This device was made for an article written the for PLY Magazine blog - if you're interested in all things hand-spinning, check them out! https://plymagazine.com
Full article including a discussion of yarn measurement techniques:
We take a weighted tape dispenser, instrument it with an off-the-shelf digital magnetic counter, and use it to measure the length of yarn left in a ball. Note that we re-wind the ball in the process, so it can't still be attached to a project!
Thanks to PLY for encouraging this project and having us on their blog!
Components
1×
Weighted tape dispenser
see link in instructions
1×
Digital magnetic counter kit
see link in instructions
A smooth container or yarn bowl for containing yarn as it unwinds
2
Cut your yarn guides
Take the roll of tape and trace the inside and outside of the roll. Make two donuts. Cut them out with scissors or an exacto knife.
3
Attach the yarn guides and magnet
Take your yarn guides and push them onto either end of the core of your tape dispenser. They may stay put as-is, but ours loosened and flopped after winding a few balls, so we recommend hot-gluing them in place. Also hot-glue the magnet to the outside of one of the yarn guides.
Note: we have an older-style tape dispenser with a round core. If yours has a triangular core, that’s OK too, proceed!