"I made bobbins with bamboo skewers and beads, but I found after I had wound a few, that the wood was not very smooth and snagged the thread. It had felt okay in my hand but not in use."
Knitters who use bamboo skewers for knitting (socks for instance), smooth them with fine sandpaper or a nail buffer, and then rub them with waxed paper or bees wax. The latter may not be desirable for the thread portion of the bobbin, but perhaps is helpful info. You could also consider treating them with a non-acid finish (within the concept of shellac or evolved synthetics), just dipping them and allowing them to dry. Of course bamboo skewer quality varies as with anything. Possibly a gourmet cooking shop may have tighter grained skewers than the dollar store. If you are really into this, why not consider buying bamboo double pointed knitting needles from eBay. They come in 5, 6, 7 or 8" lengths and cost a bit more but you may be surprised at the prices. These have been finished for knitting, so may be worth the savings in time and frustration. Most you can reach the distributor directly, and they may consider selling them wholesale if you buy quantities. Best, Susan Reishus - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
