# Question what is wool barf?



## Rhonda-may (Feb 15, 2012)

I've heard others talk about wool barf but I have no idea what you are talking about.
Could someone please explain.
Thank you in advance
Rhonda


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## Yarn Happy (May 13, 2012)

When you try and find the center pull of a ball of yarn, and can not find it, you end up pulling out the entire center of the ball, that is yarn barf or wool barf.


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## MaryCarter (Oct 17, 2011)

Rhonda-may said:


> I've heard others talk about wool barf but I have no idea what you are talking about.
> Could someone please explain.
> Thank you in advance
> Rhonda


Americans say barf instead of vomit.
So when they are talking about wool, they just mean it is in a huge tangle....it looks like the ball of wool has barfed.


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## Carynjoyb (Nov 4, 2012)

Yarn Happy said:


> When you try and find the center pull of a ball of yarn, and can not find it, you end up pulling out the entire center of the ball, that is yarn barf or wool barf.


LOL....I just laughed my heart out. Thank you for that explanation.

Caryn


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## diziescott (Mar 25, 2011)

Unfortunately I have a picture I could share to demonstrate, were I not so depressed about it!  I keep putting it aside for other projects, but I know it is there waiting.


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## yourmother306 (Nov 30, 2011)

barf barf barf


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

and barf!!!! I have 1 of those to. bad,bad, bad...


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

Sometimes it takes longer to unbarf an ounce of yarn that it does it you were just knitting it.


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## Norma B. (Oct 15, 2012)

It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


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## glacy1 (Sep 30, 2011)

Norma B. said:


> It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


Frog = rippit, rippit, rippit.. the sound a frog makes. Ripping it out.. 
IMOHO = In My Own Humble Opinion
ROFLMAO = Rolling On Floor Laughing My A$$ Off.
TINK = KNIT-ting backward i.e. unknitting a stitch at a time.

I know, it took me a while too!


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## Norma B. (Oct 15, 2012)

glacy1 said:


> Norma B. said:
> 
> 
> > It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.
> ...


THANK YOU!!!!! BTW, the only one with which I was familiar was ROFLMAO. And then there's WTF which I've refrained from using here, but sometimes it is ever so apropos, if not appropriate. ;-) :thumbup:


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## Tennessee.Gal (Mar 11, 2012)

MaryCarter said:


> Rhonda-may said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard others talk about wool barf but I have no idea what you are talking about.
> ...


Not the "v" word, please! We prefer anything but that.


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## Peggy Beryl (Jun 4, 2012)

It's what you have to clean up off the floor when your new skein of yarn misbehaves.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

How about LYS. When I first started knitting I used Lion Brand Yarn a lot. So, I thought LYS was Lion Yarn Site. LOL BTW.... IT is actually Local Yarn Shop. Giggle.


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## Yarnie.One (Jul 13, 2012)

Yeah, it's a whole new world!!!

to frog means to rip out your work because of a mistake -- rippit, rippit, rippit.

IMHO means in my humble opinion

There must be a list somewhere online -- maybe google can help -- where all of these things are listed.



Norma B. said:


> It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


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## bu1201 (Sep 6, 2012)

I love the lingo and learn something new every day. I am truly addicted to this site. So many nice people who are willing to share with and help fellow knitters.what gret people!


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## Rhonda-may (Feb 15, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your explanations Now I know what it's all about. I always refer to it was a tangled mess.


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## esj (Jun 9, 2012)

So glad these have been brought up. I don't like to be constantly asking questions and have been trying to "get by" and work them out for myself. It's good to know there are others like me.


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## sandyP (Jun 20, 2012)

I get my 13 year old daughter to decipher the abbreviations for me.... Don't know how she knows them all. I have been known to google them too.


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## Frog Queen (May 25, 2012)

THANK YOU!!!!! BTW, the only one with which I was familiar was ROFLMAO. And then there's WTF which I've refrained from using here, but sometimes it is ever so apropos, if not appropriate. ;-) :thumbup:[/quote]

Oh, I'm really ROFLMAO now...a young person I know and his compadres use WTAF, where A = Actual! Cracks me up every time!


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## Sally Forth (Jul 10, 2012)

Very amusing! I was stumped on 'frogging' too, so thanks for that [but frogs don't say 'rippit' they say 'ribbit' don't they? Which gives a whole nother meaning as I'm sure using rib wouldn't necessarily solve all problems. With pc talk, when I first got into computers [a long time ago, when I was a lot younger and should have been smarter] I thought 'lol' meant 'little old lady' ... no wonder some posts seemed strange. 
Incidentally, I think on computer is about the only place where people find it necessary to add 'lol' or something similar to indicate that they are joking. Were us oldies smarter than the young of today? I'm sure we could usually pick up 'double-entendre' and wry humour in the ordinary written words, without adding hints like 'lol' to prompt a reader's smile.


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## JillF (Feb 17, 2011)

But, since people cannot see your expression, it is very easy on the internet to misunderstand someone. Therefore, expecially if you are being slightly sarcastic, or if there is any chance for any reason that you may be misunderstood, it's better to just add the LOL. Also, other than the knitting terms, the rest of the abbreviations are common to any site that is on the internet, sort of an internet language, not just used on this site, so it just depends how long you have been talking on forums in general I guess. Every once in a while it's good to explain some of them for the new users.


