Whoever came up with the first design for taming yarn’s tendency to roll all over the place is a genius! End your frustrations with balls of yarn rolling around and onto the floor. Keep it in one spot by using a yarn bowl.
Knitters can breathe easier, relax and knit away when their yarn stays in place. Plus a yarn bowl looks super stylish!
Here are some functional, beautiful (sometimes outrageous and funny) Yarn Bowls for you.
(I’ve listed them by material to make it easier for you!)
- What Is A Yarn Bowl?
- Why You Should Use One
- Why Are There Holes?
- How To Choose A Yarn Bowl
- Wooden Yarn Bowl: Lightweight and Functional
- Ceramic Yarn Bowl Beautifully Crafted
- Sculpted Pottery Yarn Bowl
- Plastic Yarn Bowl: Great for Traveling
- Super Strong Metal Yarn Bowl
- How About a Cat Yarn Bowl?
- Need A Laugh? Yarn Bowl With Faces
What Is A Yarn Bowl?
The design of most yarn bowls are fairly similar. They are sometimes referred to as a yarn holder bowl or knitting bowl.
Most have a bowl shape with a swirled section cut into one side where you thread the string of working yarn through.
When you pull on the yarn to ease more out, this section acts as a guide and feeds the length of yarn gently without snagging.
The weight of the bowl allows the ball of yarn to roll around inside without getting tangled. The high sides keep it in place. The perfect yarn holder.
There are often circular cutouts intended for storing straight needles when not in use or when using more than one yarn in your project.
Why You Should Use One
- To keep your sanity! Knitting is meant to be pleasurable. Chasing yarn out from under tables, chairs and couches is no fun. Nor is knotted, tangled yarn, which often happens when knitting from a skein or ball. I speak from experience here. Too many times, I’ve tried to undo a massive tangle. It’s very frustrating!
- Yarn bowls keep your yarn clean and prevent it from collecting fluff or dust from the floor. (Knitting is much more important than housework, so of course, we can all have dust and fluff on our floors!)
- They’re not easy for pets to move around, unlike a free ball of yarn. You see all these cute pictures of cats playing with yarn. Sure they’re adorable, as long as it’s NOT your yarn!
- You can move your yarn bowl wherever you feel like knitting. Glorious sunny day outside? Take it outdoors and know the yarn isn’t going to get all dirty.
- Their whole purpose is to be a yarn holder and also look beautiful.
Why Are There Holes?
- You can use them to rest your knitting needles when not in use.
- If working with multiple yarns, thread each yarn through a hole. Great for stranded knitting, Intarsia or Fair Isle patterns. (Just remember you’ll need to cut the working yarn that’s been threaded through a hole so you can remove it from the top.)
- The holes help prevent you from accidentally yanking the yarn out of the bowl when the ball gets smaller.
How To Choose a Yarn Bowl
- The pottery (wood, plastic, or metal) needs to be very smooth where the yarn comes out. Even the smallest rough edge will catch and fray the yarn.
- Choose one with a wide, flat base so it won’t tip over when a dense ball of yarn is rolling around.
- A wooden knitting bowl made of lightweight wood is great when traveling.
- It needs an opening where the working yarn can slip through from the top. Just a hole on the side is no good because it’s more challenging to take the yarn out of the bowl.
- High walls are best or the ball will spin right out!
- Another consideration is a knitting bowl with two slots if you are an avid color-work knitter. This allows two different colored yarns to remain untangled when working on your project.
- If you knit with a large unwound skein, an oblong yarn bowl is a good idea.
Wood
Yamalans Handmade Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: A smooth and polished wooden surface to make sure your yarn isn’t damaged while threaded through as you knit. Heavy enough to stay in place while you knit.
Dimensions: 6.3 inches wide, 2.76 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Yamalans
Made in: (Not Specified)
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonKnitjoy Extra Large Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: A beautiful wooden knitting bowl. Carved by hand using Indian Rosewood. A great gift. It’s a hard wood, so it’s unbreakable.
Dimensions: 7 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Indian Rosewood
Manufacturer: Knit Joy
Made in: (Not Specified)
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonDarn Good Yarn Handcrafted Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: Handmade knitting yarn bowl of high quality Indian wood. It’s portable and efficient.
Dimensions: 6.2 inches wide, 6.1 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Darn Good Yarn
Made in: India
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonCedmon Wooden Yarn Bowl Holder Rosewood
About: High-quality, made of Natural Sheesham Wood. You can take it with you anywhere, and it is unbreakable.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Cedmon
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonLIFYFUN Bamboo Yarn Bowl
About: Extra large, high quality and practical. Made of bamboo.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 4.3 inches high
Materials: Bamboo
Manufacturer: LIFYFUN
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonDalea Home Products Premium Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: Woodcarved and unbreakable. It’s large, and with a lustre finish.
