# Help finding the begining of yarn on the inside.



## knitnut1939 (May 1, 2013)

Some yarns havea "how to" on the ball band BUT the ones I have bought recently do not and I spend a good 15 minutes untangling the yarn before I can get started knitting. I hope I'm not the only dummy who can't figure this out without a mess. Thanks


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## kareo (Apr 24, 2011)

I can confirm you are not the only dummy having a problem with this!


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## coolbreeze (Nov 29, 2011)

No your not. it get very frustrating when ever I start new skain. Happy yarning.:lol:


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.

Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.

I don't understand some knitters who say they pull out a "tangled mess"..... it is NOT tangled in the skein, so how you pull out a tangle is a mystery to me......... 

Even if I pull out a "plug" instead of the end, it is NEVER tangled, just in a plug. I don't know how you get it tangled by simply pulling out a plug. Once you get the "plug" of yarn out, just look for the end and use it... it is not tangled...


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## granny45 (Sep 29, 2012)

No you not. Sometimes I luck out and get it right off, other times I seem to have alot of the ball pulled out with a real mess.
Just depends on the type of yarn.


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## RosieC (Feb 14, 2012)

Well, I figure if you buy a hank/skein of yarn and wind it into a ball yourself, you're going to be starting with the outside end of the yarn. So, if I don't feel like fishing on the inside of a factory wound ball of yarn, I start with the outside. I have never noticed a difference - but then I am a leftie and I sometimes approach things differently.


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## PunchinJudy (Sep 7, 2012)

Trust me, you're not alone. Sometimes I can find it right away, and then starting on an additional ball of same yarn becomes a project in itself.


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## pam1954 (Apr 26, 2012)

I don't know why they just can't leave the end of the yarn sticking out of the ball..I have found that Michael's craft smart yarn has the end sticking out most of the time..it's so nice not to have to go fishing for it


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## vayankee (May 5, 2011)

AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


I have to agree with Amy here......


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## soneka (Feb 8, 2011)

It shouldn't have to be this difficult . . . or messy. The yarn people could make it so much simpler on us to find the end in the middle of a skein!


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## Obsessed (Jan 22, 2012)

If you can find the side where the outside yarn is stuck in, pull out and wrap around outside. Then go to opposite end and fish around inside for the other end. Yes, you sometimes have to pull out a "plug"! Many skeins pull out from the left as the label faces you, or from the bottom (in my experience) Good luck and don't get frustrated!


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## Dowager (Jun 7, 2011)

Amy and yaknits, the last skein of yarn I opened, I never DID find the end! I stuck my fingers in both ends, and pulle out a plug the size f about 1/3 of the skein, a tangled mess, and STILL didn't find the end! I have noticed, though, that the "outside" end always seems plenty easy to find! *LOL*


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## frani512 (Apr 15, 2012)

I also agree with Amy. Just pull out the plug, find the end and start knitting. Don't try and put it back or straighten out. Just knit. It will straighten itself out as you go.


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## maurah (Sep 26, 2012)

What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

Some yarns don't have a center pull... like Red Heart Soft.. I spent a lot of time trying to get that one to work until someone on here contacted Red Heart and they cleared it up... Amy I think the knot comes from messing with the hidden yarn for a hour and making a big mess before just pulling out the plug... I don't mess with it for any length of time anymore.. if its not readily available I just 'Pull the Plug'!!!


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## Edith M (Aug 10, 2011)

I call it yarn barf and it is inconvienent but hardly fatal.


AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


If you use the outside of a skein, you have to pull and flip flop your yarn while working. If you use the center, you can just pull it straight out.


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## frani512 (Apr 15, 2012)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


The skein will not roll around if you pull from the center. Just easier to work with.


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## Glory3236 (Mar 9, 2013)

I have trouble sometimes too. And ask if there is any difference using from outside or inside? Does the yarn look better one way or another?


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## Janet.Sar (Jun 29, 2011)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


I find it easier to knit from the centre when knitting from a 'ball' - the ball sits still while you're knitting and it's just easier to manage.
Finding that illusive 'end' requires a bit of perseverance though, and a little luck sometimes! :?


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## KnitGma (Apr 10, 2013)

This is what I do also. I have found the smaller skeins are difficult to get started sometimes.


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## bwtyer (Oct 31, 2012)

You have a lot of company. Although if I don't roll it into a ball, I start from the outside- One yarn recently had the beginning/end tied together- and it was a bit of a mess- surpised me to no end - I did buy the yarn on ebay so suspect it did not come from the manufacturer like that- probably the seller had the same problem an had pulled out both ends...


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## laminitagirl (Feb 7, 2011)

Quite a while back someone on this forum (Bless her heart!) wrote that if you look at the label and the skein was oriented right to left (east to west), then the inside end could be pulled from the right side. If the label was situated that the skein was up and down, (north and south) the inside end could be accessed from the bottom. Yes, you have to feel around a little, but if I get a "plug", I just unwind and rewind around the outside of the skein to keep it from getting tangled. As you knit, the yarn it will quickly be used up and you will then be able to pull from the center without having the skein roll all over. I have used this method since reading it and I have always found it to be true. I've even found that some yarns have an illustration on their labels that tell you which end contains the "inside end". I hope you give this a try and have as much success as I have had.


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## Sine (Jun 12, 2011)

I orient the yarn so that I can read the label. Then I put my index finger inside the right side and feel around until I pull something out, usually "yarn barf." Then I find the end inside the "yarn barf."