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## megilham (Aug 28, 2012)

my husband is brilliant at sorting out yarn vomit or barf


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## Wannabe knitter (Aug 1, 2012)

Here is a list of knitting acronyms on Ravelry. Some of these are too funny!

http://www.ravelry.com/wiki/pages/KnittingLingo


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## SandraPurl (Dec 12, 2011)

Norma B. said:


> It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


Yes, those terms and others ( M1 ), did not exist 50 years ago!!!!!


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## elsiemarley (Jul 27, 2012)

Sometimes people are a bit criical of the new acronyms and abbreviations, but we are so used to the ones we have used for years, we don't think about it twice. We have a two letter abreviation for every state, and most countries, we use e.g., i.e., etc. with ease. Everyone knows what Co., Inc, Dr. Mr. and Mrs. stand for. Businesses and agencies have long gone by their initials, IBM, GE, GM, FBI, OSHA, etc. I remember the trouble people had learning the 'new' two letter abreviations for states, having been used to three and four letter ones. MN instead of Minn. --- and we mostly wrote Mpls when mailing to Minneapolis and everyone knew what it was. Kind of a fun challenge to keep up with the changes in language --- yes??


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## happycrafter (Sep 19, 2012)

Lol, I have them all the time ah!!! it used to be a lot easier when the ball were smaller.


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## suewynn (Mar 26, 2012)

I don't know all the abreviations for family members, what is 'SO' I think that's what someone wrote a while back.
DH = Dear Husband, DD = Dear Daughter. etc.


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## Nifty Non (Jul 7, 2011)

MaryCarter said:


> Rhonda-may said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard others talk about wool barf but I have no idea what you are talking about.
> ...


Now ain't that the truth. I've just finished making a jacket in baby ply and what a BARF I ended up with. Still a challenge I think.


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## silvercharms (Mar 29, 2011)

elsiemarley said:


> Sometimes people are a bit criical of the new acronyms and abbreviations, but we are so used to the ones we have used for years, we don't think about it twice. We have a two letter abreviation for every state, and most countries, we use e.g., i.e., etc. with ease. Everyone knows what Co., Inc, Dr. Mr. and Mrs. stand for. Businesses and agencies have long gone by their initials, IBM, GE, GM, FBI, OSHA, etc. I remember the trouble people had learning the 'new' two letter abreviations for states, having been used to three and four letter ones. MN instead of Minn. --- and we mostly wrote Mpls when mailing to Minneapolis and everyone knew what it was. Kind of a fun challenge to keep up with the changes in language --- yes??


Agree! I used to be an English teacher, but being on this site has broadened my mind considerably, and thank goodness for it!

I am the one who is learning - all the punchy abbreviations are fun. It's good to keep up with the times.


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## nuthouse (Oct 30, 2012)

As a fellow Aussie Rhonda-may I am also finding non-knitting abbreviations a bit hard. It's like learning a new language. I haven't managed to master text-talk on my mobile yet and still write full sentences. Goes against my teacher-training!!! I'm glad you had the bravery to ask as I now don't feel quite so 'thick'!


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## Debiknit (Jul 7, 2011)

SO is "significant other" I think. It is a challenge 
but it keeps us older people on our toes. Much more 
colorful than when we were kids also.


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## tinkerbell (Mar 27, 2011)

Norma B. said:


> It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


My "name" is tinkerbell, because I seem to tink more than knit!


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## Sumacsew (Sep 17, 2012)

Norma B. said:


> It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


This helps a ton! Thanks!


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## Sumacsew (Sep 17, 2012)

bu1201 said:


> I love the lingo and learn something new every day. I am truly addicted to this site. So many nice people who are willing to share with and help fellow knitters.what gret people!


Me, too! First place I go on the web every day!


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## Mz Molly (May 31, 2012)

elsiemarley said:


> Sometimes people are a bit criical of the new acronyms and abbreviations, but we are so used to the ones we have used for years, we don't think about it twice. We have a two letter abreviation for every state, and most countries, we use e.g., i.e., etc. with ease. Everyone knows what Co., Inc, Dr. Mr. and Mrs. stand for. Businesses and agencies have long gone by their initials, IBM, GE, GM, FBI, OSHA, etc. I remember the trouble people had learning the 'new' two letter abreviations for states, having been used to three and four letter ones. MN instead of Minn. --- and we mostly wrote Mpls when mailing to Minneapolis and everyone knew what it was. Kind of a fun challenge to keep up with the changes in language --- yes??


the best words spelled in the universe ,,,,, MIC see ya real soon KEY y because we love you MOUSE


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## suewynn (Mar 26, 2012)

Debiknit said:


> SO is "significant other" I think. It is a challenge
> but it keeps us older people on our toes. Much more
> colorful than when we were kids also.


Thanks Debiknit


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## Knitnewbie (Mar 8, 2011)

I never knew that the tangle is barf. That is so hysterical. It will make me smile every time I pull it out from now on. Great name! LOL

P.S. Here is just one knit abbreviation list. I'm sure there are others.

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-glossary


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## edithcarolf (Aug 25, 2012)

Frog = rippit, rippit, rippit.. the sound a frog makes. Ripping it out.. 
IMOHO = In My Own Humble Opinion
ROFLMAO = Rolling On Floor Laughing My A$$ Off.
TINK = KNIT-ting backward i.e. unknitting a stitch at a time.

I know, it took me a while too![/quote]

Thank you so much for those definitions. I would have never figured those out. But I really wanted to know what they meant.


