Don't you just hate it when...

[Ashee]

Ok so I am sure none of you have this problem, but don't you just hate it when your yarn gets all tangled? And no matter how long you spend trying to get the knot undone it just doesn't happen? Well somehow part of my yarn for my afghan became so tangled that even after spending about 5 hours (maybe more stopped counting) I had to cut it . Anyways at this point I am taking any advice as to how to keep yarn from tangling.

[Miss Crochet]

Can give you no advice, just a picture to comfort you... This took up THREE HOURS OF MY LIFE, people!

[Auntie Kellie]

The only advice I can give is not to leave your yarn on the coffee table when the baby is crawling and learning to pull herself up on everything. Then she'll be a big help pulling it in all directions and using your project to clean the dust off stuff and help the dog get rid of her winter coat.

 

Hugs and Cookies.

[stitchgirl]

Don't feel bad. I've had more bird's nests than I care to remember. Just had one last weekend. It was from a skein of yarn that I couldn't find the center pull, so I was crocheting off the top. When it got down to probably the last quarter of the skein some how it just got all tangled up. What a nightmare. I didn't have to cut it though - only ever had to do that once. Usually I just persevere.

[Tampa Doll]

Believe me you are not alone. I don't think there is a crocheter or knitter, who has not had this problem.

One time I had one so bad (Homespun yarn), that I had to cut before and after the knot, then it by a miracle fell apart. Not that is enough to make you mad:angry, when you just spent 3 hours trying to unknot it.

[jeannej]

:scissors :scissors :scissors

 

Oh yes, the more stubborn snarls cause me to growl after fretting with them for so long, and that is when I hand the whole mess over to my husband, who, with an untapped strap of patience, sets the strands free in no time (I probably 'loosened' it for him )....Otherwise scissors work!

 

EDIT: Just had to return and add that I now have visions of wearing a finely finished hat with a snarly tangle of yarn perkily perched at its brim....e.m.b.e.l.l.i.s.h.m.e.n.t.

When life hands you tangles...improvise!

[TonkaMama]

While I'm working on a tangle, I wonder how much my time is worth. Surely, it some cases it would make more sense to throw it away and buy a new skein. But--YIKES--I can't imagine throwing away perfectly good yarn (well, it would be perfect after I spend three hours working at the mess). Here's hoping everyone has a tangle-free day!!!

[RoseRed]

I gave up wasting hours on knots. After 10 minutes I usually just cut it.

[crocheting turtle]

Sometimes, I think that tangles seek me out. I had such a tangle that it didn't matter what I did. Each time I pulled on a strand of yarn, it only got worse. I got so frustrated that I threw out the whole project. I cry now, because it was a round ripple baby blanket that was about two thirds finished. Oh well! It only had to be perfect for me. The recipient would not even have known if I had cut and reattached the yarn. No worries now. I just won't let the tangles get the best of me again!

[HomekeepingGran]

Sometimes when this happens, I just put on a good CD, get a glass of iced tea and devote my afternoon (or day) to the megasnarl. I rarely cut, although I've been known to.

[mandymae]

A friend of mine bought me two skeins of gorgeous Cascade 220 wool, and the way the hanks are wrapped, they both ended up getting pretty tangled. The first one I managed to get some help and get it balled up nicely, but the second, I probably would have thrown it out the window had it not been a such a nice yarn (and expensive by my typical tastes).

[tmpinsnty]

i'm having that problem with some manos de uraguay...can't fathom cutting!!

[JessicaRenee520]

Hand it to your husband. Mine is really good at getting out tangles. More than once we have been sitting on the couch, or lying in bed talking, and he will start rolling my yarn into a ball from the opposite end when you get to the acrylic tangle in the center of most skeins. (This, without even asking! Now THAT's love.)

[Ashee]

Mine was too busy laughing and saying "You are still going at that?"

[muise]

I am probably the only one here but I love untangling the megaknots. I find it very relaxing for some reason. I know my mom and my neice bring them to me when they get them as they know i like doing it. I never cut them. I just spent one evening last week de-tangling a whole pounder ball. my neice tried to start it from the center and kept pulling till she had a big mess.

[Ashee]

I am probably the only one here but I love untangling the megaknots. I find it very relaxing for some reason. I know my mom and my neice bring them to me when they get them as they know i like doing it. I never cut them. I just spent one evening last week de-tangling a whole pounder ball. my neice tried to start it from the center and kept pulling till she had a big mess.

 

 

I guess when we all have mega knots we should just mail them to you and let you get them out for us lol.

[aseknc]

Believe me you are not alone. I don't think there is a crocheter or knitter, who has not had this problem.

 

I for one have had this very same problem more times than I would have liked to have dealt with!

[JennyBunny]

One thing that I have found to do is when you find one, try to keep it loose and shake the knot a couple of times from different angles. Sometimes this helps in un/detangling for me.

 

I like to persevere and try to unknot, but if it takes me too long, I will cut. I get more frustrated when I'm working on a variegated yarn and some ninny joined it at the factory in the wrong way and I have to cut or rip to get it right again.

[pinsandneedles]

If I can't get the knot out within a minute or two, I cut! Leaves me more time to crochet.

[klouised]

I've had my share of tangles, too. I work with a lot of beaded crochet work. I string like 50 beads or more on my thread, then I have this long stretch of thread that moves and seeks out ways to get looped and tangled. Aarg!

[RoseRed]

Hand it to your husband. Mine is really good at getting out tangles.

\

 

Mine would cut it faster than I would

[RaggedyAnn]

I don't know which is more annoying - yarn barf or a skein that's full of knotted ends....

[yarn_geek]

I don't know which is more annoying - yarn barf or a skein that's full of knotted ends....

 

Knotted ends! I don't mind yarn barf. As a child, I used to get so frustrated with tangled yarn and thread until I made myself learn how to untangle the mess I made. Now, I don't mind it at all. I'll work on a tangled pile of yarn for hours before I break down and cut it.

 

I HATE cutting yarn! I'll cut it when I'm good and ready, Yarn Manufacturer. I bought a continuous skein for a reason. It's bad form of you, Yarn Manufacturer, to pass off a knotted, defective skein as unblemished, retail shelf-worthy, and sell it at full price! Don't get me wrong, I understand that knots happen. But 5+ times in the same skein?!?! Seriously?!? I'm sorry you're having problems, but you need to toss it in the odds and ends bin and just start over.

 

:embar Okay, I feel better now.

[DawnofMarch]

Oh boy do I ever! There's a reason I ball my yarn as soon as I get home from the store... Sometimes I start as soon as I get to the bus stop or if I decide to stop at a restaurant, while I wait for my order.

[ducky73]

i hate "knotty" (pun intended) yarn....scissors and i get along famously