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## RosieC (Feb 14, 2012)

this yarn barf stuff is making me laugh


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## Obsessed (Jan 22, 2012)

I use Red Heart Soft all the time and luckily have no trouble finding the inside piece. It's actually one of the easier ones for me! Go figure!



Ronie said:


> Some yarns don't have a center pull... like Red Heart Soft.. I spent a lot of time trying to get that one to work until someone on here contacted Red Heart and they cleared it up... Amy I think the knot comes from messing with the hidden yarn for a hour and making a big mess before just pulling out the plug... I don't mess with it for any length of time anymore.. if its not readily available I just 'Pull the Plug'!!!


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## EJS (Feb 17, 2013)

I don't know about other yarns but RH SS has an illustration on the wrapper.


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## MissNettie (Dec 15, 2012)

laminitagirl said:


> Quite a while back someone on this forum (Bless her heart!) wrote that if you look at the label and the skein was oriented right to left (east to west), then the inside end could be pulled from the right side. If the label was situated that the skein was up and down, (north and south) the inside end could be accessed from the bottom. Yes, you have to feel around a little, but if I get a "plug", I just unwind and rewind around the outside of the skein to keep it from getting tangled. As you knit, the yarn it will quickly be used up and you will then be able to pull from the center without having the skein roll all over. I have used this method since reading it and I have always found it to be true. I've even found that some yarns have an illustration on their labels that tell you which end contains the "inside end". I hope you give this a try and have as much success as I have had.


This is, in my opinion the best answer so far but I have not read all the way. If you pull the plug from the wrong end, you will have a mess but it can be fixed.


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## Kathleendoris (Sep 20, 2012)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


Absolutely! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## MissNettie (Dec 15, 2012)

I had a lot of trouble finding the inside end of the Sashay. I have quit making those scarves so I do not have to worry about it until I start using Sashay again. If anyone has the answer to finding the inside end in Sashay, let me know.


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## StitchDesigner (Jan 24, 2011)

I pull all skeins from the center. Only once in a while do I get the elusive end. I just deal with it without panicking. It ain't no big deal.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

Kathleendoris said:


> Absolutely! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


Again, the reason for pulling from the inside is so that you can easily knit with yarn from a skein. If you use it from the outside, you will have to flip and flop your skein as you work. Sure is awkward and I have no idea how you could take your knitting with you to a public place and have your skein of yarn flip flopping all over the place!


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## MzKnitCro (May 29, 2012)

I do like the others, I take both index fingers, and thumbs and put them in a "gun", make my index fingers touch, then start feeling around for the clump.


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## Kathleendoris (Sep 20, 2012)

AmyKnits said:


> Again, the reason for pulling from the inside is so that you can easily knit with yarn from a skein. If you use it from the outside, you will have to flip and flop your skein as you work. Sure is awkward and I have no idea how you could take your knitting with you to a public place and have your skein of yarn flip flopping all over the place!


Apart from a few hand spun or hand dyed yarns, very little that is on sale in the UK is in skeins. If I am ever able to afford any of that, I pre-wind it into a ball. Most yarns are sold already wound, and I have never yet found any good reason to use them in any way other than the way in which the manufacturer presents them to me.


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## amethyst2 (Mar 14, 2013)

When I was making those scarves, I always wrapped each one around a paper towel inside roll...I never messed with trying to find the inside thing on those ribbon yarns...but now I have an over-abundance of un-knitted ribbon yarn on paper towel rolls...lol...maybe I'd have better luck selling them like that rather than knitted...that's how most buyers were buying, that I noticed...(on ebay)...very few people were selling the actual scarves...strange...I thought they were a neat fashion statement...oh well...fool me once...rofl


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## dawnmc1 (Sep 3, 2011)

You have just been lucky, sometimes it is a tangle and takes a while to untangle but I still do it.


AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


 :shock:


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


AmyKnits, I have found what you said, exactly. That plug or clump has never been tangeled but for those who want to see it flowing free before working, just shake it out over the floor and you will see the strands release.


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## kayde (Apr 28, 2013)

I agree that using yarn from the outside is frustrating but I sometimes have had to and it puts tension on the work.

Thanks for the suggestions to find the centre, I will try it on the next new ball of wool.


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## cydneyjo (Aug 5, 2011)

I always thought that it had to do with how the yarn is plied, and that your yarn could "unply" if you knit from the wrong end.


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## love yarn (Oct 28, 2011)

all of brown sheep yarn has both ends together wrapped around the outside of the skein, under the label, such a joy and my favorite brand. brown sheep is made in nebraska.


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## TNS (Nov 27, 2012)

RosieC said:


> this yarn barf stuff is making me laugh


Me too. brilliant term which I may well add to my list of new Knitting Terms :lol: :lol:


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## Torticollus (Dec 3, 2011)

One reason for pulling from the inside is that the yarn is cleaner and stays cleaner during the project. If I get a huge wad, sometimes I use my ball winder and put the whole thing into a new ball.


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## Kyba (Oct 12, 2011)

Knitnut, if it makes you feel any better, I have ..never,ever, ever, never,,, did I say ever?, never found the stray end inside the ball, I always have a yank of barf yarn , sometimes I cant even find the end in that! Yikes, I don't have that magic touch. I just figure its part of the ritual of knitting.


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## beanscene (Jun 9, 2012)

Dowager said:


> Amy and yaknits, the last skein of yarn I opened, I never DID find the end! I stuck my fingers in both ends, and pulle out a plug the size f about 1/3 of the skein, a tangled mess, and STILL didn't find the end! I have noticed, though, that the "outside" end always seems plenty easy to find! *LOL*


Me too! Was knitting a throw with 400g balls of wool and 2 out of three I found the end but the 3rd one I never did and boy was it ever a tangled mess. Gave up eventually and worked from the outside. Why dont the manufacturers help us out here?


