Frustration with One Pounder Skeins of Yarn

[Pixieglitter]

Am I the only one who has such a difficult time working with one pounder yarn skeins? Almost always, I can never find the center pull end of the yarn and end up working with it unwinding from the outside of the skein. Doing this makes the skein turn into a HUGE gigantic ball! If I am lucky enough to find the center pull, when I pull it out I get a giant gob of yarn vomit to unravel.

Usually, the price is really great for those one pounder skeins, but I wonder if it's worth the trouble? I don't have a yarn winder and I'm not sure if a yarn winder would work to wind up an entire one pound skein...??

I'd like to hear of your experiences with working with one pounder skeins of yarn.

Shelley

[sapphire43]

I've found with almost any skein of Red Heart yarn, there is a problem finding the end of yarn from the middle and, over the years, I have pulled out many "gobs of yarn vomit". I really don't like having to untangle the wad of yarn, but I prefer that to unwinding from the outside. The yarn unwinder you posted on the other thread may solve the issue of unwinding from the outside!

[LI Roe]

Some skeins are meant to be pulled from the inside, others from the outside only. Red Heart had an explanation for their skeins and the difference between balls and skeins. Caron may be different.

Roe

[Pixieglitter]

I recently purchased several skeins of one pound Bernat Baby Sport yarn. Out of the 6 or 7 skeins I've worked with up to this point, only ONE skein had the pull from the middle string of yarn. I wrestled with the rest of them, unwinding it from the outside when I was crocheting my project. What an uncomfortable mess it turned into! I was very disappointed in the one pound skeins.

Shelley

[wadepersonal]

I have had the same problem. When I do find the yarn end, eventually a big knot of yarn comes out. This is what I do. I have a crochet bag that I put this yarn in. A small waste basket also works. It stays in the bag when I pull it. This has worked well for me.

Rose Ann (wadepersonal)

[imalefty]

Hi pixieglitter! Don't use one pounders and Red Heart marks on the label which end the pull end is on. That being said I have had your problem with other yarns. This is what I do - wrap the "vomit" from the skein end around the skein itself. It doesn't knot up this way. This method has never failed me. Also shake the yarn,don't pull. Hope this helps- imalefty

[Pixieglitter]

I have several one pounder skeins of the Bernat Baby Sport yarn. I hit the mother load right after Christmas with big sales and I had coupons, too, so I ended up only paying about $4 for each one pound skein. I seriously think I'll buy a yarn "unwinder" stand before I even start anything using those one pound skeins. I bought the yarn because I loved the colors and I really like working with it, it's easy to work with the the outcome is beautiful.

My only frustration with one pound skeins is unwinding it as I crochet my project. Ugh... It's a mess.

Shelley

[trueblue2007]

Hi All,
I have worked with all types of yarn and I find that some are just much more difficult to find the center feed than others. The worst that I have encountered are Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand! But something I have noticed is that, on one end you will usually have the end of the yarn that is the outside feed end shoved into the end of the skein. The center feed end will ALWAYS be from the other end of the skein. It also helps to pull the outside feed end out of the end of the skein before you go looking for the center feed and begin pulling yarn from the other end. Otherwise, for some reason, the outside feed end of the yarn gets tangled with the center feed end and the result is a real mess.
Another very inexpensive alternative that I have recently found on Pinterest is to take a simple empty cardboard box that is just a little larger than your skein of yarn. Take a knitting needle - I find aluminum #8 or #10 works best - and push it through the center of one end of the box, then out through the center of the other end of the box. Basically, a knitting needle rotisserie! Now, pull the needle back out, put your skein of yarn in the box, push the needle back through so that it passes through your skein from end to end and comes out the other end of the box. Now, feed your yarn from the outside of the skein. It will turn on the knitting needle and not become the tangled ball that we have all fought with over the years. Here is a photo to help for those who have an easier time with graphics. Note that, if your box is deep enough, 2 or 3 skeins of yarn may be skewered and accessed in such a way using a single box - a great solution if your project requires multiple colors.

[Pixieglitter]

What a fantastic idea!! I'm going to do that. I have a knitting needle and several boxes to choose from. Thank you so much!!

Shelley

[trueblue2007]

You're welcome Shelley. Glad I could help. I wish I could claim it as my own idea, but I was just blown away when I saw it. I asked myself over and over, "Why didn't I think of that!" I have found so many wonderful tips and suggestions and methods like this - not to mention all the beautiful projects and free patterns - on Pinterest. I can't think of a single source that has been more productive for me. Other than Crochet Talk, of course. :-)