The Best Yarn Bowls

The cutout along one side is what sets a yarn bowl apart from a normal bowl. This cutout acts as a sort of guide for the working yarn, which is threaded through the cutout to the knitting project. If a yarn bowl sounds like a useful addition to your knitting or crocheting supplies, consider these options.

Buying Guide for the Best Yarn Bowls

Why buy a yarn bowl?

Whether you want to keep your yarn organized or away from prying hands or paws, yarn bowls are a resourceful way to do so. Thanks to the yarn bowl’s weight and walls, the yarn can freely unravel when pulled to feed your project, without it falling on the ground or becoming tangled.

What should you look for in a yarn bowl?

• Size: You’ll want to pick the size and depth of your yarn bowl depending on the skeins or balls of yarn you use. You’ll obviously want larger bowls for bigger skeins and larger projects. If you tend to have multiple projects going at once or knit multicolored items, you may want to invest in an especially large yarn bowl that will hold several skeins of yarn at once.
• Material: Yarn bowls are typically wooden or ceramic. Neither is inherently superior to the other; the aesthetics are the only real differences. Ceramic bowls will offer a wider range of colors and designs than wooden ones, though wooden yarn bowls may have patterns carved into them. Whether you pick a ceramic or wooden bowl, be sure that they’re smooth, especially where the yarn comes out. You don’t want rough edges catching and fraying your yarn.
• Design: Though yarn bowls will mostly have the same basic shape and cutout, they are available in different shapes around the rim. Some may be designed to resemble flowers or animals. There are a few that are square, though these are relatively uncommon. The size and width of the cutout may vary depending on the make of the bowl. Others come with matching lids, so you can use them to store your yarn when not in use.

Can you decorate your house with a yarn bowl?

Since yarn bowls are both functional and decorative pieces, they will look nice wherever you place them in your home. They make a great addition to offices, craft rooms, and even coffee tables. They’re sure to be a conversation starter as well as provide protection for your yarn.

Our Picks for the Best Yarn Bowls

Pros: Whether you’re knitting something small, like a pair of baby socks, or something large, like a blanket, this yarn bowl has you covered. You can buy it in a small, medium, or large size or as a set that contains all three. The small bowl is 6 by 3 inches, the medium is 7 by 3 inches, and the large is 7 by 4 inches. The thin, clear coating ensures that the bowl is smooth all around to prevent your yarn from catching on the sides, rim, cutout, or carvings. The heavy base keeps the bowl firmly in place during use so that you don’t accidentally tug your yarn too hard and send it flying.

Cons: Some reviewers mentioned there may be an odor from this bowl.

Bottom Line: Each bowl is hand carved from premium rosewood for a beautifully detailed and dark-grained appearance.

 

Pros: Each Knit Picker Yarn Bowl is one of a kind. The bowls are handcrafted in high-fire stoneware for the “pickiest” of knitters. The sizes may vary, but each bowl has a flat bottom for stability. Users can even store ribbon or twine in this bowl. There are additional holes to store knitting needles when not in use.

Cons: This bowl is not super deep, so it may not fit all balls of yarn.

Bottom Line: This unique and hilarious design is sure to be a conversation piece!

 

Pros: This lovely wooden yarn bowl comes in three sizes. The bowl’s entire surface, swirls, and holes are smoothed out with a high gloss finish to ensure that the yarn won’t catch on it anywhere. Besides the cutout for feeding the yarn, the bowl is equipped with two small holes to hold and store your knitting needles or crochet hooks when they’re not in use.

Cons: Some reviewers mentioned they had difficulty threading the yarn through the holes.

Bottom Line: This handmade wooden yarn bowl makes for an ideal gift, either to yourself or the avid knitter or crocheter in your life. It comes in three lovely shades.

 

Pros: This bamboo yarn bowl is expertly smoothened with a high gloss finish, including the swirls and holes to prevent yarn from catching. This bowl features a curled slot that captures the yarn as you knit, allowing yarn to be steadily fed through the swirl while preventing tangles. The bowls also have two holes which are perfect for storing your knitting needles.

Cons: This bowl may be too small for some balls of yarn.

Bottom Line: This lightweight bowl is easy to fit into your project bag on the go and makes a fabulous gift.

 

Pros: This ceramic yarn bowl will keep your yarn clean, organized, and untangled. Its stylish design features a spot to hold your knitting needles. It’s lightweight enough to take with you on the go and it is a 7- by 7- by 4-inch bowl, which makes it large enough for most yarn.

Cons: There may be unsmooth spots where the yarn can catch, so users should be mindful.

Bottom Line: This yarn bowl is a classic option for those who love to knit or crochet.

Final Thoughts

Yarn bowls are a super functional option for knitters and crocheters to have on hand.