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## Marylou12 (Dec 11, 2011)

I have to say Red Heart is the best. They leave a little tail out of one end for you to start with.
Hats off to Red heart!


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## tielma (Nov 20, 2011)

I gave up trying to find the inside end long ago. Always use the end easier to find, and I've never had any problems at all. I always put the skein/ball into a big wide mouth jar and never a problem with it jumping around.


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

marylo12 said:


> I have to say Red Heart is the best. They leave a little tail out of one end for you to start with.
> Hats off to Red heart!


Yes, thank you Red Heart! Wish all the others would do the same. :thumbup:


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

I was the one who posted (many times) about how to orient the label and pull from the right direction. Virtually all the industrial machines that wind yarns, into pull out skeins, are the same. So all you have to do is remember the label trick.

These machines wind the yarn WITH the twist of the yarn. Why do you want to work WITH rather than AGAINST the twist? The are a few reasons.

Working against the twist will slightly separate the plies of the yarn. This can change the gauge of the yarn.

Separated plies can result in split stitches and or partially dropped stitches. 

While yarn has no "nap" or "grain" you will see a slight color difference between yarn knitted with the twist and yarn knitted against the twist..it's very subtle and may not be noticed right away. I've seen many a post here where someone completed a project and although all the skeins were of the same dye lot, there's a very subtle color difference...was one skein pulled from the outer end?


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## Phee (Feb 15, 2012)

I have been knitting for many years and probably had a problem twice pulling yarn from center of the ball.I just put a finger in each end and fish a little and pull the clump out. And knit away and that is even on sock yarn.Hate to work yarn from the outside.But everyone has their own way. I have friends that work the skein like that but they are to anxious to take the time needed.


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## SavvyCrafter (May 6, 2012)

Obsessed said:


> If you can find the side where the outside yarn is stuck in, pull out and wrap around outside. Then go to opposite end and fish around inside for the other end. Yes, you sometimes have to pull out a "plug"! Many skeins pull out from the left as the label faces you, or from the bottom (in my experience) Good luck and don't get frustrated!


This is generally what I do if the inside end is not obvious. as you say, just determine which end the outside end comes from and go to the opposite end to search for the inside end. You still have to pull out a plug sometimes, but it's not usually tangled, so the end easy to find. Best of luck!


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## linda6200 (Oct 11, 2011)

I just started a skein of Bernat Baby, the one-pound size. I fished around and pulled out a plug, and then -- another plug! There was a lump of unattached yarn in the middle of the skein.


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## knits42 (Nov 23, 2011)

Amy, I do exactly like you do. No problem, at least for awhile. Then the other end (which is on the inside) starts twisting around the strand I am knitting with. From that point on, it's stop and separate the two strands. I haven't found an easy way to solve this.


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## marina1109 (Jan 23, 2013)

Definitely NOT the only one!



AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


I have often battled with the tangled mess I get after I pull a "plug of yarn" It's so absolutely frustrating. I too don't understand how that happens but it really does.


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## norm13 (Jul 15, 2012)

I was about to respond to this saying not so but then I finally hit pay dirt , found the "plug" and within found the end of the yarn. So guess it is true


laminitagirl said:


> Quite a while back someone on this forum (Bless her heart!) wrote that if you look at the label and the skein was oriented right to left (east to west), then the inside end could be pulled from the right side. If the label was situated that the skein was up and down, (north and south) the inside end could be accessed from the bottom. Yes, you have to feel around a little, but if I get a "plug", I just unwind and rewind around the outside of the skein to keep it from getting tangled. As you knit, the yarn it will quickly be used up and you will then be able to pull from the center without having the skein roll all over. I have used this method since reading it and I have always found it to be true. I've even found that some yarns have an illustration on their labels that tell you which end contains the "inside end". I hope you give this a try and have as much success as I have had.


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

Actually, when you get that "plug" of yarn out...DON'T search for the end, that's when things get tangled. Instead take the strand that leads from the skein to the "plug" and start wrapping it around the skein from t he skein end. It's easier and you'll come to the end faster, without having caused any tangles.


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## Cnleb (Aug 19, 2012)

AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


I was like you until this month! In the 20 yrs I've been knitting I've never had a mess like I got into with my latest project! It didn't matter how I approached finding the end it was an absolute mess. One skein I ended up cutting so I could find someplace to start to untangle and wind. Even though it was a smooth yarn it had some "nubs" that seemed to catch as I unwound. I used the same brand but 2 different colors and all did the same.


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## Cnleb (Aug 19, 2012)

I find that happens also - constantly monitoring.


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## Cnleb (Aug 19, 2012)

knits42 said:


> Amy, I do exactly like you do. No problem, at least for awhile. Then the other end (which is on the inside) starts twisting around the strand I am knitting with. From that point on, it's stop and separate the two strands. I haven't found an easy way to solve this.


I've had the same thing - constantly monitoring!


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## gracieanne (Mar 29, 2011)

laminitagirl said:


> Quite a while back someone on this forum (Bless her heart!) wrote that if you look at the label and the skein was oriented right to left (east to west), then the inside end could be pulled from the right side. If the label was situated that the skein was up and down, (north and south) the inside end could be accessed from the bottom. Yes, you have to feel around a little, but if I get a "plug", I just unwind and rewind around the outside of the skein to keep it from getting tangled. As you knit, the yarn it will quickly be used up and you will then be able to pull from the center without having the skein roll all over. I have used this method since reading it and I have always found it to be true. I've even found that some yarns have an illustration on their labels that tell you which end contains the "inside end". I hope you give this a try and have as much success as I have had.


