Artisan Crafted Yarn Bowls for Knitting & Crochet
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​As The Yarn Bowl Turns.

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

​~ Author unknown

How Big Is That Yarn Bowl?

5/21/2022

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Our biggest marketing challenge is helping yarn lovers imagine just how big our XXL-Jumbo Yarn Bowls actually are  when just looking at tiny photos and reading dimensions. Here's a few tips to to help you make the right choice as you navigate through the five general sizes offered.

​The first dimension listed is the diameter of the bowl; measured (in inches) across the center from one side to the other out (outside edges; see photo). Depth of the bowl is the second measurement listed from the top rim to the base (where it sits on the table).

The diameter is what we usually use to determine the size/category of a #HeckathornYarnBowl. To keep things simple we use these standard bowl measurements knowing that the circumference is a much more impressive figure.
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That's why we also include circumference for our bowls. If you want to convert these measurements to circumference (or even meters) this site has a quick and easy tool: OmniCalculator.com

We may upsize an XXL (diameter), for example, to the XXXL category if the yarn bowl is unusually deep. All dimensions are outside dimensions (od) and approximate as wood has a tendency to warp making the top diameter vary slightly depending on where/when it's measured across.

The depths of our XL - Jumbo Yarn Bowls vary considerably. For that reason, depths aren't listed below on this sizing chart; however, depths are always included on each individual listing:

• MEDIUM: 5 - 6" + diameter x 4- 5" deep. This size is rarely turned; as smaller bowls start with the same size wood speciman and same amount of time/labor to produce. Medium bowls are perfect for any project accommodating a single 5 oz+ skein of worsted yarn (sometimes more). Medium bowls are perfect for sock, mitten and hat projects where smaller quanties of yarn are needed. Nice for dk, fingering and fine cotton spools.

• LARGE: 6 - 7" diameter x 5+" deep. Our classic "workhorse" yarn bowl; perfect for any project accommodating a single 5-7oz skein of worsted yarn, rolled into a ball ready to glide like silk making all yarn projects easier. Nice for "frogging" as well.

​• XL: 7+ - 9+/-" diameter (depth varies considerably depending on style of the bowl).

​• XXL: 10 - 12" diameter (depth varies considerably depending on style of the bowl).

• XXXL: 12 - 13+" diameter (depth varies considerably depending on style of the bowl).

JUMBO CUP/HUB SETS: 14" (plus!?) It's rare that Bob gets to turn a 14" Yarn Bowl. He would if more jumbo wood stock was available here, however, his XXXL yarn bowls are very close in size to Jumbo, and we usually have a few in both shops.

JUMBO is the MAXIMUM SIZE WE OFFER! 
Bob's bowls max out around 15-16"(finished). These Jumbo Yarn Bowls start with a huge log; approx. 20" diameter x 10" deep. Extremely heavy at around 40-50 lbs.; factoring age, water content, wood properties, etc. Anything bigger (ie. heavier) is difficult and dangerous to turn on the lathe.

​That said, Bob broke this rule in Sept. '21 –read about it at the end of this post.
Make sure you know exactly what you're buying.
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Looks are deceiving... In photos, our Large and XL yarn bowls appear to be the same size (or larger) than our XXL – JUMBO bowls. All our images “fill the frame” to show the finest details.
A great trick is to find a glass or ceramic bowl of similar diameter/depth to be sure it will suit your needs. It's important that you know what you're getting before the bowl arrives at your door! ​
In order to show off the distinct features of each yarn bowl it’s necessary to “fill the frame” of each photo. These close-up, tight product shots can be deceiving. When all the sizes are grouped and viewed together on our main product pages, the smaller bowls will fill more of the frame than the larger bowls because they are not as wide; thus they appear to be much taller than the larger yarn bowls.
This is why we always include one or two images of every yarn bowl, filled with yarn and tools as a reference point. We hope this helps you choose the perfect Heckathorn Yarn Bowl for your work style
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LARGE Yarn Bowl #617, 20-1/2" circumerence around middle, LOOKS same size as >
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XXXL Yarn Bowl #1119, 29-1/2" circumerence. Photos are sized to fill space & show detail, similarly proportioned bowls look same size!?
 HINT:
Make sure you know exactly what you're buying
Find a similar glass or ceramic bowl at home to be sure it's the size you want....  Know what you're getting before the bowl arrives at your door! 
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When considering a "Jumbo Yarn Bowl" XXL & UP, the bulky yarn cakes on the left, give you a good idea how much bulky yarn would fill or fit in the bowl all at once.
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P.S. We've had requests for bigger yarn bowls, but there is a limit to how big...
UPDATE: Spurred on by a couple requests for bigger (!?) yarn bowls, Bob broke his rule and turned two COLOSSAL pecan bowls last fall. While stunning, they were both a difficult make –so enormous and heavy, they are both too cost prohibitive to ship! 

The colossal spalted oak bowl (above); is a magnificent cup/hub bowl. That said, the spalting/special properties combined with heavy ship weight and massive size meant these bowls would cost around $700!

'Nuf said. For now, I'm really enjoying them both –one for huge blanket projects/backup skeins; the other is a killer fruit bowl... I don't want to let these colossal anyway. 
🫢

I still keep getting requests from yarners (who haven't read to the end of this post) requesting "bigger bowls" or "14" or bigger..." this update is here to explain why we stop at 14".
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What Makes Our LARGE YARN BOWLS So Special?

