u/Tea-ddies

Hi everyone! I'm currently designing a premium wooden dual-spindle yarn holder, and I want to make sure I get the mechanics absolutely right before I start making prototypes. I’d love to get feedback from actual knitters who use these tools daily.
I'm torn between two base designs regarding the spindle seating (see the attached photo):
Left Image (Deep Recess): The spindle sits deeply inside a carved-out bowl in the base. My thought is that the wooden walls will completely stop the spindle from tipping over when you yank the yarn from the side. But it requires a much thicker, chunkier base.
Right Image (Shallow Base): The spindle sits on a very shallow plate. It looks much sleeker, modern, and saves space, but my biggest fear is that it will easily fly out or tip over when pulling yarn at higher speeds or weird angles.
My questions for you:

1. Does the deep pit (Left) actually make a huge difference in stability in your experience, or is a heavy shallow base (Right) totally fine?
2. Has tipping/wobbling been a major pain point for you with wooden yarn holders?
3. Bonus question: I'm planning to make the spindles interchangeable (screw on) so you can swap a thick wooden spindle for a thin brass rod for yarn cakes with tiny center holes. Would you find that useful?
   I really want to design a tool that is highly functional and makes a great gift, rather than just another pretty decorative piece that doesn't work well. Any brutal honesty is welcome! Thank you!

Hi everyone! I'm currently designing a premium wooden dual-spindle yarn holder, and I want to make sure I get the mechanics absolutely right before I start making prototypes. I’d love to get feedback from actual knitters who use these tools daily.
I'm torn between two base designs regarding the spindle seating (see the attached photo):
Left Image (Deep Recess): The spindle sits deeply inside a carved-out bowl in the base. My thought is that the wooden walls will completely stop the spindle from tipping over when you yank the yarn from the side. But it requires a much thicker, chunkier base.
Right Image (Shallow Base): The spindle sits on a very shallow plate. It looks much sleeker, modern, and saves space, but my biggest fear is that it will easily fly out or tip over when pulling yarn at higher speeds or weird angles.
My questions for you:

1. Does the deep pit (Left) actually make a huge difference in stability in your experience, or is a heavy shallow base (Right) totally fine?
2. Has tipping/wobbling been a major pain point for you with wooden yarn holders?
3. Bonus question: I'm planning to make the spindles interchangeable (screw on) so you can swap a thick wooden spindle for a thin brass rod for yarn cakes with tiny center holes. Would you find that useful?
   I really want to design a tool that is highly functional and makes a great gift, rather than just another pretty decorative piece that doesn't work well. Any brutal honesty is welcome! Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m a long-time fan of this community and a fellow knitting enthusiast.

I’m currently in the design phase of a modular fiber-arts tool, and I’m looking for some honest feedback from the pros here. My goal is to create something that combines high-quality materials (Black Walnut and Brass) with a more efficient, "precision" experience for our craft.

My design concept is a modular system:

The Base: A heavy, stable foundation (similar to an inkstone style) with integrated organization for stitch markers and needles.

The Bowl: A smooth wooden bowl for traditional storage.

The Spinner: A magnetic, levitating spindle for tangle-free knitting.

I want to make sure this is actually useful for your daily practice, not just a "pretty object." I'd love to hear your thoughts:

For the "levitating spinner" (magnetic): Do you think this would actually help with preventing tangles, or is it too complex for everyday use?

The Design: As someone who knits daily, does the "modular" approach (swapping between a bowl and a spinner) sound convenient to you, or would it just be another thing to lose on your desk?

I am not promoting any product here—I’m just an independent designer trying to solve some of the common frustrations I face in my own knitting space. I would sincerely appreciate any critiques or suggestions you might have!