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: This has always worked for me!


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## jonibee (Nov 3, 2011)

knitnut1939 said:


> Some yarns havea "how to" on the ball band BUT the ones I have bought recently do not and I spend a good 15 minutes untangling the yarn before I can get started knitting. I hope I'm not the only dummy who can't figure this out without a mess. Thanks


You are not alone in this endeavor..I wish their was a way of being able to detect where this mysterious beginning yarn is hiding...


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## gigi 722 (Oct 25, 2011)

Not my favorite task..seems to depend on the yarn and where it comes from.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

knits42 said:


> Amy, I do exactly like you do. No problem, at least for awhile. Then the other end (which is on the inside) starts twisting around the strand I am knitting with. From that point on, it's stop and separate the two strands. I haven't found an easy way to solve this.


I find the OTHER end first and then tuck it in and under and over and under the ball band a few times so that it stays put.

I CAN remember a particular unruly OTHER end that just wanted to join it's sister end when I was knitting. I solved that one by sitting on the OTHER end while knitting. I have even got so angry that I have tied the OTHER end to a nearby chair leg. LOL

So funny that we all have the same problems.


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## alwaysforyou (Dec 6, 2011)

knits42 said:


> Amy, I do exactly like you do. No problem, at least for awhile. Then the other end (which is on the inside) starts twisting around the strand I am knitting with. From that point on, it's stop and separate the two strands. I haven't found an easy way to solve this.


I've had this happen to me, and when the "other end" tangles on the inside, after you separate it from the working yarn, give it a pull and you'll see where it's coming from on the OUTSIDE of the skein. Pull from there (outside) and wrap it around the label and voila  your tangling stops. Took me awhile to figure out, but this works! :lol: Lynn


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

courier770 said:


> Actually, when you get that "plug" of yarn out...DON'T search for the end, that's when things get tangled. Instead take the strand that leads from the skein to the "plug" and start wrapping it around the skein from t he skein end. It's easier and you'll come to the end faster, without having caused any tangles.


I agree with courier. I will wrap the "plug" yarn around the skein wrapper and find the end and work from there.


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## alwaysforyou (Dec 6, 2011)

Whenever I'm frustratedly untangling my yarn, I've often thought that we "yarnsters" should unite and let the yarn manufacturers know that all this time wasted with finding ends and detangling yarn barf could be time spent working up and producing MORE end products. We'd need to buy even MORE yarn and they would come out making more money off us. It would be to their advantage to better produce and market yarns efficiently labeled to EASILY pull so we can get started quickly and finish faster! I say, " Yarnsters Unite"
   Lynn


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

courier770 said:


> I was the one who posted (many times) about how to orient the label and pull from the right direction. Virtually all the industrial machines that wind yarns, into pull out skeins, are the same. So all you have to do is remember the label trick.
> 
> These machines wind the yarn WITH the twist of the yarn. Why do you want to work WITH rather than AGAINST the twist? The are a few reasons.
> 
> ...


I HAD to copy and reply to this since no one else made any comments.

I had never known WHY, but using the yarn from the outside end of the skein just felt WRONG. I could never put my finger on it...... the yarn just didn't lie properly.... didn't feel right when knitting, etc.

I know that skeins are meant to be used from the center, feel as though I am knitting correctly but had no idea exactly why. I assumed it was something to do with the "twist" the manufacturer put in the yarn and if you are knitting from the OUTSIDE, you would be knitting it in the opposite direction of how the yarn was supposed to be used.

Thanks for taking the time to explain in proper terms what I was trying to explain for a while now to people who use the end of the yarn which is sticking out of the ball......

This makes sense and I hope more people take a minute or two to dig out the "right" end and use the yarn as it was intended by the manufacturer..... it really does make a difference. It is not just the flip flopping that is the problem, but the fact that you are using the yarn in the opposite direction of which it was manufactured to be used.


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## Britty43 (Jan 8, 2012)

Maurah ...I'm with you .. Been knitting since I was 4 in England and never pull from the middle ... I would think by doing that by the time you got the the end it would be grubby 
If course when I first started it was all in hanks and had to be wound... But I'd never heard of pulling from the middle til I joined KP


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## gmarie (Feb 8, 2012)

kareo said:


> I can confirm you are not the only dummy having a problem with this!


Ditto. I end up with a pile of yarn vomit. :lol:


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## Phee (Feb 15, 2012)

I do agree that if one skein is pulled one way and the other the opposite way it does make a difference on the product you are knitting.It will be noticed on plain knit if one looks close enough the twist moves the other way..


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## knitknack (Oct 30, 2011)

Welcome to the club with many members. I usually give a tug and out comes a large plug of yarn which really makes me angry. Don't feel like rewinding the yarn, so I usually find the beginning and just start knitting. Sometimes I have found that it is tangled, which really gets me quite upset, as I want to knit, not sit and unwind a mess.


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## knitcrochetlover (Feb 1, 2011)

knitnut1939 said:


> Some yarns havea "how to" on the ball band BUT the ones I have bought recently do not and I spend a good 15 minutes untangling the yarn before I can get started knitting. I hope I'm not the only dummy who can't figure this out without a mess. Thanks


I have the same problem. I end up pulling a lot of yarn out of the center but doesn't take me long to use it up in my project. :lol:


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## sophie11 (Nov 22, 2011)

I bought some Yarn Bee from Hobby Lobby called Mimic. To my big surprise there was a small tab to pull and there was the inside of yarn. Would be nice if more were like this.


