Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is very similar to the Royal version and is a "must have" for anyone who wants tidy, compact, center-pull yarn balls. After winding at least a thousand of these (no exaggeration) over the last eight years, there are a few pointers I'd like to offer when using this winder. 1. Make sure you place the wire arm in the correct position. (Read the directions, they are helpful.) 2. If you use a small, fluorescent piece of duck tape (just tear it into small pieces and stick them on the edge of your work surface) to hold down the start end, you can simply pull/roll it off and around that end so it can be easily found when it comes time to use it. 3. Don't discard the outside wrap of your yarn, fold it up and slide it into the center of your yarn ball as you pull it off the spindle. This serves two purposes - it helps to keep the center stable and it is readily available for reference in the future. (Be sure to pull it out before using the yarn, as it will catch on the yarn as you pull it out. 4. As you are winding with one hand, use the other to hold tension (firm, but light) on the yarn as it goes in (approximately 5 - 10" from the metal guide). This helps in numerous ways - smaller, tighter held, yarn balls; quick knot detection; and it keeps the yarn on the spindle, especially when winding "slippery"yarns. 5. Anytime you begin winding, start slow for the first five or so wraps and then increase your speed. Wind at a steady, smooth pace and slow down again at the very end so that the tail of the yarn remains in control. 6. To finish, you can either tuck the yarn in the outside to secure it, or, use a crochet hook to pull it more securely into the outside of the ball. 7. This winder really does a great job, but like everything, does have its limits - if you put too much on an individual ball, the outside yarn strings will do one of three things, slide off and wrap underneath, catch on the wire arm, or slide off when you pull the ball off of the winder. 7. Some yarn skeins are best pulled from the middle and some from the outside when winding. When pulling from the outside, the skein will bounce all over the place as you are winding. I've found that placing the skein in a deep mixing bowl on the floor keeps it from gathering unwanted debris or fibers from the carpeting/floor as it dances about. Hope this was helpful.