How to wind yarn with NO equipment

[@BrendieR]

I use a cushion as it's years since I could sit like that. The only thing I would add to your lovely tutorial is that you should be careful not to wind too tight. Your ball looked nice and soft and I might have missed you saying that so sorry if I did. My friend does hers over her clothes airer. Love your fabulous hints and tips. xx

[@janeevans7055]

Oh my gosh I feel your pain, I treated myself to a skein of silk yarn. My husband dropped it on the floor and we spent the whole weekend detangling 😂

[@stephanieburgis8385]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video. For the first time in my life, I just wound a ball of yarn from beginning to end without a single tangle or any tears or curse words along the way, because I was following your guidance exactly. I REALLY appreciate the difference!

[@lisalomano1]

I am definitely the person you were talking to -to not just keep pulling when you have a tangle 😂 so so many times I never learn

[@brendasolanki8424]

I'll never forget my first experience with a skein of yarn! It was such a traumatizing incident that it took me years to work up the nerve to buy yarn that way again. Thanks for these basic tips. HUgs

[@elfriedeerickson7688]

Love it. Years ago as a child I held hanks of yarn for my mother to wind into a ball. Now I can do it alone and wrap the yarn around a toilet paper roll with a slit cut into it to hold the yarn and wind it into a center pull ball😍

[@Lisa-vb3gn]

I used to use my teenage son to hold the yarn for a small bribe. Once we did 5 skeins while watching a football game on TV-but he has left for college so my husband bought me a swift and a ballwinder. Useful but not always practical so I have found random pieces of furniture that work- my current favorite is the door on the grandfather clock! I once tried to knit from a skein because I didn’t think it would be that hard. What a disaster! Lesson learned 😮

[@meletcl]

I usually used the back of a chair but had a bad experience when yarn snagged on wood that had cracked. I then used a pillow but though it worked the yarn kept crawling down the pillow so, your idea to use your knees was perfect! Now why didn't that occur to me?! Thanks for the tip and you got that right - yarn tangles are never mentioned. The dirty laundry of knitting. ☺

[@yarnderwoman-melinda1911]

Thank you for highlighting alternatives for those who are unable to use their bodies to hold the yarn. Swifts and ball winders are definitely a practical help in that regard as well (noting very much, as you did, that they cost money and need to be stored.) I have both pieces but haven’t used them in a while, as my swift doesn’t attach to the dining room table we got last year from my mum’s house (when she moved in to a nursing home). It now only fits my partner’s computer desk and as such I’ve lately been using either the backs of two chairs, or the back of a single lounge chair. It definitely takes longer but it’s more practical for me at the moment. I love your idea of using a clothes hanger and bag for keeping things together if needing to stop part-way through! An excellent solution of leaving yarn around isn’t a good idea. Thanks for your video. 😊

[@nicolanicholson5421]

Thank you. I do have ball winding equipment but I do like to wind things by hand, especially thicker yarns. And I wind minis onto my thumb but I have to admit to occasionally using my oven door which has usefully placed handles!! It's one of those things that we forget new knitters don't know. My daughter got into a real tangle knitting from a skein,it just hadn't occurred to me to show her how to wind it up. I will show her this video, she's way more likely to listen to you than me!!

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

I hope your daughter finds the video helpful - it will be good to test the advice on a beginner! Thanks for watching :)

[@seaweedeater3104]

Thanks Anushka, I used to get my partner to hold his arms out with the yarn around them. This made the winding process much smoother although he got a bit fed up of doing it. When my next birthday came around guess what he bought me?☺️

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

Yes my other half keeps promising to build me a swift but it's currently just a pile of wood!!

[@simonelively3179]

Thank you! Total beginner here, and I now have a lovely ball of wool.

[@meletcl]

I am so glad you kept this real by mentioning TANGLES because yes this can happen. Thank you for this very thorough and reality based posting - all very charmingly presented

[@EmphaticStorm]

THANK you, I've watched a half dozen vids on how to get this going, and something in the way you said it, showed it, idk what, FINALLY helped me understand, and I'm omw to winding this hank! You rock, thank you so much!

[@mallory1304]

Oooh thank you SO much for the pillow tip!! I can't sit like that and I also can't move any chairs or furniture around by myself and I didn't know what I was going to do. I had someone help me stand up a shelf (pulled out of a bookshelf with moveable shelves) and prop it on a desk with heavy books on either side, but it didn't seem like it was going to work well. A PILLOW! You have saved me so much (literal) pain!!!

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

You're most welcome, I'm so glad to hear that this worked for you

[@natureknitsgirl]

I’ve also found that I can make a center pull yarn much easier than the type of ball you’re making. It’s a little slower but I feel like it’s nice because it gives me the option of knitting double stranded with one ball. I start the same way as you by wrapping around my fingers but once I get a sizable chunk around my fingers I take the center where the beginning tail is and pinch it between my thumb and index finger. The tail stays under my thumb and I start wrapping over the top right and down under the bottom left and I keep turning the ball as I go. It almost makes a round cake. And I can pull the beginning tail from the center if I want.

