Crochet guide
Winding yarn into a ball
Yarn sold as a hank, a big loop twisted into a rope, has to be wound into a ball or a cake before you crochet with it. Skeins, balls and cakes are ready to use. With those the choice is which end to pull, the one in the center or the one on the outside.
On this page 8 parts
How yarn is sold, and which kinds need winding
| Form | What it looks like | Wind it first? |
|---|---|---|
| Hank | One big loop of yarn, tied in a few places and usually twisted into a rope | Yes, always |
| Skein | A long, rounded bundle with one end outside and one end in the center | No |
| Ball | A round ball | No |
| Cake | A short cylinder with a flat top and a flat bottom | No |
Yarn is also sold on cones.
Two notes on the words. In the United Kingdom a hank is often called a skein. And many people say "skein" for one unit of yarn, whatever its shape.
Never crochet straight from an open hank. The strands of the loop cross and catch on each other, and pulling on one end soon makes a knot.
How to wind a hank by hand
- Open the hank. Untwist it and unfold it into one large loop.
- Hold the loop open. Drape it over the back of a chair, or ask someone to hold it stretched between their hands.
- Undo the ties. Find the two ends of the yarn, and cut or untie the short ties that hold the loop together.
- Start a small bundle. Take one end and wrap it loosely around a few fingers several times.
- Wind and turn. Slip the bundle off your fingers and keep wrapping around it. Turn the ball as you go, so that it grows round.
- Keep it loose. Do not pull the yarn tight as you wind.
A ball wound this way is pulled from the outside.
How to wind a ball that pulls from the center
A center-pull ball can be wound by hand as well. The whole method turns on one thing: the starting end stays outside the ball. Hold that end out of the way, wind the ball around your fingers or around a short stick, and keep turning it as you wrap. When you slide the ball off, the starting end hangs out of the middle, ready to pull.
A stick made for this job is called a nostepinne.
A swift and a ball winder
Two tools do the same work with less handling.
- A swift holds the open loop of a hank. It adjusts to the size of the loop and turns freely as the yarn is drawn off. The common kind opens like an umbrella and folds up again.
- A ball winder clamps to a table. You secure the yarn's end in its notch and turn a handle, and it winds the yarn into a cake that pulls from the center.
They are usually used together: the hank goes on the swift, the ties are cut, and the winder draws the yarn off. A winder can also be used without a swift, with a chair back or a helper holding the loop.
Pull from the center or from the outside?
A skein and a cake have two ends, so you can choose.
| From the center | From the outside | |
|---|---|---|
| What the yarn does | The skein or cake sits still while you work | A skein or ball rolls about as the yarn comes off |
| Finding the end | Harder. You feel for it inside the skein | Simple. It is under the label or tucked into one end |
To find the center end, reach into one end of the skein with a finger and thumb and hunt for a loose strand by touch. A small clump of yarn often comes out with it. That is normal.
To stop a ball rolling, put it in a bowl. A cake has a flat bottom, so it stays put by itself.
Near the end of a skein, yarn pulled from the center leaves a hollow, and the skein goes slack and loses its shape. The last part of this guide says what to do then.
How to keep yarn from tangling
Three habits prevent most tangles.
- Wind every hank before you use it.
- When a center-pull skein goes slack near its end, wind what is left into a ball.
- Wind part-used skeins into small balls before you put them away. Loose ones tangle with each other.
Questions people ask
Do I have to wind a skein from a craft store? No. A skein is made to be used as it is, from either end.
Is a cake better than a ball? They hold the same yarn. A cake sits flat and can be pulled from the center. A ball is pulled from the outside and rolls, which a bowl cures.
Do I need a swift and a winder? Not for skeins, balls or cakes. They earn their place if you often buy yarn in hanks.
Where to go next
- Crochet yarn types explains fibers and what to start with.
- Storing yarn, hooks and patterns covers how to keep the balls you have wound.
- When a ball runs out, see joining new yarn.