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## Jar (Oct 31, 2012)

I am the same way. I still could not figure out frog. In my early years of knitting we would say the yarn gutted instead of v or exploded. The Dd etc. It will take forever for me to know. It is fun to try to figure them out.


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## Grandma11 (Jan 21, 2012)

I've been dealing with it with cotton yarn. Not nearly as bad as mosr synthetics


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## fran-e (Nov 26, 2011)

Norma B. said:


> It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.


oh, Norma, i so am in line with you... what are they talking about? i been on puter since '98 and i have not a clue most of the time. have picked up on allot of it, but these kids...where do they come up with it. i'm 68 and feel a 198. we talk about not liking charts, but if you think about it, isn't that what they are talking? lololol.. i have to say that IMOHF looks unChristian to me..  have a great day..


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## kittydrachler (Oct 31, 2012)

Boy am i learning the new terms. I have a learn to knit/crochet and i did not see yarn barf in it LOL You gals made my day i've had to deal with a lot of yarn barf.. Happy knitting all


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## wtchgrl (Sep 19, 2011)

I do just google acronyms when I don't know what one stands for. I just found out that NSFW or NSFK mean, respectively, not suitable for work and not suitable for kids. For those e-mails or posts that one may respond to with WTF!


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## kcm1223 (Apr 2, 2011)

The last time I had a wool barf incident, it required that I commandeer the entire dining room table and it took a good hours' worth of my time before I achieved victory. My DH said, in all his blissful ignorance, "wouldn't it be easier to just buy a new skein?" He thus got an unrequested lesson from me in dye lots and now he just keeps his mouth shut rather than offering knitting advice...


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## elsiemarley (Jul 27, 2012)

fran-e said:


> . . . but these kids...where do they come up with it. i'm 68 and feel a 198. ...


Hum -- well kids are creative and inovative as they should be, and as we were. Are you saying you never put SWAK on the back of your notes to friends? Or that you didn't know what send SASE meant when sending for a pattern from a newpaper or magazine? I'm 72 and feel 50, well maybe 60. Learning new things is one of the things that keeps us aging well.

By the way to another poster -- I was an English teacher too. Just love all things related to language.

Take Joy,


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## jeanbess (Aug 20, 2011)

Sally Forth said:


> Very amusing! I was stumped on 'frogging' too, so thanks for that [but frogs don't say 'rippit' they say 'ribbit' don't they? Which gives a whole nother meaning as I'm sure using rib wouldn't necessarily solve all problems. With pc talk, when I first got into computers [a long time ago, when I was a lot younger and should have been smarter] I thought 'lol' meant 'little old lady' ... no wonder some posts seemed strange.
> Incidentally, I think on computer is about the only place where people find it necessary to add 'lol' or something similar to indicate that they are joking. Were us oldies smarter than the young of today? I'm sure we could usually pick up 'double-entendre' and wry humour in the ordinary written words, without adding hints like 'lol' to prompt a reader's smile.


I thought lol ment lots of love


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## Peanut Tinker (Oct 10, 2012)

This is too funny! A few years ago I worked with a woman who was very funny in her e-mail communications and she was new to a job. A couple of us were helping train her and we often sent reply e-mails to her with "LOL" because she was funny. A few months into the job, she sent us both a note thanking us for our tremendous support and the love. She said she had never worked in a government environment that was so personal and supportive. When I talked to her on the phone it came out that she thought we were sending her "lots of love" with our LOL !!! I literally was ROTFL when I realized this- and so did she- so we have an on-going thing about the "loving " way we train newbies.


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## silvercharms (Mar 29, 2011)

elsiemarley said:


> . .
> By the way to another poster -- I was an English teacher too. Just love all things related to language.


I love it all too - especially vivid dialect phrases. I especially remember one from Lyne in Australia - 'flash as a rat with a gold tooth' !!!!


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

Norma B. said:


> THANK YOU!!!!! BTW, the only one with which I was familiar was ROFLMAO. And then there's WTF which I've refrained from using here, but sometimes it is ever so apropos, if not appropriate. ;-) :thumbup:


We can think of WTF as What the frog?!


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## nannee (Mar 12, 2011)

RE:
It's what you have to clean up off the floor when your new skein of yarn misbehaves.
Peggy Beryl


HaHaHaaaaaaa love this explanation!!!
thanks for the giggle, now i'm ready to go to work


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## cathyknits (Nov 1, 2012)

jeanbess said:


> Sally Forth said:
> 
> 
> > Very amusing! I was stumped on 'frogging' too, so thanks for that [but frogs don't say 'rippit' they say 'ribbit' don't they? Which gives a whole nother meaning as I'm sure using rib wouldn't necessarily solve all problems. With pc talk, when I first got into computers [a long time ago, when I was a lot younger and should have been smarter] I thought 'lol' meant 'little old lady' ... no wonder some posts seemed strange.
> ...


Okay, I started off thinking it was "lots of love", too... and then sometimes it just didn't make any sense!
I read each of these posts this morning and did ROTFL! 
I, too, start here every morning and always find something of interest and BTW, I checked the two links for abbreviations and loved the one on Ravelry's site: "Knipping A zero sum gain in knitting: the knitting and ripping cancel each other out. " I do that a lot!
Thanks everyone for always starting my day off well!
Cathy


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

I just learned this one and had to write it down in order to remember it.

LSHMSFOAIDMT

Laughed so hard my sombrero fell off and I dropped my taco. 

