Skeins, hanks, cones, cakes, and balls. Each serves a unique purpose. While balls are common for knitting, hand-dyers often prefer skeins or hanks for dyeing. Now getting our yarn from this skein format into a ball seems like an easy task, but often it ends up being a time-consuming nightmare and can result in hours of sad, non-knitting time. In this How to Wind a Ball of Yarn tutorial, Felicia will simplify the winding process, making it an enjoyable and tangle-free process.
Materials Shown
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How to Wind a Ball of Yarn
Equipment
Materials
Instructions
- Mount the swift securely on a stable surface, such as a table or chair. Position the ball winder at a distance, allowing a smooth path for the yarn from the swift. Make sure the swift can rotate freely.
- Lay the skein flat, ensuring it is untwisted around the swift.
- Find and untie (or cut) any ties on the skein.
- Begin by taking the yarn from the outside to prevent tangles.
- Hook the yarn onto the winder and start cranking gently.
- Use your free hand to apply slight tension to the yarn as it winds onto the winder. Maintain consistent tension and wind at a steady pace.
- Continue until the entire skein has been wound into a ball. Remove the ball carefully.
- Use the inside strand (centre-pull ball) or outside strand of your freshly wound ball of yarn for knitting, crocheting, weaving, punch needle, or any fibre arts project you need yarn for!
Notes
If a yarn swift is not available, place the yarn between two posts on the back of a chair, or have a friend help out or if in a pinch, around your feet; although labour is intensive, it can be done!
Do you have questions about how to wind a ball of yarn?
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Original publication: August 05, 2023. Refreshed: July 09, 2024
