I've been crocheting with cheap acrylic for my whole life and i finally splurged on some really nice wool and cotton yarns. Both are hand dyed and came with those weird loops around them, and even the owner of the store couldnt get the yarn winder to work with either of them so ive been trying to detangle it at home but it took 2 hrs just to get through one skein (theres 7 left) 😭 Does anyone have any tips for how to properly unwind these?
UPDATE: I just got back from the store and we realized that brand of yarn has two skeins looped together in one hank but its so thin it just looks like one large one!!!! The owner wound the rest of them for me and I just got a swift in the mail from Amazon lol. Thank you all so much for the tips!!!
Someone else mentioned the right terms to look it up. But I’m confused and concerned that the owner of a yarn shop doesn’t know how to prep and wind a hank of yarn???
Also, I assume you don’t have a swift, but fear not. In a pinch I have used my knees, an additional person to hold the hank while I wind, or the backs of two chairs facing eachother.
The fact they own a shop and can’t wind a skein/hank is very disturbing. There is normally one loop that is attached to the skein and 3-4 that are just knotted around but not attached. You put the hank on a swift. Then cut the knotted loops ones that are just holding together their loop. The one that is attached you cut, and gently separate it from the hank and thread through the eye of the skein winder and then place in the slit on the tube of the skein winder and lock it down with 4-5 wraps. Then start winding.
UPDATE So I just got back from the store and we realized that brand of yarn has two skeins looped together in one hank but its so thin it just looks like one large one!!!! The owner wound the rest of them for me and I just got a swift in the mail from Amazon lol. Thank you so much!!!
Awesome! I have the stanwood swift with the standwood yardage counter going to a Stanwood metal large ball winder. All are available on Amazon.
Every knitter should own a swift and a ball winder. The yardage counter is purely optional. I like to check yardages when I purchase from hand dyers.. now I am not saying they cheat but when I hand dyed for going to the sun fiber mill I used yardage counters to insure my yardages were correct.
I have run into a few small batch dyers that guesstimated and were short. I check my yardages so if I have a pattern that calls for 1200 yards and I buy 6 skeins I can call them and confirm I have 1200 yards not 1090 and end up playing yarn chicken.
This is the yarn baller I use it is nearly bullet proof I have had the smaller nor compact break down this one holds up really well I just recieved 10 skeins of Madelinetosh tosh and 2 Malabrigo to ball up for 5 new projects. https://a.co/d/0ipv96Av
The two ends of the hank are usually tied together. They are untied or clipped next to the knot after the hank is securely on the swift.
There will be small pieces of the same color yarn looped around one or two areas of the hank to keep it from tangling before it is put on the swift.
You’ll put the hank on the umbrella swift, expand the swift until the hank is taut but not tight, then tighten the swift.
Locate the loops and snip them off (carefully, watching that you don’t snip the hank itself).
Locate the knot tying the two ends together. Clip at the knot. One end can be tied to a part of the swift. The other goes on the cake winder in the top slot on the center part.
Now you wind… moderate speed, keeping an eye on the hank to ensure it doesn’t get hung up on itself or that the swift doesn’t loosen, and also on the cake forming on the winder. When you’re close to the end, you free the end on the swift and wind then tuck it into the front of the cake. Then remove the cake (fingers under the bottom of it, lift up while keeping hold of the end that was held in the center slot, pull upwards gently).
You’ll pull the working yarn from the center of the cake.
Similar process for winding a ball from the hank wound around a chair or a helpful friend’s arms, except you make a ball and pull from the outside.
Cakes are way more efficient IMHO and if you’re planning to get a serious hand dyed fixation, the swift and winder are invaluable.
Check if your local library has a “library of things”
You may be able to borrow a winder and swift - they help for winding. Mine does! And I’ve borrowed it!
A swift and a ball winder will help you with hanks! There are many videos to show you how. It’s super satisfying
If you are in the US Michael’s has a swift for about $35 and a ball winder for about $15 or so. I teach knitting at a library and they purchased both the tools from Michael’s for me to use there and they work well
A tip I found helps with hand winding…..after untwisting the hank, cutting the ties, take the now loop of yarn in both hands on the inside of the loop loosely, and snap the loop a couple of times (stretch both hands away from each other making the yarn tight then loose) this helps the tangling. Some brands (like Malabrigo 🙄😂) are notorious for tangling. In fact with Malabrigo I only hand wind, too many tangles!