Just sayin' :-D


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

When you have yarn vomit or barf or whatever you want to call the frustrating tangled mess of yarn that comes out when you are trying to find the yarn end, would you please call customer service at the yarn company, or better yet, write them about how they could correct the problem by taping or stapling the yarn end to the outside label like they used to do many years ago. If enough of us keep writing to them, maybe they will correct the problem.

Two days ago it took me over two hours to untangle the mess that came out of a skein of cotton yarn. I am going to write them, again, today.


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## Wannabe knitter (Aug 1, 2012)

A great book about knitting terms is "the Secret Language of Knitters." (http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Langua...2&sr=8-1&keywords=secret+language+of+knitters). I was reading it one night and laughing out loud about the definition of "the curse of the boyfriend sweater." When my husband asked me what was so funny, I explained to him about this definition, and the next morning he told me I never needed to knit him a sweater. A month later, when his grandma tried to offer him a sweater she had knit years ago, we both exchanged knowing glances at each other.

It also compares knitting language with illegal drug trade--stash, dealer, weight, addiction ( to yarn or knitting)etc...

Very funny book, yet very informative.


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## Yarn Happy (May 13, 2012)

Evie RM said:


> When you have yarn vomit or barf or whatever you want to call the frustrating tangled mess of yarn that comes out when you are trying to find the yarn end, would you please call customer service at the yarn company, or better yet, write them about how they could correct the problem by taping or stapling the yarn end to the outside label like they used to do many years ago. If enough of us keep writing to them, maybe they will correct the problem.
> 
> Two days ago it took me over two hours to untangle the mess that came out of a skein of cotton yarn. I am going to write them, again, today.


I did that with some Red Heart Soft yarn, and they told me that it was designed to be used from the outside and not a center pull!


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## jenk57 (May 2, 2011)

Diziescott,
Did you make the afghan in your avatar picture? It is gorgeous? 
I know there are people out there who never ball their yarn, I admire them. I was taught to always put the yarn into balls before I begin a project to avoid any unforeseen knots or tangles. It seems that more often than not I do encounter tangles, or "yarn snot" as I call it. If there were a class on yarn balling, I would be the first in line to sign up for it.


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## knitterme (Sep 23, 2012)

Google any acronym and you will find the meaning


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## AldaP (Nov 2, 2012)

What a lot of useful information for us newbies!.. (those of us new to the web and to knitting both). I didn't realize there was so much "shorthand" for some of our common mistakes, LOL I'll remember FROG and TINK especially!


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## Kissnntell (Jan 14, 2012)

ok
i get DIL, SIL (which could be either son in law or sis i law), MIL, FIL but still dont kno what DH is ... dedicated hubby??
lol


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## Kadydee (Apr 28, 2011)

Sally Forth said:


> Very amusing! I was stumped on 'frogging' too, so thanks for that [but frogs don't say 'rippit' they say 'ribbit' don't they? Which gives a whole nother meaning as I'm sure using rib wouldn't necessarily solve all problems. With pc talk, when I first got into computers [a long time ago, when I was a lot younger and should have been smarter] I thought 'lol' meant 'little old lady' ... no wonder some posts seemed strange.
> Incidentally, I think on computer is about the only place where people find it necessary to add 'lol' or something similar to indicate that they are joking. Were us oldies smarter than the young of today? I'm sure we could usually pick up 'double-entendre' and wry humour in the ordinary written words, without adding hints like 'lol' to prompt a reader's smile.


Before the internet and texting people would write notes and letters. We lived a more leisure lifestyle. But with the advent of email use our lifestyle pace grew faster. Our email became "one liners" would could be construed as adrupt, rude, curt, not always friendly.

Spelling, grammer, friendliness has sometimes fallen to the wayside.

In some ways I miss it. Every now and then I actually sit down grab pen and paper and write a letter of several pages and place a stamp on the envelope take it to the post office and mail it.

Its a wonder that card shops still exist. Its so much easier, faster, and much more reasonable to send an email to mark an event.

I still love and miss going to the mailbox out front and hearing from a friend.

Kathy


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

Kissnntell said:


> ok
> i get DIL, SIL (which could be either son in law or sis i law), MIL, FIL but still dont kno what DH is ... dedicated hubby??
> lol


Dear Husband
Darling Husband
Dumb Husband
Dutiful Husband
Derelict Husband
Distant Husband

depends on the context...LOL Actually...Dear Husband.


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## T.Pacos (Apr 19, 2012)

they use initals at work and i don't even know what they are talking about.


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## Kissnntell (Jan 14, 2012)

ROFL i luv it when u can take ur pick!!



headlemk said:


> Kissnntell said:
> 
> 
> > ok
> ...


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## Kadydee (Apr 28, 2011)

Tinkerbell,
I totally understand. Some days I also tink more than I knit. Its a wonder I'm able to get pass the co.

Cute handle Tinkerbell.

Kathy


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## Grandma G. (Oct 29, 2012)

Thank you for the explanations.


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## Grandma G. (Oct 29, 2012)

Thank you for the explanations.


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## Kadydee (Apr 28, 2011)

suewynn said:


> I don't know all the abreviations for family members, what is 'SO' I think that's what someone wrote a while back.
> DH = Dear Husband, DD = Dear Daughter. etc.


Guess theres not much difference but I always thought it was Darling. But either works and well it does.