5/15/2022

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"...our LARGE "Workhorse Yarn Bowl" is the only yarn bowl you’ll ever need!"
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​THE SIZE & SHAPE
Our best-selling Large Yarn Bowls are taller and narrower than competing yarn bowls. The tall sides are designed to loosely hug a ball of yarn to prevent it from popping out when the yarn is tugged quickly. Measuring 6"-7” (diameter) x 5-6” deep; a variety of shapes is determined by the characteristics of each wood specimen as the yarn bowls are turned on the lathe. This results in a truly unique, one-of-a-kind yarn bowl that can’t be duplicated!

ALL our LARGE yarn bowls are designed to fit the following criteria:
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THEY ALL HOLD  FULL 3.5-5 OZ SKEINS
Standard  3.5 oz – 5 oz. skeins of 4 ply medium weight yarn, rolled in a big ball fit all our large yarn bowls with room to spare. Most large bowls will fit up to 7 oz. (oversized or “super-saver” skeins) see specific dimensions listed on each bowl.
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​​THEY MAKE (Collapsing) YARN CAKES PORTABLE!
Average size yarn cakes up to 5 oz. +/-;  like Lion Brand “Mandala”, Bernat “Pop”, “Sweet Rolls” fit perfectly, keeping the cake more intact when you get down towards the end of the cake, making these yarn cakes portable and much easier to set aside.

Pop a cake in the bowl upside down and feed the tail through the groove for smooth pulling. If you like to work with larger yarn cakes, step up to an XL (Extra Large) –you’ll find a larger selection of XL’s as the Large Bowls sell quickly. 
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THEY MAKE FROGGING A BREEZE!
Need to frog several rows? Frog that yarn into your Large Yarn Bowl and it will pile or stack in a contained manner so you can set your project aside without the risk of it becoming a tangled mess. Redoing those rows will be a breeze –whenever you get to it.
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MONTHS IN THE MAKING
Every yarn bowl is made to strict gallery grade standards; an incredible value considering the hours spent to elevate each piece to “collectible” status! Each Large Yarn Bowl takes 2-3 months for the wood to dry after turning and shaping the bowl on the lathe. Then, the real work starts with lathe shaping, groove cutting, and a minimum of fifteen cycles of hand sanding, buffing and finishing –an additional 2 weeks under optimum weather conditions. Sometimes finishing takes longer when the Florida heat and humidity slows down finishing. A final coat of museum wax is applied and buffed to resist fingerprints and enhance the brilliant shine.

THE HISTORY…
We opened shop on Etsy in 2014 with large pine bowls only; made from (readily available) segmented pine. Because the pine was kiln dried, it eliminated the lengthy (2-3 month) drying process so Bob could create and finish each bowl in 2-3 weeks. Each one represented at least 10 hours of labor and was priced from $60-$90. Needless to say, they flew out the door! These were a tremendous value for our early yarners, but after two years of 40+ hr. work weeks, my retired husband "felt like a machine" and longed to spend more time expanding on his craft with finer works. 
 
With over 600 sales and a growing five-star reputation, he was getting requests for bigger (and bigger!?) yarn bowls in pricy, hard to find hardwoods (like cherry and pecan). Challenged, but spurred on by creativity, we expanded our selection to include his highly popular XL - Jumbo sizes and I designed the “tool cup/hub sets” I now can’t live without and love to share.
 
At the same time in 2016, “large” wood yarn bowls flooded the market on Etsy. These mass-produced offerings; many from endangered wood in India and China claim to be "handcrafted” while they are actually manufactured with computerized precision, quickly hand sanded; and brought to market with a single coat of finish guaranteeing snags galore.
 
Local yarn shops, big box craft stores, and Etsy yarn and craft shops started offering these mass-produced “hand-crafted” versions at rock bottom prices. Yes, they're cheap, but remember the old adage; you get what you pay for.

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I now have to push Bob to make these large yarn bowls -they take as much labor as their jumbo counterparts. Despite my stunning collection of #JumboYarnBowls I usually have our first large pine yarn bowl large at my side for my yarn on the hook. If I could have only one yarn bowl, I’d choose a large “workhorse” bowl. That’s why I say "...it’s the only yarn bowl you’ll ever need!"

​As our backlog of large pine yarn bowls dwindled to less than ten, Bob realized how much us yarners value these wonderful workhorse bowls. Sadly, it's the bigger, older trees that usually fall or succumb to disease. When this happens, wasting valuable wood to make our large hardwood bowls that should come from smaller, younger trees just doesn’t make sense ecollogically or economically. Procurring the smaller hardwood specimans for these bowls are just another reason why our large yarn bowls are months in the making.
DEDICATION TO FUNCTIONALITY
We've had a couple requests to “drill some holes in the sides of our yarn bowls for knitting needles…”   While needle holes may add interest to some competiters yarn bowls, holes don’t function properly in our large bowls because they’re so nice and deep.
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As form meets function in all of our yarn bowls, we hope to shed some light on how important ease of use is combined with the natural beauty Bob brings out in his works. We hope you make the right choice for your needs.

​For more on choosing the right size yarn bowl for your work style, find details here.
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Paw Proof!
NOTE: You'll find our best-selling Large Yarn Bowls in our Shop Section
​as well as our ETSY Shop –​Happy yarning!
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