Dimensions: 7 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Dalea Home Products
Made in: USA
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonClassic Rosewood Yarn Bowl
About: The entire surface is smooth with a high-gloss finish. A curled slot captures the yarn as you knit, allowing the yarn to steadily fed through the swirl preventing tangles.
Dimensions: 7 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Rosewood
Manufacturer: Hagestad
Made in: India
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonOrchid & Ivy Handcrafted Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: Each bowl is unique! Each one is handcrafted one at a time from repurposed wooden bowls.
Yarn pulls smoothly and evenly as you work, thanks to the high-gloss lacquered finish and the deep swirl to pull the yarn through.
Dimensions: 7 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Re-used acacia wood with a cherry lacquer finish
Manufacturer: Orchid & Ivy
Made in: California
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonYarn Art Indian Rosewood Yarn Bowl
About: Sustainable, portable and delightful. Handmade, and it has a very pleasant Rosewood scent.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Yarn Art
Made in: India
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonYarn Hut Wooden Bowl
About: Comfortably fits a 5oz/100g ball of yarn. Lifetime guarantee.
Dimensions: 7 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Indian Mango Wood
Manufacturer: Yarn Hut
Made in: India
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonRosewood Yarn Bowl
About: A very lovely Rosewood Bowl, with a spiral cutout which helps you by holding your yarn. It has a rich wood grain texture.
Dimensions: 5 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Rosewood Wood
Manufacturer: Knit Picks
Made in: USA
Click To Learn More / Buy from KnitPicks
Two Tone Rosewood Mango Wood Yarn Bowl
About: A lovely two-toned tapered rosewood bowl. The mango wood texture creates a pleasing contrast with the rosewood tone.
Dimensions: 5 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Rosewood Wood
Manufacturer: Knit Picks
Made in: USA
Click To Learn More / Buy from KnitPicks
Darn Good Yarn Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: Handcrafted by some of the best artisans in India. It’s made of Sheesham Wood.
Dimensions: 5 inches wide, 2.5 inches high
Materials: Sheesham Wood
Manufacturer: Darn Good Yarn
Made in: India
Flower Crown Wooden Yarn Bowl
About: A beautiful floral carved wooden yarn bowl. Handmade of Teakwood.
Dimensions: 5 inches wide, 2.5 inches high
Materials: Teakwood
Manufacturer: Darn Good Yarn
Made in: New York, USA
Ideas in Wood Wooden Yarn Box
About: A handmade cherry wood yarn box, with a built in needle sizer. It also comes with a 6” ruler. A unique Etsy Yarn Bowl.
Dimensions: 7.75 inches wide, 5 inches high
Materials: Cherry Wood
Manufacturer: Ideas in Wood
Made in: Pennsylvania, USA
Craftamma Indian Wood Yarn Bowl
About: This handcrafted Indian Wood Yarn Bowl has a glossy finish. It’s very sturdy and durable.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Craftamma
Made in: India
Knit Picks Maplewood Yarn Bowl
About: A tapered bowl, made of maplewood. It has a glossy finish, which brings out the rich detail of the wood.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Maplewood
Manufacturer: Knit Picks
Made in: Vancouver, USA
Click To Learn More / Buy from KnitPicks
Furls Yarn Bowl
About: Comfortably fits a 5oz/100g ball of yarn. Lifetime warranty.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 6 inches high
Materials: Sheesham Rosewood
Manufacturer: Furls Crochet
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonLight and Dark Pinewood Yarn Bowl by Loops and Threads
About: This bowl made from wood is great for your knitting supplies. It comes in light and dark colors. One of the Yarn bowls at Michaels.F
Dimensions: 5.5 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Loops & Threads
Made in: USA
Blocksie Yarn Bowl
About: Handcrafted from solid hardwood that shows off the individual grain features. Different colors of wood pieced together for a checkerboard effect.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Hardwood
Manufacturer: Paradise Fibers
Made in: USA
Susan Bates Wood Yarn Bowl
About: A wood, collared bowl. It allows quick removal of yarn with ease.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3.75 inches high
Materials: Wood
Manufacturer: Joann
Made in: USA
Ceramic
Handthrown Stoneware Volcano Blue Grey Yarn Bowl
About: Useful for yarn, crochet and knitting, made with volcanic stone! It has a smooth loop for the yarn.
Dimensions: 5.5 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Stoneware, Glaze and Clay
Manufacturer: Avior Pottery
Made in: USA
Pink and Blue Ceramic Yarn Bowl
About: A beautiful, ceramic handmade yarn bowl. It has a glaze mixture of soft pink and blues.
