Yarn people - what am I missing here?

[hedgehog]

I've bought some premium yarns that come in a twisted skein;



I've never figured out how to roll the yarn into a ball easily. I untwist the skein and end up with a large loop, but the thread seems to be entangled with itself. To wind it I end up having to follow a path through the skein.

[SheilaT]

1. Find a yarn friend who owns a

ball winder and a swift. If you're going to be buying lots of yarn that needs winding, you should buy those two things yourself. Good ones are not cheap. A ball winder will start at around $40.00, and a swift around the same amount. Buy good ones. Solicit them as gifts.

A few years ago my wonderful sister gave me both those items as a birthday present, and I couldn't be more grateful.

It is my understanding that the swift (which holds the yarn so it can be wound) was invented by sailors.

[hedgehog]

2. I don't think those would work with the problem I'm running into -

I untwist the skein into a big loop and expect to be able to unwind the yarn into a ball from the loop. The problem is that I go around once, but now the strand goes under the loop or through the loop. I follow the strand, free it up and wind up another loop, then the stand dives down through the skein again. Instead of the yarn being stacked into loops, it seems to be braided somehow.

[shanti]

3. the loop of yarn

is usually tied off in a couple of places. find the knot and unknot it. you will find your ends there. as sheila stated, it's much easier to then put the loop on the swift, hook it to the winder, and make a "cake" of yarn. some yarn shops will wind your yarn for you when you buy it from them.

in the old days, one would just put the loop around the back of a chair (or someone's knees!) and make a ball from that.

barring the info we've provided for you, you can probably find a video on youtube of this process....good luck!

(btw, is that peace fleece yarn? looks like it.)

[hedgehog]

4. I just grabbed a photo off the net of the kind of skein I'm having problems with.

I find several knots around the circumference and have a devil of a time finding one end or another. I'll be taking a more careful look at the knots the next time.

[SheilaT]

9. At the risk of being redundant, invest in

a swift and a ball winder. Honest. They are amazing.

[pipi_k]

5. That's why

I generally try to avoid buying yarn in hanks rather than wound skeins.

Although sometimes even the skeins are a pain when the end that unwinds from the inside isn't pulled to the outside enough to see it and you have to use the outside piece and it goes well for a while but then turns into a big old tangle.

I really don't have the patience for winding into a ball, and hate that they roll around. Although I did read someplace that it's possible to wind yarn into a ball that can be used from the inside out, like a skein. I've never tried it, though. Like I said...no patience for winding.

Are you making something specific, or adding to your stash?

[hedgehog]

6. Ah-ha! I didn't realize that the problem was that I am grabbing the wrong end!

I'm just getting into crochet, but bought some high glass cotton to make a pretty edging.

[pipi_k]

7. Yep...

grabbing the wrong end can really make it difficult.

If you like regular crochet, then you might also like Tunisian crochet.

It's done on a longer crochet hook. Some of the hooks even have nylon extensions on them for making wider pieces.

The "fabric" has a sort of woven appearance to it. You can even do embroidery on it if you want to.

so many stitches...so many projects...

[hedgehog]

8. I don't understand people who say they are bored!

[pipi_k]

10. Me neither...or

people who don't have at least one hobby, whatever it may be.

My parents weren't the best in the world, but I give thanks all the time that they made it possible for me to develop/follow certain hobbies.

Like reading and music.

and my Meme' who taught me how to knit when I was ten years old.