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## Alene (Jan 26, 2011)

Joy Marshall said:


> Sometimes it takes longer to unbarf an ounce of yarn that it does it you were just knitting it.


That is so true


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

I have been in game rooms for a very long time now.. I can remember some very nice and informative people explaining all this to me and all us newbies... that was 12 years ago and the list continues to grow... there are many more in online chat/game rooms that we use here too... 
I have to say that we have our own unique 'short cuts'... I wonder what the real word is for the abbrieveated words are.. we use wtg, ty ,aoyp, tc ,glng ,blng, this one cracks me up every time I see it.. Pmsl... I am sure we use more that just fly off the fingers as we are chatting.. but its a whole new world..

Some years back my dad signed up for face book at the age of 80... his comment was.."I like the old fashioned way of e-mail better"... LOL that cracked me up when it got to the point of someone thinking of e-mail as old fashioned..

the reasons for the LOL Laugh out Loud is so the person you are chatting with knows that you are light hearted and not angry.. unfortunatly it is much easier than going back to school and learning to puncutate properly... geez then we would have to spell correctly too..  I swear I was a good speller in school and went years without having to spell much of anything and now we write all the time.. Craftsy needs a class on spelling and puncutation...LOL


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## Alene (Jan 26, 2011)

mama879 said:


> and barf!!!! I have 1 of those to. bad,bad, bad...


I love this turkey . I lol every time I see it. Makes my day.


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## fran-e (Nov 26, 2011)

elsiemarley said:


> fran-e said:
> 
> 
> > . . . but these kids...where do they come up with it. i'm 68 and feel a 198. ...
> ...


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## GrammieGail (Jun 10, 2011)

Interesting...since any "YARN BARF" I have experienced has been entitled "EASY PULL OUT SKEIN"!!!! I give the whole mess to my husband...and he methodically untangles and winds it up for me. (He also cooks!!) Yep, he is a keeper!!! HUGS...GG


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## LunaDragon (Sep 8, 2012)

kmc1223 OMG you missed a yarn buying opportunity! You could have bought a few skeins so as to make sure the dye lot was right, just in case you had more yarn barf!


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## Gmfur (Oct 29, 2011)

Just had a major barf clean up myself last night!


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## JanetKyneton (Aug 26, 2012)

fan-e. SWAK = Sealed with a kiss/ SWALK ..Sealed with a loving kiss / SASE = Self addressed stamped . I also thought LOL meant Lots of love and found it inappropriate at times!
When I attend public meetings , my mind spins trying to unravel the many abbreviated terms used
Janet


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## JanetKyneton (Aug 26, 2012)

oops! SASE =Self addressed stamped envelope (sorry)


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## Kissnntell (Jan 14, 2012)

SWAK = on envelope ... SEALED WITH A KISS


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## mambo22 (May 11, 2011)

JillF said:


> But, since people cannot see your expression, it is very easy on the internet to misunderstand someone. Therefore, expecially if you are being slightly sarcastic, or if there is any chance for any reason that you may be misunderstood, it's better to just add the LOL. Also, other than the knitting terms, the rest of the abbreviations are common to any site that is on the internet, sort of an internet language, not just used on this site, so it just depends how long you have been talking on forums in general I guess. Every once in a while it's good to explain some of them for the new users.


wish I had known that two weeks ago. got into trouble by not using lol (what is that...lots of laughs or lots of love?) but I think in this case it wouldnt have made a difference. in sept my son rented a white limo for his lady's birthday, surprised her with all four parents in car plus her sister & bf but not his siblings even though there was enough room. then at their halloween party she decided to celberate my sons birthday then so we wouldnt be there. the next day, I asked if we can drop by after supper on his birthday & she replied a blunt no. we have no idea why except that her sister has rejected her inlaws & is not pleased that my dl is in good contacts with us. then the two girls sent me to my email address a photo with their comments mocking my son on facebook. I am not a malicious person, not even to those who have harmed me but I did respond to the photo in what I thought to be cute fun. the sister had smashed the entire cake into my sons face that another guest had baked for him. I wrote it in french but to translate I wrote. what a contrast to the beautiful white limo he rented for his sweethearts bd. photo proof that one can get creamed for being nice. I did not put any punctuation nor lol. they each wrote me back with very nasty letters through facebook. the sister claiming that I accused my dl. my dl wrote a long letter including that I am no longer welcome in her house 
then they unfriended me on facebook our common friends did the same.
I am totally beside myself. I didnt know that only the young folks are allowed to laugh today.


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## Pauline (Jan 23, 2011)

I love this site to, it's the first one I go to when I open my email.


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## Pauline (Jan 23, 2011)

Pauline said:


> I love this site too, it's the first one I go to when I open my email.


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## martymcd (Mar 11, 2011)

So what's the advantage of pulling the yarn from the center if you're risking a barf? I've don't roll and pull from the outside. Haven't knitted long. Balling the yarn up is more time than I've want to use. Would rather use the time knitting.


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## trish2222 (May 13, 2012)

knitterme said:


> Google any acronym and you will find the meaning


Very true but it's so much more fun when the question is asked and it results in a thread like this. Who would have thought that yarn barf would have caused so much fun.
I've also found the knitting abbreviations list on ravelry (I'm bicraftual - who knew?!) and found what looks like a good book I can ask a passing child to buy me for Christmas. (The secret Language of Knitting).
Thank you the members who posted the links to these. :lol:


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## JillF (Feb 17, 2011)

mambo22 said:


> JillF said:
> 
> 
> > But, since people cannot see your expression, it is very easy on the internet to misunderstand someone. Therefore, expecially if you are being slightly sarcastic, or if there is any chance for any reason that you may be misunderstood, it's better to just add the LOL. Also, other than the knitting terms, the rest of the abbreviations are common to any site that is on the internet, sort of an internet language, not just used on this site, so it just depends how long you have been talking on forums in general I guess. Every once in a while it's good to explain some of them for the new users.
> ...