Dimensions: 7 inches wide, 3 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Creativity Happens
Made in: South Carolina, USA
Banshee Fiber Arts Ceramic Yarn Bowl
About: A gorgeous handcrafted, and hand-painted yarn bowl. Made of ceramic, the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys knitting or crocheting.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 6 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Banshee Fiber Art
Made in: Maryland, USA
Need A Laugh? Yarn Bowl With Faces
The Art of Lucky Stradley Sculpted Yarn Bowl Face
About: A wheel thrown, hand altered and sculpted yarn bowl. It is perfect for holding a ball of yarn. An interesting place for the yarn to come from! 🙂
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Stoneware, Porcelain
Manufacturer: The Art of Lucky Stradley
Made in: Nebraska, USA
Tabby Cat Yarn Bowl by Misunrie
About: A gorgeous cat stoneware clay bowl. Lead free, food safe glaze used. Sculpted with an open mouth and a curvy J shaped slot tail to guide your yarn.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3 3/4 inches tall without ear, 4 inches tall with ear
Materials: Stoneware, Porcelain
Manufacturer: MSR Pottery by Misunrie
Made in: Kernersville, NC, USA
Leslie Nieto The Mudplace Personalised Yarn Bowl
About: A custom yarn bowl, perfect for those who enjoy knitting. Available in several different colors.
Dimensions: 6.25 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Stoneware
Manufacturer: The Mudplace
Made in: Florida, USA
Darn Good Yarn Ceramic Cat Bowl
About: A luxury bowl in the shape of a cat. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Dimensions: The one above is 5.4 inches wide, 3.1 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Darn Good Yarn
Made in: New York, USA
Knit Picks Black Mango Yarn Bowl
About: This unique yarn bowl has a spiral cutout, with three holes. Made of mango wood, it has a striking appearance.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Mango Wood
Manufacturer: Knit Picks
Made in: Vancouver, USA
Click To Learn More / Buy from KnitPicks
Blue Pottery Yarn Ball Bowl
About: Glazed ceramic able to hold a regular skein of yarn. Comes in a variety of different pretty patterns on the glaze.
Dimensions: 5.5 inches wide, 3 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Annette Lowder Pottery
Made in: USA
Emerald Green Ceramic Yarn Bowl
About: Featuring a beautiful leaves design. Odorless and clean.
Dimensions: 5.5 inches wide, 3.75 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Blue Room Pottery
Made in: USA
Pawley Studios Ceramic Yarn Bowl
About: Hand thrown in Russellville Kentucky, this bowl has very unique and pretty glazes. There’s no heavy metals or toxic glazes.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 4 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Pawley Studios
Made in: USA
Pawley Studios Dotted Ceramic Yarn Bowl
About: If you love polka dots then this is the yarn bowl for you! The mustard yellow glaze sets off the contrast with the white outer glaze featuring the black dots.
Dimensions: 12 inches wide, 10 inches high
Materials: Glazed Ceramic
Manufacturer: Pawley Studios
Made in: USA
Birdie Yarn Bowl
About: A pretty useful yarn bowl, perfect for knitting. Plus, it is handcrafted. It’s brightened up by a beautiful little birdie too keep you company while you craft.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3.5 inches high
Materials: Stoneware
Manufacturer: Uncommon Goods
Made in: USA
Petite White Mint Ceramic Yarn Bowl
About: A beautiful glossy white semi crackle, with mint green highlights ceramic bowl. Holes to place your knitting needles when not in use.
Dimensions: 4.5 inches wide, 3 inches high
Materials: Ceramic
Manufacturer: Blue Room Pottery
Made in: USA
Plastic
Yarn Valet
About: Unbreakable lightweight plastic. A rubber, non-slip base to keep the bowl from slipping as your yarn flows through the scalloped yarn guide.
Dimensions: 6 inches wide, 3 inches high
Materials: Rubber
Manufacturer: Prym USA
Made in: USA
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonSheep Bowl
About: Made with lightweight plastic and in the form of a sheep! As this bowl is dishwasher safe use it for biscuits and dip when not in use for yarn! Very clever and cute.
Dimensions: 6.1 inches wide, 4.7 inches high
Materials: High quality food grade plastic
Manufacturer: Maker’s Mercantile
Made in: USA
Metal
Blue Metal Yarn Bowl
About: A practical yarn bowl holder made of metal. It comes in 4 different colors.
Dimensions: 4.9 inches wide, 2.6 inches high
Materials: Metal
Manufacturer: Gravity Solutions Crafting
Click to Learn More / Buy from AmazonSuch wonderful inventions, making knitting so much easier and more enjoyable! Very well worth the investment.
Do you use a yarn bowl?
I’d love you to share your yarn bowl story with me. Get in touch with me here or leave a comment below.
There are so many great ones to choose from. I love the cat yarn bowls 🙂
Hope you find one that suits you Cameron 🙂
Ooooh!! I have a friend who would adore the funny faces sculptured yarn bowl! What a fabulous find. Thank you.
Those Yarn bowls with faces are so unique! Glad my post has helped you find something for your friend. Let me know what she thought of your gift. Cheers Jodie 🙂
Gone are those days for me chasing my yarn around. I love my wooden yarn bowl. 🙂
Great to hear Amanda! Thanks for sharing 🙂