[@allisonbyrd]

I would love to learn how to do that, but I’m having a hard time envisioning what you’re describing (not sure what “top right” and “bottom left” are referring to). Do you have a video available, or know of one I could view?

[@natureknitsgirl]

@@allisonbyrd I don’t have a video but I could maybe try to make one for you. I’ll see what I can do and get back to you as soon as I can.

[@allisonbyrd]

@@natureknitsgirl Thanks, Amy! Please don’t go to too much trouble. Maybe you could have someone take a phone video of you demonstrating your method - nothing fancy! 😉

[@natureknitsgirl]

@@allisonbyrd hey! I made a quick video. I hope it shows what you need. If you have any more questions just ask. kzbin.info/www/bejne/raLClKGLqq2FpsU

[@allisonbyrd]

This is awesome, Amy! Thank you SO much for making that video to demonstrate your technique! It’s very helpful, and I loved your clear explanations and close-ups of the ball at different stages of winding. I put a longer comment over on your video. 😁Happy knitting, and happy hiking! 🧶🌲

[@amanda-tm6ym]

i have a yarn winder at home but didnt bring it to university with me-- this saved me from MAJOR yarn barf distress with a 360 yd skein so thank you!!!!

[@katem5843]

I use the back of a chair :) Winding balls from the skein is a nice way to get acquainted with the qualities of the yarn. But really I just do it because its the way my Mum taught me. Thank you for a useful video with kind and careful delivery.

[@pam3744]

You’re a natural-born teacher ! I’ve resisted buying a swift and ball-winder because I want to bring as little as possible into my home. The yarn shops in my area will wind yarn when I purchase it from them, but that doesn’t work for purchases made at fiber festivals, on-line, etc, so I learned a while ago how to wind it myself, with no equipment. Thank you for pointing out that it can be done just using our own hands.

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

I always ask the yarn shop too, but sometimes it's not possible! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@jessicacollins8049]

I found this video super helpful, of course after I bought my yarn Swift 3 weeks ago.

[@sharakirkby2744]

Well I’ll be receiving some hanks of yarn just like you showed, I’ll use my knees as a tool. I’ll let you know, unless I get so tangled you’ll hear about me on the 5 o’clock news lolTjanks for the tutorial because I’ve never used wool presented in a hank before, kisses from Canada

[@Jennifer-oz8ec]

Thank you so much! I'm knitting for the first time in about 30 years and didn't even realize that I had to do this. lol

[@atesmom]

I love listening to you. Yes, you are correct about taking care of tangles immediately, they get bigger if you ignore them.

[@victoriaisaac3673]

Thats great. Its the only way I have ever wound a a skein of yarn and good to show you don't need fancy equipment necessarily. Thank you for sharing.

[@carolmaize94]

Thanks, must try that! I have a fairly light occasional table that I turn upside down and use the legs, then walk around it, but I do get a bit dizzy!

[@RepublicOH]

I didn't realise that winding was a thing! Explains why I'm having so much trouble with my current project knitting from a hank...

[@dorisartman]

Thank you for sharing this! I don't have any equipment, and I have never bought any hanks but now I'm going to get some. Thank you so much!

[@Holly-days]

Sooper! Very nicely done. Another tutorial was likewise helpful in sorting out tangles where the braid(?) opens and immediately tangles yet still has the ties in place.... Her "slapping the skein across the knee to straighten" technique really works, but only if the ties are still in place. I lost 3 hours of my day untangling a whole skein that had got worse and worse the more I tried and had I seen hers and THIS video, I'd have saved all that time! Thank you so much! (am now subscribed)

[@beki1377]

You are very cute/sweet and your explanation is great and you also think about people who are different circumstances… that’s great 👍🏼😍❤️

[@Tiachops]

That was so helpful and I really appreciate it being made accessible in terms of not buying more tools! Thanks you :-)

[@Hea-ther]

Great video with lots of great tips and I love your home! I have a giant ball of yarn that wouldn’t work on my yarn winder and had no idea how to wind it without making a mess. Thanks for your help!

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

I'm glad it was useful! I didn't realise that thick yarns don't work on the ball winders.

[@mariadelmardospasos]

Thank you so much for this!! More tutorials would be lovely!!!

[@electrorice]

Thank you for this video! This actually made tons of sense and made my ball winding so much easier.

[@juststoppingby1602]

Thank you for turning a 2-3 hour process into 1!

[@psdumas]

Thankyou! Pillow is brilliant! I just felted an expensive hank of manos del uruaguay yarn by trying to untangle the mess!

[@judybushey4911]

Thanks for this tutorial. I usually use the back of a chair but when travelling I don't always have the right size of one. I never thought of using my knees so thanks for this!

[@the_dirac_field6519]

Thanks for this video! it works! and is even relaxing (I expect wrist pain tomorrow).

