I have become quite a fan of knitting my yarn , commercial or handspun, off of a holder that will spool it off neatly for me. It doesn't wander or tangle, and no twist is added or subracted.

I am also a huge fan of Akerworks bobbins for spinning. They are 3-D printed, pack flat and come in an arrray of colors. Akerworks also makes single bobbin lazy kates.

Why haven't I used their spinning goodies for knitting before? So I did. I used my electric drill to wind a commercial skein of yarn onto a spinning bobbin.

Akerworks Butterfly Kate, Lendrum bobbin, grilling skewers, and electric drill.

I grab a bobbin, grilling skewers, and my electric drill. I use grilling skewers to hold my bobbin in my drill, because they flex. That flex contracts when I slip the bobbin on and expands once the bobbin is seated holding it in place. With a dowel that just fits my bobbin, I find I have to jam my bobbin on, and it doesn't go on very far, then it often flies off when I wind.

I put my yarn on my swift (I'm using Plied Yarns by Neighborhood Fiber Company) and tie the yarn to the bobbin. It helps to get the bobbin started if you tie the yarn in a way that the yarn won't slip. I tie a half-hitch (the shoe tie knot, before the bows), then tie a second on the reverse of where the first tie is. It holds for me. Some folks tie slip knots, some tape their yarn.

I want to wind as fast as my drill will go, but I try to wind methodically. Getting the yarn on the bobbin as evenly as I can means it will spool off smoothly when I knit. Yes, that is my desk and yes it's always that messy.

Here is 50gms of yarn on bobbin, I could have easily fit 100gms.

Now I pop my bobbin on my Butterfly Kate, and I'm ready to knit with no tangles.