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## kittenosmall (Dec 31, 2012)

Hi, I knit from the outside if it isn't easy to find the inside, no big deal except yarn moves around more when you use the outside.


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## Kathleendoris (Sep 20, 2012)

If this really is such an issue, should you not be doing the opposite when making 'top down' garments? I really am coming to the conclusion that US yarn is packaged and presented very differently from what we have here in the UK. That would also account for the fact that so many US knitters find yarn Swifts to be an essential part of their equipment, whereas I know no one over this side of the pond who uses one or even feels the need for one.

I will shut up now on this topic, because I think we are talking about very different things and generating more heat than light in the process.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

Britty43 said:


> Maurah ...I'm with you .. Been knitting since I was 4 in England and never pull from the middle ... I would think by doing that by the time you got the the end it would be grubby
> If course when I first started it was all in hanks and had to be wound... But I'd never heard of pulling from the middle til I joined KP


If you are pulling from the middle, the skein just sits still. How would it get dirty?

Actually, when you use the outside your skein is flip flopping around the floor while you are knitting and WILL get dirty.

You can be knitting for many, many years and still learn something new.

I learned that the manufacturer puts a twist in the yarn to spin the fibers. The yarn is then wound into a skein with the center end being the yarn that is spun in the direction that it is to be used. This makes sense to me.

When I first began knitting I used the yarn from the outside end. I also learned to use the yarn from the center here on KP. It just "feels" right when you use the yarn the way the manufacturer intended.

Also, now that I spin some myself, I can plainly see that to use the yarn in the opposite direction of the way it was designed and spun to be used is like "fighting a current" and you are actually using the yarn backwards and unspinning yarn as you go.

If you have been knitting from the outside for that long.... give the inside a pull and you will have one of those "I get it" moments! I promise.


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## belinda (Mar 30, 2011)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


If you knit from the inside, the yarn doesn't roll around and stays a little cleaner. It's a matter of personal preference--there's nothing wrong at all with knitting from the outside of the skein. Do whatever's easier for you...


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

Kathleendoris said:


> If this really is such an issue, should you not be doing the opposite when making 'top down' garments? I really am coming to the conclusion that US yarn is packaged and presented very differently from what we have here in the UK. That would also account for the fact that so many US knitters find yarn Swifts to be an essential part of their equipment, whereas I know no one over this side of the pond who uses one or even feels the need for one.
> 
> I will shut up now on this topic, because I think we are talking about very different things and generating more heat than light in the process.


You seem to be a bit confused. The original poster was asking how to find the end of a SKEIN of yarn. If you buy yarn that is not in a SKEIN, then it is not an issue.

Yarn can come in a ball, hank or skein. This discussion applies to finding the correct end to use when the yarn is purchased in a SKEIN.

I hope this helps to clear up the subject.


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## knittingneedles (Mar 27, 2011)

Obsessed said:


> If you can find the side where the outside yarn is stuck in, pull out and wrap around outside. Then go to opposite end and fish around inside for the other end. Yes, you sometimes have to pull out a "plug"! Many skeins pull out from the left as the label faces you, or from the bottom (in my experience) Good luck and don't get frustrated!


yup, i learned that it's always the opposite of end thread on the outside of the skein. (does that make sense?)


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## grandma8 (Oct 27, 2011)

To avoid flip-flop - - when you are ready to begin, get a correct size ziploc bag and poke a small hole in it. Put the yarn into the bag, pull the end through the hole and press ziploc. Yarn stays clean and doesn't flip flop. You can put the label at the bottom of the bag.


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## Kathleendoris (Sep 20, 2012)

AmyKnits said:


> You seem to be a bit confused. The original poster was asking how to find the end of a SKEIN of yarn. If you buy yarn that is not in a SKEIN, then it is not an issue.
> 
> Yarn can come in a ball, hank or skein. This discussion applies to finding the correct end to use when the yarn is purchased in a SKEIN.
> 
> I hope this helps to clear up the subject.


Yes, absolutely it does. I have heard skein used on here to mean almost any presentation of yarn, but your precise definition solves the problem for me. When I was very young, all our wool - and it was always wool- came in 1ozskeins and my first knitting job was to hold my hands out at full stretch so that my mother could drape the skeins over them and wind the wool into balls. 1 don't ever remember her stressing about which way it was wound, but I was very young at the time, so I may have missed something.


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## Phee (Feb 15, 2012)

Heard of this before Grandma.


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## marimom (Aug 27, 2011)

An age old problem for knitters. All of the responses are correct. Because in knitting there are so many ways to do the same thing!


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## knittingneedles (Mar 27, 2011)

Kathleendoris said:


> Yes, absolutely it does. I have heard skein used on here to mean almost any presentation of yarn, but your precise definition solves the problem for me. When I was very young, all our wool - and it was always wool- came in 1ozskeins and my first knitting job was to hold my hands out at full stretch so that my mother could drape the skeins over them and wind the wool into balls. 1 don't ever remember her stressing about which way it was wound, but I was very young at the time, so I may have missed something.


What your mother asked you to hold are called "HANKS" Skeins are the oblong balls of yarn, which you have to wind up into either a cake (with a ballwinder) or ball (by hand).. then there are real "BALLS" of yarn, then there are ""CAKES" that are what comes off a ballwinder and have a flat top and bottom..


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## gracieanne (Mar 29, 2011)

I tension my yarn by wrapping it around my left index finger twice. If I knit from the "wrong" end of the skein, I find the yarn untwists which looks horrible and it becomes almost impossible not to split stitches.