Wow, I hate to say it, but maybe they were just looking for an excuse?? Personally, I would apologize, talk to my son, and then forget about the whole thing. I think if it hadn't been this, they would have found something else later.


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

JillF said:


> mambo22 said:
> 
> 
> > JillF said:
> ...


I'd talk to my son and ask him what's going on.


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## domesticgod (Apr 6, 2011)

glacy1 said:


> Norma B. said:
> 
> 
> > It has taken me awhile to sort out and translate the various terms used here. Frog, tink, WIP, stash, barf. Not to mention the abbreviations for family members. I learned that tink is knit spelled backward since that's what you do if you don't frog (????) I don't think these terms were used when I knit fifty years ago, but then there were no blogs or forums then either because there were no computers. I still don't know what IMOHF (or something like that) means. "I'm My Own Helpful Friend"? I dunno! I just pretend I understand and move on.
> ...


You left out IMONSHO (In My Own Not So Humble Opinion)


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## kathleenknits (Jan 27, 2012)

This web site is fantastic. I learn something new everyday. Wonder who came up with wool barf? It is great and you can really relate..... do it all the time.. ugh!


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## afoster (Jun 10, 2012)

My dad used to work with jewelry and would bring me a huge lump of tangled necklaces and chains to untangle. I really liked doing that. And I don't really mind untangling yarn. Too bad I don't live close enough to some of you to help with the clean up.


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## Barb K Bend OR (Oct 1, 2012)

This is a great chat, I have grinned all morning over our funny terms. I'm so glad I joined this forum, and not just to learn the LOL comments.


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## Kissnntell (Jan 14, 2012)

LOL aka LMWOBO = Laughing My Wrinkled Old Butt Off


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## Seapoodle (Jun 7, 2011)

me too! what does it all mean....????? lol


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## Texmama (Oct 22, 2012)

Now that you have had enough explanations, I have to use this opportunity to say something nice about my husband. I may have the patience to sew, knit, do needlework, etc, but he is my hero when it comes to ripping out projects for me - first of all because I do not have the patience for it and second, it is too upsetting to rip out hours of work! He has also cleaned up a lot of 'yarn barf' in his time! Heh, he also paints my toenails!!! Doesn't win him popularity points with our guy friends but our female friends think that's pretty cool! I'll keep him around...


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## Texmama (Oct 22, 2012)

Oh yeah, and he loves our cats!!!


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## nanathewiz (Nov 7, 2012)

:thumbup: thanks for clearing that up for me,girls, I have been wondering about that and trying to figure it out... LOL..


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## chatkat (May 15, 2011)

After reading the comments in this thread a out "yarn barf", I decided to start crocheting a baby afghan that I need to finish in two weeks along with my other WIP's and all of the other demands of life. So I grabbed my huge, 1 lb. skein of turquoise Lion Brand Pound of Love...all 1,020 yards of it!! I tried to gently find the inside end! Well, after all my work I only ended up with a mega case of "yarn barf"!!!! So I started winding from the outside with that nauseous tangle hanging. After winding a ball the size of a tennis ball I found one of those obnoxious knots!! Grrrrrr! So, here you can see some yarn barf!! Still no inner end and it is taking forever to wind from the outside!! Sigh! The joys of knitting! However, I am tenacious. So I will keep winding.....


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## MarilynKnits (Aug 30, 2011)

It has also been referred to as wool poop. Either description indicates how charming it is.

I have no idea why manufacturers cannot or will not have the center end of the yarn sticking out instead of hidden the way it is. They must secretly hate us all.


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## mac.worrall (Jun 24, 2011)

I've always used the term "ripple" instead of rip or frog.


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## mochamarie (Mar 9, 2012)

MaryCarter said:


> Rhonda-may said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard others talk about wool barf but I have no idea what you are talking about.
> ...


We say barf because it's a nicer word than puke. :lol: :thumbup:


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## grandmadawn (Sep 4, 2011)

I'd talk to my son too -- that is way beyond hurtful. Those women should be watched, they may do serious crimes and just laugh them off.


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## 3mom (Apr 20, 2011)

Sally Forth said:


> Very amusing! I was stumped on 'frogging' too, so thanks for that [but frogs don't say 'rippit' they say 'ribbit' don't they? Which gives a whole nother meaning as I'm sure using rib wouldn't necessarily solve all problems. With pc talk, when I first got into computers [a long time ago, when I was a lot younger and should have been smarter] I thought 'lol' meant 'little old lady' ... no wonder some posts seemed strange.
> Incidentally, I think on computer is about the only place where people find it necessary to add 'lol' or something similar to indicate that they are joking. Were us oldies smarter than the young of today? I'm sure we could usually pick up 'double-entendre' and wry humour in the ordinary written words, without adding hints like 'lol' to prompt a reader's smile.


I used to think AOL meant always on line. One day I said it to my daughter and I thought she'd never stop laughing.


