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DIY FYI: Starting a Skein of Yarn

November 20, 2013 3 Comments

DIY FYI: Starting a Skein of Yarn | Hands Occupied

I’ve taught a couple of people to knit over the years, and one thing a lot of people don’t know is where to start a skein of yarn. Remembering to start a skein (a.k.a. the giant machine-wound wads yarn come in at the store) from the inside will change your life. You’ll rarely have to deal with big tangles and you don’t need to waste time balling it. … And maybe then chasing after your ball when it falls off the table… and maybe then your dogs decide it’s a toy and run away with it too.

Here’s how to find the center of a skein of yarn, easy peasy:

DIY FYI: Starting a Skein of Yarn | Hands Occupied

Bonus tip: I always leave my yarn’s label on when I am knitting a project. When it starts to thin out after you’ve used a lot of it, the label helps keep it in shape.

Filed Under: DIY FYI, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: craft tips, crochet, diy, diy fyi, fyi, Knitting, skein, start a skein of yarn, yarn

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Kay

    December 27, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    I’m a beginner Crocheter. Thank you for the tips! Very helpful to me.

    Reply
  2. Staci

    May 1, 2014 at 12:51 am

    I’m still a little confused. Do you search through the inside of the skein to find the end or just grab a line of yarn from inside and cut it to start using? Sorry I didn’t understand. I’ve never knitted before and am reading your posts and am going to try. I have attempted to use yarn like this with the knotting problems so hopefully I’ll figure this out and be a little closer to success.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      May 1, 2014 at 9:21 am

      Yes, reach inside the center of the skein and fish around for the end. All skeins are just one long piece of yarn wound by a machine. Never cut the inside with a scissors – that will for sure result in tangles. Just look at the animation – I reaching in the center, fished around for the end, and pulled it out. If you start a skein from the center like this, it should rarely tangle. :)

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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