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## Obsessed (Jan 22, 2012)

BINGO!!!!



courier770 said:


> Actually, when you get that "plug" of yarn out...DON'T search for the end, that's when things get tangled. Instead take the strand that leads from the skein to the "plug" and start wrapping it around the skein from t he skein end. It's easier and you'll come to the end faster, without having caused any tangles.


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## knitcrochetlover (Feb 1, 2011)

kittenosmall said:


> Hi, I knit from the outside if it isn't easy to find the inside, no big deal except yarn moves around more when you use the outside.


There is a way to control that. Cheap way is clean an empty 2 litre bottle and cut a hole in the side, put the yarn in that and feed it through the top. Another way is the plastic coffee containers. Even the yarn barns they sell will help. Keeps the yarn in one spot and it won't roll all over the place. :-D


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## KnitterNatalie (Feb 20, 2011)

I was told a long time ago, that if the label reads horizontally (holding the skein horizontally), insert fingers from the right end of the skein. If the skein must be held vertically to read the label, insert fingers from the top. This works well for me most of the time, and it's as good a "recipe" as any with the yarn skeins! Happy Knitting!


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

knittingneedles said:


> What your mother asked you to hold are called "HANKS" Skeins are the oblong balls of yarn, which you have to wind up into either a cake (with a ballwinder) or ball (by hand).. then there are real "BALLS" of yarn, then there are ""CAKES" that are what comes off a ballwinder and have a flat top and bottom..


Thank you, knittingneedles for adding the photos I SHOULD have added.

Wonderful memories of holding yarn for your Mother! (Kathleen) No one around here was willing.... I bought a winder! LOL


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## Kathleendoris (Sep 20, 2012)

knittingneedles said:


> What your mother asked you to hold are called "HANKS" Skeins are the oblong balls of yarn, which you have to wind up into either a cake (with a ballwinder) or ball (by hand).. then there are real "BALLS" of yarn, then there are ""CAKES" that are what comes off a ballwinder and have a flat top and bottom..


Yes, the things I wound were exactly like those hanks, but were most certainly called skeins. We did have hanks of wool, but they were smaller, for darning etc. Yet another example of our being divided by a common language.


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

courier770 said:


> I was the one who posted (many times) about how to orient the label and pull from the right direction. Virtually all the industrial machines that wind yarns, into pull out skeins, are the same. So all you have to do is remember the label trick.
> 
> These machines wind the yarn WITH the twist of the yarn. Why do you want to work WITH rather than AGAINST the twist? The are a few reasons.
> 
> ...


Courrier770, this is very valuable information. You have shared this with us many times and it has saved me a lot of problems. I'm glad you repeat it from time to time so that those who missed can be helped. Thank you.


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## belinda (Mar 30, 2011)

knittingneedles said:


> What your mother asked you to hold are called "HANKS" Skeins are the oblong balls of yarn, which you have to wind up into either a cake (with a ballwinder) or ball (by hand).. then there are real "BALLS" of yarn, then there are ""CAKES" that are what comes off a ballwinder and have a flat top and bottom..


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## bonbf3 (Dec 20, 2011)

If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we find a CONSISTENT way to wind these things and then put complete and concise directions - in words - on the outside of the label?


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## bonbf3 (Dec 20, 2011)

pam1954 said:


> I don't know why they just can't leave the end of the yarn sticking out of the ball..I have found that Michael's craft smart yarn has the end sticking out most of the time..it's so nice not to have to go fishing for it


That makes perfect sense to me!


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## bonbf3 (Dec 20, 2011)

Obsessed said:


> BINGO!!!!


Obsession must be good - that's Brilliant!!

(Now why didn't I think of that?)


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## knovice knitter (Mar 6, 2012)

afterbirth


linda6200 said:


> I just started a skein of Bernat Baby, the one-pound size. I fished around and pulled out a plug, and then -- another plug! There was a lump of unattached yarn in the middle of the skein.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

knovice knitter said:


> afterbirth


Giggle, giggle, giggle.


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## judyaa (Mar 7, 2013)

Go to the top of the page and 'click' on search. Type in 'how I tame the yarn burp" This gives some helpful hints.


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## to-cath (Feb 27, 2013)

There is a way of winding yarn from a hank, so the yarn can be pulled form the inside. I've done it this way for years.I hate having the ball roll around, even in a bowl.


RosieC said:


> Well, I figure if you buy a hank/skein of yarn and wind it into a ball yourself, you're going to be starting with the outside end of the yarn. So, if I don't feel like fishing on the inside of a factory wound ball of yarn, I start with the outside. I have never noticed a difference - but then I am a leftie and I sometimes approach things differently.


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## Johna (May 7, 2012)

I bought a "yarn winder" and if my knit shop doesn't rewind it into a ball, I do it myself. Michaels or Joann's does not do this for their customer, I wish they would. My knit shop that I go to ALWAYS rewinds it for me.


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## Colonial Cat (Mar 4, 2013)

I f no loos end i just reach in and pull and usually find it in the I wrap rest around label and get going do not wast time fussing with it get the end and go on with knit or crochet nice when it's where one can find it but do not have patients to fuss or to find as I get older .


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## knottyknittershop (Mar 16, 2012)

I bought myself one of these. I LOVE IT! Took it to my knitting group & everyone wanted one, several have ordered them. You can pop your yarn ball, cake, or skein on it. It turns & unwinds your yarn from the outside add you knit. Also keeps you're yarn from rolling around. I actually set mine down in my yarn bowl or project bag if I'm on the go.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/152172093/knit-and-spin-african-coralwood-with?ref=cat_gallery_8


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## bigKate (Jan 27, 2013)

Kathleendoris said:


> Yes, the things I wound were exactly like those hanks, but were most certainly called skeins. We did have hanks of wool, but they were smaller, for darning etc. Yet another example of our being divided by a common language.