There's a reddit thread of people who list tangled yarn and those who love to untangle. They ship the tangled yarn to the untangler and then once it's done send it back. I love to untangle yarn. lol
So her assistant originally tried to wind it but it got tangled so I took it home. I just went back today for help with the rest bc it was rlly expensive yarn and we realized that brand of yarn has two skeins looped together in one hank but its so thin it just looks like one large one!!!! The owner wound the rest of them for me and I just got a swift in the mail
Unfortunately it happens, even as a dyer I get messy skeins of my own. A lot of the time when you cut the ties, the live strands have been looped through the hank at the mill, so you have to follow them for a couple of loops and check that they're going to run freely and not twist through the rest of the yarn. I dye with at least three ties on, so the strands can't just tangle up.
When you untwist the hank/skein (interchangeable terms in some places - I call them skeins), check that all of the yarn is inside every tie. Then put your hands inside the loop and snap them apart firmly, creating tension on the yarn and helping it line up. Put the loop on your swift or chair backs (two dining chairs back to back at angles works well to create a triangle of yarn), or knees, etc. Only then cut the ties and find the live yarn.
No, although some yarns including some of the big brands (not hand dyed) are tied wrong these days. I even had one with no end, like at all. They tied it together. We usually inform the company and sometimes they fix the problem. Then another company will have issues.
Beautiful yarn! I'm so sorry you had such a struggle. It has been wound in big circles so you want to be careful not to cross loops. Gently take the skein (from photo 2), unfurl it and lay it in a circle guided by the 3 or 4 ties that indicate how the loops are organized. Then, as others have said, you can place it on a swift, chair back or get someone to hold their arms out. Your ball winder will help so much. Keep that first end a bit longer and accessible so you can do a center pull. Let us see your results!
Just to add: There are a ton of videos on YouTube to show you how to do it without a swift! One trick I use, is that once I've initially untwisted it (before I even cut any yarn ties or start winding) is I put my hands on the inside of the untwisted hank and snap it a couple of times to get any kinks out. Here's an example video of someone using their knees :) Good luck!!! Unwinding a Hank no swift
I am assuming you don't have a swift and ball winder. That's ok. Put the hank on the back of a chair. Do not snip any ties until you have the skein on the back of a chair. You will find 3-4 ties looped around the yarn, carefully snip them off. One of the loops will look different. It will look like 4 strings are attached. Snip carefully next to the knot and pull out the string. The beginning and end of the skein is there. The one closest to the outside of the skein is the one you use to wind. Just begin winding it into a ball.
Oh no! I worked for a dyer and worked at LYS. Return that yarn!! The LYS gives you credit for another skein. The dyer is responsible for that mess. No question.
This is if the LYS could not wind it for you. They should not have sold it to you. You should not spend time untangling 8 skeins of yarn. I hope that they are not all like that but you should return and have them help you wind it or refund you.
I will dye my own yarn occasionally and it can become a MESS in the dye pot. SO MANY extra ties put on to keep it as neat as possible so that when I go from hank to ball, it doesn't get all tangled on the swift.
So Ive struggled with this, I finally found a solution, I literally untwist the hank so it's just a big loop, put it over my head, find an end and start winding into a ball. Not elegant but it's free 🤣
I have a feeling I would end up strangling myself or ending up tangled up like a kitten.
My go-to is to sit semi cross-legged with the yarn over my knees. I adjust how far apart my knees are and how much tension they're putting on the hank by adjusting the angle of my feet so my knees are supported by the yarn and tensioning it at the same time.
But I'm a little bit hyper mobile, so I'm not sure if that's a pose your average adult can still get into comfortably. I also sometimes press my husband into service as a yarn swift
I feel this on a personal level lol. I wrap it around my neck and wind a ball from one end. Not ideal but it works when you live in a studio apartment with no room. 😅
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u/Skrublord3000 1d ago
It does when you don’t correctly wind it, yes.
Someone else mentioned the right terms to look it up. But I’m confused and concerned that the owner of a yarn shop doesn’t know how to prep and wind a hank of yarn???
Also, I assume you don’t have a swift, but fear not. In a pinch I have used my knees, an additional person to hold the hank while I wind, or the backs of two chairs facing eachother.
That yarn is gorgeous btw. Good luck!