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## nhauf001 (Jan 18, 2011)

MaryCarter said:


> Rhonda-may said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard others talk about wool barf but I have no idea what you are talking about.
> ...


Actually this American calls it yarn vomit. but may be where I was raised (and by whom) or where I live now. ;D


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## gramnpapa123 (Jul 31, 2012)

thought frogging was so funny,and n


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## gramnpapa123 (Jul 31, 2012)

i THOUGHT FROGGING WAS SO FUNNY, AND NOW EACH TIME I START A PULL OUT SKEIN, I'LL REMEMBER WOOL BARF LOL


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## train (Nov 6, 2011)

actually, I prefer the "p" word, especially in place of the "v" word. No sugar-coating for me!


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## joand (Aug 28, 2011)

Yarn barf is a new one to me-- but SO descriptive!


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## GHBELL (Dec 22, 2011)

Reading all the posts of abbreviations reminded me of an incident that happened with my husband and our son. My husband does not text or abbreviate in an email. My son wrote lol at the end of a text. My husband asked me why our son would tell him "lots of lard". That was after he texted a reply to my son. The son replied "Dad, WTF". My husband asks why is he telling me "wild turkey farts"? We laughed for a long time about that. So glad that my kids learned me up real quick. 

Tinking2 was the name kids gave me because I did it soo much!


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## d-dub (Jul 22, 2012)

AmyKnits said:


> How about LYS. When I first started knitting I used Lion Brand Yarn a lot. So, I thought LYS was Lion Yarn Site. LOL BTW.... IT is actually Local Yarn Shop. Giggle.


Thankyou for that, I thought it was the name of a chain of yarn shops, used to put lol at the end of my emails to special friends as i thought it meant lots of love!!!.
D


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## Annsb (May 16, 2011)

I thought the Canadians said Barf and the American say vomit?
By the way what is BFF?


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## 9ewes (Sep 10, 2012)

Yea I had a skein that did that not to long ago, drives one crazy dosen't it.


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## msdotsy1 (Oct 17, 2012)

Jerannsb said:


> I thought the Canadians said Barf and the American say vomit?
> By the way what is BFF?


Best friend forever. So as we are on the subject of yarn barf. I noticed that Caron yarns can be pulled from the center outward very nicely. Should all yarns be able to do that? Is it me not locating that end inside? I much prefer that way as my yarn doesn't exit my knitting basket and roll all over the floor making it necessary to wash the end product. Oh and I need one of those boxes that you can place three or more colors in if you are knitting/crocheting multiple colors. Anyone able to respond to one or more questions would really be appreciated.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

Someone at Red Heart is giving incorrect information. The skeins that come with no cone in the middle of them are called "pull" skeins. That is what they were always called and manufacturers used to tape or staple the end of the yarn from the inside of the skein to the label for the customer to easily find the end. Pull skeins are so much easier to work with than unwinding from the outside. The yarn that comes on cones is a different matter, because you have to use the yarn from the outside. I do not have a turn table to put this yarn on, so I usually put it on the floor by my feet when I am working on a project which workes better than having it on a table. I am going to keep contacting the yarn companies about this problem and I hope others will too.


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## trisha 54 (Feb 24, 2012)

interesting


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## dad's funnyface (Sep 1, 2012)

judihaven said:


> elsiemarley said:
> 
> 
> > Sometimes people are a bit criical of the new acronyms and abbreviations, but we are so used to the ones we have used for years, we don't think about it twice. We have a two letter abreviation for every state, and most countries, we use e.g., i.e., etc. with ease. Everyone knows what Co., Inc, Dr. Mr. and Mrs. stand for. Businesses and agencies have long gone by their initials, IBM, GE, GM, FBI, OSHA, etc. I remember the trouble people had learning the 'new' two letter abreviations for states, having been used to three and four letter ones. MN instead of Minn. --- and we mostly wrote Mpls when mailing to Minneapolis and everyone knew what it was. Kind of a fun challenge to keep up with the changes in language --- yes??
> ...


OMG, have not heard that in eons. So much fun - I loved that show.


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## woodart (Jul 1, 2011)

Norma B.
And then there's WTF which I've refrained from using here said:


> now if I had to work that one out without any help from the list I reckon I'd come up with 'what's that for?"
> 
> Cheers
> Ainslie


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

"What's that for?" Perfect.



woodart said:


> Norma B.
> And then there's WTF which I've refrained from using here said:
> 
> 
> ...


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## Kissnntell (Jan 14, 2012)

bad one i've heard is GFY, which i wont tell here, but when asked y i would say something so terrible? i just answer *good for you*
lol
or F a D
naughty!!

lol


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## carrottop71 (Jul 17, 2011)

I've never heard the barf term before, but to barf out the yarn from the middle seems more like a cat hacking up a fur ball. Isn't it interesting the different ways we express ourselves in different countries and we're all using the same English language. I'm from mideastern Ohio and I wonder what the girls down south have to say on this one.


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## Dorothy Nosewicz (Apr 25, 2011)

Thank You, Had no idea what a couple of these were,Just didnt want to act dumb thats all!


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## Kissnntell (Jan 14, 2012)

well, hon, u surely wouldnt b the 1st one -- that would be ME!!
LOL



Dorothy Nosewicz said:


> Thank You, Had no idea what a couple of these were,Just didnt want to act dumb thats all!