You're right. Here in the US, too. That was some time ago. I believe the change came when the "pull out" skeins started to be manufactured. The yarn shop I go to winds "hanks" into "cakes" and when working with the cakes, you pull from the center just as you do with the manufactured "skeins".

If I can't find the beginning of a skein, I pull out as small a plug as I can get and look for the yarn between the plug and skein to make sure there is only one strand, then I know the beginning is in the plug. I just find the end and use it as it gets used up pretty quickly, so I never wind it (waste of time). Also, when I get to the end of the skein and it falls in on itself, I don't touch it! If you move it, it will tangle, no matter how careful you are. I let it lay and keep going. Have never had a tangle problem that way.


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## mperrone (Mar 14, 2013)

Welcome to the "dummy club." I think I may be the head dummy!


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## bonbf3 (Dec 20, 2011)

Do many people wind into a ball before knitting? I like a ball but haven't taken the time to do it.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

bonbf3 said:


> Do many people wind into a ball before knitting? I like a ball but haven't taken the time to do it.


That is so funny! To each his own... I can't use yarn rolled into a ball.... The rolling around would make me crazy! I guess my OCD is showing. I need the middle of a skein that stays put or a nice, neat cake! Lol


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## bonbf3 (Dec 20, 2011)

AmyKnits said:


> That is so funny! To each his own... I can't use yarn rolled into a ball.... The rolling around would make me crazy! I guess my OCD is showing. I need the middle of a skein that stays put or a nice, neat cake! Lol


I wouldn't like it rolling around either - with you on that! But I keep mine in a bag beside me. I think that would control it enough for me.

I'm just wondering if it's worth the time and trouble to make a ball. ?


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## Mary Smith (Oct 12, 2011)

You are not the only dummy! Count me in. Between not being able to find the beginning of the yarn from the center to an even more frustrating event - pulling out a big glob (some people refer to it was barf) and having to lay it out to gradually untangle or take time to actually create a new ball of yarn by cutting at the other end of the glob.

I love Bernat's baby soft yarn but it can be a real pain when using. Almost have to allow extra time to detangle all of the globs in such a little skein.


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## Mary Smith (Oct 12, 2011)

AmyKnits said:


> That is so funny! To each his own... I can't use yarn rolled into a ball.... The rolling around would make me crazy! I guess my OCD is showing. I need the middle of a skein that stays put or a nice, neat cake! Lol


Me, too. Chasing yarn around is for the birds. I actually plan to take a pottery class to make myself a yarn bowl for such occasions but let's face it - you don't carry yarn bowls around with you when you go to meetings, etc. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one not liking balls and the exercise they force me to have when chasing same.


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## Ezenby (Mar 24, 2011)

The inside pull method makes sense to me. Many, many years ago a very elderly Nun told me that in a mill the yarn feeds to the spool and the fibers slant to the beginning ....on to the spool/skein. Pulling from the outside of the skein means you are working against the fibers. Yarns that are loosely compacted will cause problems. She didnt go into the problems but I could see I didnt want to go there. Also....she insisted when hand sewing with a single thread you only put your knot in the end coming off the spool. WOW...did she get that pounded into a young girl or what. She was the sister (nun) that made the priest and church vestments. All hand made and embroidered.


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## 9sueseiber (Oct 29, 2011)

Red Heart used to have arrows on the label telling you which end pulled from the inside and which pulled from the outside. I think the Super Savers still do, I don't know about the rest. 
People want to pull from the inside because when you pull from the outside the skein twists and turns and sometimes does somersaults. LOL No matter what you put it in it isn't big enough for it to go through all it's gyrations. Pulling from the inside the skein just sits there and behaves itself. ha I don't wind into a ball anymore at all. It's a waste of precious knitting time.
Sue


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## kittyknit (Sep 25, 2011)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


It just keeps it from rolling away from you; stays in one place and the yarn comes from the inside. 
I have done the "2 fingers in each end" thing and most time can't find a loose end. Sometimes I roll my own b/c it seems relaxing to me. I have a "stick" I can rewind the yarn and do the yarn pull from the inside. I try to look for skeins in the store that already have the yarn sticking out of the middle...As my DH says, "Life used to not be this complicated..." LOL


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## kittyknit (Sep 25, 2011)

Ezenby said:


> The inside pull method makes sense to me. Many, many years ago a very elderly Nun told me that in a mill the yarn feeds to the spool and the fibers slant to the beginning ....on to the spool/skein. Pulling from the outside of the skein means you are working against the fibers. Yarns that are loosely compacted will cause problems. She didnt go into the problems but I could see I didnt want to go there. Also....she insisted when hand sewing with a single thread you only put your knot in the end coming off the spool. WOW...did she get that pounded into a young girl or what. She was the sister (nun) that made the priest and church vestments. All hand made and embroidered.


Thanks for sharing abt the yarn. I didn't know that.


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## 9sueseiber (Oct 29, 2011)

kittyknit. Yes, but sometimes the one sticking out of the middle still goes right to the outside. I think some of them like to do that just to pick at your brain. haha
Sue


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## mamad1pet (May 23, 2012)

kareo said:


> I can confirm you are not the only dummy having a problem with this!


 :thumbdown:


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

bonbf3, much of the yarn I use does NOT come in a skein. I purchase Hanks and I spin a lot of my own so YES winding into a cake is sometimes needed.


