what is a cake

[countrymom1]

I know what a skien and ball of yarn is. I have heard people talking about a cake of yarn what is it.

[Anniedo]

It is a method of winding yarn, like winding into a ball but the shape is different and the yarn pulls out from the middle:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/yarncakeportraits/

[cshellz58]

Those pictures are beautiful! Do you need some kind of machine or spool to make those? Or is there a specific techinique to doing it so it pulls out of the middle? Thanks for your input and experience!

[Anniedo]

There are many kind of yarn winders or "swifts" that you can buy or even build. Here are some photos:

http://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=yarn%20winder

 

You can also do this by hand, I do this and it is very easy. There are also different methods for this. YouTube has many tutorials or just google it.

[cshellz58]

Thanks for your answer! Much appreciated.....now off to search....

[countrymom1]

Thanks I stopped in a lys today and saw some also I bought some susan bates hooks with bamboo handles. Can't wait to try them. I got an f g h.

[ReniC]

Here is a cute tutorial (LINK) on how to wind a skein of yarn on your hand. Lots of good pics too!

[lynns]

wow! thanks for the link

[jeannej]

Thanks for the link, Renni! My late MIL taught me how to do it that way eons ago. I only just recently learned what a nostepinne even was -So, thumbs up to the dear!

[ReniC]

This is how I learned as a young girl helping my grandmom wind her yarn. Of course my granddad would tease me about hitting the hammer on my thumb too much! Hope the link helps a few more.

[NikiG]

This linked helped me soo much, THANK YOU THANK YOU... I would roll it into a ball, and my ball would roll all over the floor...good thing I don't have any cats... :o)

[Aggie May]

:cheerThere are Skein Holders (Swifts), Yarn Winders and Niddy Noddies.

 

The Niddy Noddy is what you wind your spun yarn onto, straight from the spool on your spinning wheel.

The Skein Holder (Swift) is what you put the resulting skein onto so it is held firm while you wind the yarn with the Yarn Winder.

 

The resulting ball is called a Cake of yarn.

 

:thinkI think this is the answer to your question.

 

It is not easy winding yarn from a skein to a ball without help either from human arms or a Skein Holder and a Yarn Winder so if that is how you buy most of your yarn, you would be very wise to purchase both.

 

I was taught to wind a centre pull ball by my Aunty, when she got her first Knitting Machine and Winders were not readily available.

 

You simply wind the yarn over your fingers about 8 times, then take it off your fingers and twist it into a soft ball.

Put your thumb onto the top of the soft ball and start winding the yarn close to your thumb, not tightly to start with.

You rotate the ball in an anti-clockwise direction with the fingers of your hand holding the yarn.

As long as you start off loosly, you will be able to poke into the centre with a crochet hook and pull out the beginning of your ball.

 

Works very well and becomes very easy with experience.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Have fun.

Colleen:hug