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## Sumacsew (Sep 17, 2012)

I've always taken the yarn from the outside. It jumps around in the bag a bit, but keeps the outside changing, so the outside yarn doesn't get more dirty as you go.


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## Loraia (Nov 2, 2012)

My yarn circle always refers to it as the skein being disemboweled. (The innards are now on the outside in a big tangled mess)


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

carrottop71 said:


> I've never heard the barf term before, but to barf out the yarn from the middle seems more like a cat hacking up a fur ball. Isn't it interesting the different ways we express ourselves in different countries and we're all using the same English language. I'm from mideastern Ohio and I wonder what the girls down south have to say on this one.


Girls down south would understand that just fine, I think, being from Texas myself. However, the belles from the deep south might use a more genteel word. :lol:


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## MarilynKnits (Aug 30, 2011)

Read in a different thread or a link from a different thread that the way yarn is twisted makes it better to pull from the inside. The other way the yarn twist loosens and that is how you get splits if you don't watch the stitches. They also say not to knit from the middle and the outside if you want to make two items, like a pair of socks, the right and left fronts of a sweater. The different direction of the twist catches the light differently and you may end up looking as if you used two dye lots. They say if you want to make two balls of one, weigh the ball, pull from the inside and wind with an end sticking out so you make a ball that winds from the inside and keep the "mother" ball on your scale so you get as even weights for the two balls as you can.

It went on to say that with long skeins like Red Heart hold the label right side up and find the end on the right side. If it is a squat ball like Sugar and Cream, hold the label right side up and look for the end from the bottom.

However, I still have trouble finding the end more than half the time.


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## Kadydee (Apr 28, 2011)

MarilynKnits,
Thank you for the information. I've never heard that and I find it very interesting.

But I'm not sure I totally understand "not knitting from the middle" I get the outside.

I'm assuming this means not to change from the inside to the outside on the different fronts or on each sock.

Can see the light hitting the different twist direction could reflect the shade differently.

I would like to read and learn more on this.

Thank you



MarilynKnits said:


> Read in a different thread or a link from a different thread that the way yarn is twisted makes it better to pull from the inside. The other way the yarn twist loosens and that is how you get splits if you don't watch the stitches. They also say not to knit from the middle and the outside if you want to make two items, like a pair of socks, the right and left fronts of a sweater. The different direction of the twist catches the light differently and you may end up looking as if you used two dye lots. They say if you want to make two balls of one, weigh the ball, pull from the inside and wind with an end sticking out so you make a ball that winds from the inside and keep the "mother" ball on your scale so you get as even weights for the two balls as you can.
> 
> It went on to say that with long skeins like Red Heart hold the label right side up and find the end on the right side. If it is a squat ball like Sugar and Cream, hold the label right side up and look for the end from the bottom.
> 
> However, I still have trouble finding the end more than half the time.


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## Hannelore (Oct 26, 2011)

Since joining this forum, I have learned a whole new language. Sometimes I have to stop and think about what may be meant, but after a while I work it out. This is such a helpful site.


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## Mz Molly (May 31, 2012)

Wannabe knitter said:


> A great book about knitting terms is "the Secret Language of Knitters." (http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Langua...2&sr=8-1&keywords=secret+language+of+knitters). I was reading it one night and laughing out loud about the definition of "the curse of the boyfriend sweater." When my husband asked me what was so funny, I explained to him about this definition, and the next morning he told me I never needed to knit him a sweater. A month later, when his grandma tried to offer him a sweater she had knit years ago, we both exchanged knowing glances at each other.
> 
> It also compares knitting language with illegal drug trade--stash, dealer, weight, addiction ( to yarn or knitting)etc...
> 
> Very funny book, yet very informative.


IF you go to this site , you can read a sample of the book. The addition story .... a 12 step program. My name is Marybeth and I am addicted to alpaca.


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## Catladysher (Nov 7, 2012)

Wow...who would have thought there was a word for that...I hate when the whole center comes out of a skein of yarn...now I can call it by its true name...


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## MaryCarter (Oct 17, 2011)

Tennessee.Gal said:


> MaryCarter said:
> 
> 
> > Rhonda-may said:
> ...


Sorry Mrs B, perhaps I should have explained it the Aussie way.....a yarn chunder!


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## Rhonda-may (Feb 15, 2012)

MaryCarter said:


> Tennessee.Gal said:
> 
> 
> > MaryCarter said:
> ...


That's exactly the Aussie way those are the words my son would use. By the way sure made me laugh.
Rhonda


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## MICKMAR (Mar 27, 2011)

wow i learned a lot today I am glad ivisited I very seldom comment I usually just check out patterns and am very impressed with many of the projects i see on here thank you for a really nice place to go


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## sharon05676 (May 13, 2012)

How appropriate!


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## NanGreen (Aug 8, 2011)

Yarn vomit:



__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/162551867771596302/


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

Franklin Habit did a great cartoon about yarn barf. You can see it on his blog,The Panopticon.

I'm writing this on a tablet and really can't look it up. Sorry.


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## Knitnewbie (Mar 8, 2011)

lostarts said:


> Franklin Habit did a great cartoon about yarn barf. You can see it on his blog,The Panopticon.
> 
> I'm writing this on a tablet and really can't look it up. Sorry.


http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2010/03/and-i-dont-feel-so-good-myself.html


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## charliesaunt (Apr 22, 2011)

Don't you love knitting terms????

wool barf, wool vomit, frogging, etc. And knitting is such a pleasant and restful hobby.


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