Yarn Box & Mini Minder

Lemonwood's Mini Minder is a small yarn holder that keeps a ball contained and tangle-free. The ball sits inside and the Mini Minder spins as you pull, so the yarn feeds out evenly instead of the ball rolling off the sofa.

Lemonwood makes them in a range of designs, including Golden Boreal, Coming Up Daisies and Roasting Chestnuts, plus some limited and shop-exclusive designs. They're small enough to carry, so they work on the go as well as at home.

It suits anyone who knits or crochets with pets or children around, anyone who works on a train or in a car, and makers who simply like their yarn to stay put.

Good for

• Keeping a ball away from cats and dogs
• Knitting or crocheting while traveling
• Slippery yarns that roll and tangle
• A small gift or stocking stuffer

Using it

Wind your yarn into a compact ball or center-pull cake first; a tight, even cake spins most smoothly. Feed the end out through the opening and let it turn as you work. If you're winding hanks, a swift and ball winder make tidy cakes quickly. Read skein vs. hank if you're not sure which you've got. Slippery yarns like silk and bamboo, which tend to slide off a loose ball, behave much better when they're contained and fed out steadily.