One of my first yarn storage bags was an ArtBin Yarn Drum. It felt only natural to step up to the bigger, roomier ArtBin Yarn Tote. I’m really glad I did and I’ll explain why.
(Disclaimer: there are affiliate links in this post. You can find my affiliate policy here. If you want to know more about what affiliates are, click here.)
Why I bought this yarn tote
As I said in the intro, my first yarn storage was an ArtBin Yarn Drum. (affiliate link) I’ve had it so long I forgot whether I bought it or was given it. According to my husband I bought it, so we’ll go with that.
I started looking for bigger storage when I started in on temperature blankets. The ArtBin Yarn Tote caught my eye, partially because I still liked my Yarn Drum, but the tote stayed on my wishlist for a bit. (affiliate link) That’s mostly because I can be picky about my bags and I wasn’t sure this one would work for me.
I finally bought one in 2018 according to my Amazon order history. I liked it so much I got a second one from ArtBin. The second one might not have been necessary if starting projects wasn’t a hobby of mine. Yes, I’m convinced that starting projects is a completely separate hobby of its own.
What I like
My favorite feature is the whole reason I bought the tote, the removable yarn insert. It’s worked out better than I could imagine. It’s sturdy enough to stand up by itself so you can load it before you actually put it in the bag. Taking it out allows you to get more light into the pockets since it’s pretty dark inside the bag. You can also use the insert outside the bag while you use the bag itself to carry the blanket or other large project you’re working on.
The insert has eight evenly-sized compartments. They’re big enough to fit a single, new skein of Red Heart Super Saver or Bernat Super Value with the top sticking out. Smaller balls and skeins will fit all the way into each compartments as you should be able to see in the pictures in the “How it looks in use” section below. You have to be careful not to overfill it though, since it can start to pull up some of the stitching connecting the pocket sides to the insert’s bottom.
Did I mention that the insert has handles? They make it easier to take the insert in and out of the bag and to carry it around by itself. A caveat is that it can be pretty easy to accidentally feed your working yarn through the handle. This can seriously mess with your tension, so just watch out for that.
The main bag seems to have a mild water resistance and the insert is a slick, polyester feel. So if you’re walking in a light to medium rain it seems to keep things dry. Also, the bottom seems to not get wet if it ends up in a small puddle. It’s kind of hard to clean any stains off, however.
What I don’t like
The only thing I can say I absolutely don’t like about this bag is that there aren’t pockets on both sides of the outside of the bag. It can be hard to tell which side is the pocketed one sometimes. This isn’t a huge deal, but it can be annoying to find out that the “pocket” I’ve just been struggling to get into is just a seam.
I’m pretty ambivalent about the grommets in the bag. They’re supposed to be for pulling your yarn through while the bag is closed. I don’t use them because it messes with my tension. I don’t mind them being there, though it is a way that moisture or dust can get in.
The bag closes with a magnetic snap. I don’t use this most of the time because my bag is usually stuffed too full to use it. It holds strongly, but it only pulls a small part of the top together. This leaves a lot of the opening, well, open. I may even put a zipper on it sometime. (Who are we kidding? I probably won’t take the time.)
How it looks in use
Conclusion about the ArtBin yarn tote
You probably aren’t surprised that I’m very happy with my ArtBin Yarn Tote (affiliate link) at this point. I’d recommend it to anyone, except maybe if space is a premium.
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