

This particular set is too big to sell/ship and the yarn fanatic loves it… 💭🧶👍🏻❤️
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Star Groove Yarn Bowls? Bob Invented Them!

4/13/2022

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In 2014, Bob designed our first  "Shooting Star Groove"  and over the years has created many Large - Jumbo's with these functional star grooves (when motivated). Every time Bob’s workflow gets faster than mine and I can't catch up, I "motivate" him to to slow down and craft some long-awaited star groove bowls.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Such artistry and workmanship!
"Beautiful to look at and a joy to use. Thank you!"
–K. Bauer, July 6, 2020
Finishing the points alone is a daunting addition to the hours he spends on each heirloom yarn bowl. And, while star grooves aren’t a necessity  (you can just turn any yarn bowl right/left to lock your yarn into its groove, right?), these special  pieces sell out quickly.
Lately, I've noticed Bob’s developed a new spin on his stars by tilting them into a graceful fibonacci spiral. It's these little things that make his functional, collectible yarn bowls so much fun to work with and​ beautiful to look at.

​❤️💭🧶👌🏻

Smooth as silk.​​
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