Aaargh! *bangs head*

[tryptikangel]

I'm working on the Victorian afghan and have made it to the end of one skein only to have all kinds of problems with the second one. I tend to start unraveling the skeins from the outside because I can never seem to find the end to pull from the middle. Well, I thought I would try to find the middle end and maybe get more done when crocheting, so I reached in the middle of this skein and found the end.... tangled up in about 8 feet worth of yarn knotted together! I spent a good hour trying to untangle it, finally giving up and handing it over to hubby to work on. He got it untangled and I then wrapped it up and put it in a sandwich bag to work from. Well, I do a few clusters and then run into another tangle. Worked through that and did a few more clusters before running into another tangle that I couldn't unravel! So hubby went to work again and I started banging my head against the wall. I'm trying to save a little time and frustration with the unraveling process and seemingly getting much more trouble from it. Anyone else having one of those days where you just want to scream and throw the skein of yarn out the window? Any suggestions on how to improve this process so I can spend more time crocheting and less time unraveling yarn? Me thinks I need a calming drink and maybe start work on a different project for a little while. lol

[HomekeepingGran]

Some of them are really frustrating, aren't they? I'm sorry this skein is tormenting you, tryptikangel. Maybe soon you will be past all the tangles.

[Crocus58]

Some of them just do that. I have a yarn ball winder and when I come across a skein like that I just wind it up (that way I take care of all the tangles in one fell swoop). The pound of love do that to me the most. This too shall pass . . .

[tryptikangel]

A ball winder? I don't think I've actually heard of one of these until now.... how much yarn will it hold, is it easier to pull from when crocheting, and where can I get one? lol

 

I did get back to my afghan after hubby volunteered to untangle the yarn as I went along. I'm not down to a point where it's coming out of the skein nicely, but man that was a lot of tangles! I'm using Bernat Cotton, 12 oz skeins. I can't seem to find the pound of love or any other bulk yarn around here. Seems kind of strange considering my mom always bought Red Heart pounders and it's supposed to be a popular brand here, too. Ah well.... 43 more rows before I can do the edging and enjoy my finished afghan! I'm hoping to have it finished by this weekend, and I might if the yarn continues to cooperate with me. Here's hoping!

[Crocus58]

Here: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2074

 

and they are on sale!!!! I have the first one on the page (not the red one). It will hold up to 8oz. Makes a very nice, easy center pull cake.

 

Search on this site and you will find many threads where people simply love, love, love their yarn ball winders!!!

[moggy]

Yep, a yarn ball winder is the way to go. That is my pet hate - hunting for the end of the yarn in the middle of the ball and it coming out in a big tangled mess (if I can find the thing to start with !)

[boksie]

The same thing happened to me last night! I ended up working on the tangles from both ends and using my winder to make a ball as I went along. I feel for you; it is so frustrating.

[papersmiles]

Oh yeah, a yarn winder is on my "Christmas Wish List" this year. I'm hoping I've told my hubby early enough that he can save up enough to buy one for me. He is also sooooo good about unwinding/untangling yarn messes that I either encounter or (...looking around to see if hubby is looking....) I "inadvertently" create (....blushing...). So maybe he's tired of "fixing skeins of yarn" and will buy me this new toy (....wiggling eyebrows and hoping...). I ran into this when I was crocheting on the Seraphina shawl with Joann's boucle yarn. I finally figured out that the skeins simply didn't PULL from the center AT ALL.....duh and smacking forehead.

[kittyloverdeb]

Oh yeah, a yarn winder is on my "Christmas Wish List" this year. I'm hoping I've told my hubby early enough that he can save up enough to buy one for me. He is also sooooo good about unwinding/untangling yarn messes that I either encounter or (...looking around to see if hubby is looking....) I "inadvertently" create (....blushing...). So maybe he's tired of "fixing skeins of yarn" and will buy me this new toy (....wiggling eyebrows and hoping...). I ran into this when I was crocheting on the Seraphina shawl with Joann's boucle yarn. I finally figured out that the skeins simply didn't PULL from the center AT ALL.....duh and smacking forehead.

I just want to tell all you gals who have such understanding and helpful hubbies how lucky you are! My hubby still calls what I do "knitting" just to p*** me off! He thinks if I am trying to untangle yarn that I wouldn't want to share in the "challenge" of it all! Sometimes I wonder!

[tryptikangel]

Nifty! I just added it to my wish list, so hopefully hubby will either buy it for me or someone else in the family will! lol

[tryptikangel]

I just want to tell all you gals who have such understanding and helpful hubbies how lucky you are! My hubby still calls what I do "knitting" just to p*** me off! He thinks if I am trying to untangle yarn that I wouldn't want to share in the "challenge" of it all! Sometimes I wonder!

 

 

Hubby was calling it knitting for the longest time, but now he calls it crotch-etting just cus he thinks it's funnier that way. I decided he could call it whatever he wants as long as he helps me untangle the yarn and doesn't give me too much of a hard time when I'm trying to work on a project.

[butterfly_girl]

Ugh. I was working with a big skein of red heart the other day. I pulled out the yarn from the centre, and once in awhile it would get stuck on itself. I found that if i pulled out a little bit, then i could unwrap the part that gets stuck. then, I tried that again and no luck. :-( pretty much almost 1/2 the skein came out! lol. too funny! and a pain! sometimes i get frustrated, and just wind it into a ball.

 

DH bought me a back back, that has the headphone opening on top of the bag. So, i just feed the yarn through there and crochet. it's great! the bag fits lots of patterns and lots of yarn.

[thepunkrockinchick]

I am the queen of creating a huge knot in the middle of the skein. I have been working on my technique... the most important thing is to not pull too hard. I would try practicing with looser wound balls like Simply Soft. I have a TERRIBLE time with cotton yarn. LOL I don't know why I can just never find the middle and wind up pulling a huge chunk out before finding the middle.

 

Once I was using a pound skein of white Red Heart... The end was already out and I gently pulled on it and it would not budge. I used it from the outside for a few squares, but I couldn't take it anymore, so I pulled not from the center, but an inch from the center.. and removed what looked like a small skein of yarn. I then wrapped it around the outside of the skein. I knew it wouldn't take too awfully long before I got to the center again.. and now it works great. It just takes practice.. some are easier than others. Don't worry... someone else is struggling with you.

[Lady_of_Roses]

When the center pull strand is absent, I do what my husband calls "gutting" my yarn, and basically just pull out as small a chunk from the middle as possible. Then I just unravel backwards from there to the end.

[melmac51]

My crocheting friend and I call that little hunk that comes out of the middle of the skein "afterbirth". You should see the looks on our non-crocheting friends' faces! (It is kinda sick, but we get a kick out of it.)