[@marie-joseedufresne7598]

This helped me a lot! Thanks so much for this tutorial!

[@shruthimaniyodath7755]

Thanks! I wanted to know what you did with the bits of yarn knotted at the beginning. This helped

[@sivasekari1849]

Thnku so much so sweet of u helping me a beginner

[@jacquelinechristie7923]

Very informative! Great suggestions too! Will give it a go, next time I have to wrap yarn. Thank you.

[@PopleBackyardFarm]

Thank you for this I hate it when I have to roll yarn without equipment this helps thank you. New friend

[@22SeaJay]

Thank you for this - you're so lovely to listen to! 😊

[@kyuribou5869]

Thank you for this!

[@chloevan40]

thank you, this was a great help

[@melanieroberts6666]

Thank you so very much very kind of you x

[@juliedoran2434]

Very helpful thanks!!

[@marciaoxley3495]

I’ve been crocheting for A long time. I tried a hank Before and it turned into a big mess. Hopefully your method will help me. Thank you so much for your help

[@al4377]

I get on the couch & spread on my lap & as it unwinds sometimes gets tangled so this way I can put the ball down pick up the hank by the end its tangled on and pull the opposite end and that works great aldi you can really keep track of tangling as it gets to the end with it layed out on your lap(yes it takes mire than my lap) you can really keep it from tangling try it sometime!

[@denisedykes8242]

Nice job. I had just ruined a whole skein of yarn before googling how to!

[@NadineTouzet]

My equipment is in storage, so I had to find alternatives. I hang the hank from a door knob or handle, I can bring a chair and it's the right height. I am very careful with loops and sometimes turn the hank over or around. This way it takes about 1/2 hour without pain.

[@simonashay]

Thank you💗

[@cait__l]

Super useful, thank you!

[@wandamosley9256]

Thank you sooooo much!!

[@wagonwitch]

Thanks for this I thought I’d knit from the yank but no I’m going to wind it up.

[@nhbctutorials228]

Thank you soo much for sharing 💕💕

[@etm567]

I got some really superfine yarn from China, and it's taking me so long to wind one hank I think I'm going to have to get a winder and swift.

[@beccacoleman498]

I'm dealing with a beautiful hank of hand dyed yarn this evening that seems to have come pretty tangled....

[@MinestroneChad]

Oh, I love this! Very helpful :) I'm a new subscriber and I've been watching all your videos for the past few days. I don't have a winder and I tend to wind my hanks into a cake with the end of a paintbrush used as a nostepinne 😬😅 I really love that you include suggestions for people with different abilities and disabilities

[@trubluecrafter1060]

That's EXACTLY how I wind hanks of yarn. I use a sofa cushion or 2, since I'm too old now to use my legs like that.

[@ramoncitoramos2492]

I just bought the winder

[@donnawilson7486]

I use the chair. But occasionally have some almighty tangles. In fact I have one right now that it’s taken days to work through.

[@allisonbyrd]

Is there a particular way to do this so as not to tighten or loosen the yarn’s twist as you wind, especially given that some yarns have a “Z” twist direction and some an “S” twist direction?

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

I've never experienced this affecting the ply, but perhaps experiment with your hand-hold and how you grasp the yarn with tension. Have fun!

[@jenniebaker4464]

Just had this issue yesterday 😱😱 How HORRIBLE IT WAS...Wish I'd looked for this FIRST....I have 3 more skeins to do & will be using my straight back kitchen chair. OR ask one of the Grands to come & lend their HANDS LATTERLY 🤣😂🤣😂 AGAIN....THANKS SOOO MUCH 😉

[@jenniebaker4464]

All FOUR SKEINS are now round into nice balls (thanks to your video) without any more issues...no more SPAGHETTI looking messes 😉 NOW....on with my project ❣

[@janellestroschein9905]

That’s how my Mom did it!

[@hollyn1639]

Using one knee and an extended foot is another option!

[@ponko_2]

what to do if the yarn already tangled? im gona cryyy

[@lolam.9291]

Impossible! I have tried this and broke down and purchased a swift 😒

[@ilmaba1756]

A friend just puts the yarn around her neck and knits, when shes done, she just twist the yarn back into a hank for next time.

[@neolokis]

When my son is obset I take a skein and we together make a ball, sometimes he just take the skeins with open hands o he roll all the yarn and we talk about life, angries or anything, is like a union time. He's 10. We used to kill angries with yarn 🙊

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

That's lovely :)

[@natureknitsgirl]

When I hand wind my yarn I just pull my hair up and put the loop around my neck like a necklace. Then I can walk around and do it as well as make sure that my Loop never tangled.

[@TheCrimsonStitchery]

I used to do this, but I kept strangling myself!!!

[@natureknitsgirl]

Oh no! That’s definitely not good. Lol

[@rosekay5031]

I use my feet

[@debbieedwards9508]

Thank you!