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## OccasionallyKnotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I can usually find the plug in the middle. But, then again, I have had skeins of yarn that ended up having plugs on both sides! By the second skein, (yes, same company and same dye lot) when it happened I turned up the lights and was able to see which plug went to the outside and which came from the inside- and shoved the outside one aside.

That being said- yarn bombs happen! I have a yarn ball roller (knit picks- about $20) and roll everything in a ball before I start a project. I hate having to mess with a skein in mid project.


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


Yarns have a direction and pulling from the center knits the yarn in the smooth direction. If you slide your fingers over a string of yarn you'll notice one direction is smooth and the other seems to be "against the grain."


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## MzKnitCro (May 29, 2012)

Only time I do a ball, is if I make a mess of my yarn . I usually just pull from the middle.



bonbf3 said:


> Do many people wind into a ball before knitting? I like a ball but haven't taken the time to do it.


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## kittenosmall (Dec 31, 2012)

kittenosmall said:


> Hi, I knit from the outside if it isn't easy to find the inside, no big deal except yarn moves around more when you use the outside.


I was working on a dishcloth today and had yarn coming out both ends, had to shove one end back in, very frustrating!


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## jmewin (Oct 18, 2012)

You are not the only dummy with this problem. It is very frustrating. There must be a way for yarn makers to make or lives easier.


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## Sophieroz (Dec 31, 2012)

I always start from the inside. Otherwise the ball or skein doesn't stay put. But as far as being easy to find the inside yarn---almost never, Just keep at it till you either find it easily or pull out half the skein like I often do. ha. I still won't do it any other way.


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## Banty Hen (Feb 1, 2013)

I have been knitting for YEARS, and I've never heard of this thing about the yarn having a direction. Was I born on the dark side of the moon? I've never noticed a difference. As far as pulling the yarn from the inside, usually it's easy enough to find the wad inside and pull it out, and it's not tangled. Once in a while I NEVER find it and have to start from the outside. But what I do NOT like about starting with yarn from the inside is, by the time I've used up about 3/4 of the skein, it collapses and then I DO end up with a tangled mess. Sometimes I have to find the other end of the yarn and start winding a ball to meet up with the yarn I'm knitting. By then, I have tangled yarn all over the floor. Now, THAT'S the PITS! I keep my yarn inside a plastic bag so that it's never rolling around anywhere. I like the idea of the plastic bottle.


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## yorkie1 (Sep 5, 2011)

No you're not. 
There are a lot of dummy's out there including me. It really makes me mad as years ago it wasn't like this. You coud always find the end. Sometimes it was sticking out a little at the end and other times there would be arrows on the skein jacket that showed you which end of the skein had the pull out end. If they could do it in the past why is it so hard for them to do it now. :-(


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## gin-red (Sep 17, 2011)

laminitagirl said:


> Quite a while back someone on this forum (Bless her heart!) wrote that if you look at the label and the skein was oriented right to left (east to west), then the inside end could be pulled from the right side. If the label was situated that the skein was up and down, (north and south) the inside end could be accessed from the bottom. Yes, you have to feel around a little, but if I get a "plug", I just unwind and rewind around the outside of the skein to keep it from getting tangled. As you knit, the yarn it will quickly be used up and you will then be able to pull from the center without having the skein roll all over. I have used this method since reading it and I have always found it to be true. I've even found that some yarns have an illustration on their labels that tell you which end contains the "inside end". I hope you give this a try and have as much success as I have had.


That was me-thanks for reposting. It is not 100% by any means but has eliminated some "barf" for me and my students. Any little bit helps!


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## Ezenby (Mar 24, 2011)

I have noticed this quirk....I think it is just to add confusion. Still need to fish around the inside...lol



9sueseiber said:


> kittyknit. Yes, but sometimes the one sticking out of the middle still goes right to the outside. I think some of them like to do that just to pick at your brain. haha
> Sue


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## tinykneecaps (Dec 6, 2012)

This is to Ronie. I just started an afghan with Red Heart Soft. Pulled from the inside of my first skein last night with absolutely no problem. Sure, a little plug comes out, but knits up really quick. Tell me, what did the people at Red Heart say in answer to your inquiry? I have 9 more skeins to go and am getting a little nervous after reading your response.


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## Reyna (Oct 24, 2012)

laminitagirl said:


> Quite a while back someone on this forum (Bless her heart!) wrote that if you look at the label and the skein was oriented right to left (east to west), then the inside end could be pulled from the right side. If the label was situated that the skein was up and down, (north and south) the inside end could be accessed from the bottom. Yes, you have to feel around a little, but if I get a "plug", I just unwind and rewind around the outside of the skein to keep it from getting tangled. As you knit, the yarn it will quickly be used up and you will then be able to pull from the center without having the skein roll all over. I have used this method since reading it and I have always found it to be true. I've even found that some yarns have an illustration on their labels that tell you which end contains the "inside end". I hope you give this a try and have as much success as I have had.


I have saved this tip for future use. Thank you.


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## Sophieroz (Dec 31, 2012)

This is all too complicated .Just work out something from the center, and go with it. If you find the end right away, consider yourself lucky. If you get a fistful, well-there is an end somewhere.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

This subject has come up again and again. Just click on search above and type in "Yarn Vomit" and you will see what I mean. Many years ago, the yarn companies either taped or stapled the inside yarn end to the outside of the label. that made it really easy for their customers. I wish they would start doing that again. Trying to find the inside end is sometimes impossible and a big plug of yarn comes out and is sometimes tangled. In other posts this mess of yarn has been called yarn vomit. I have spent as much as an hour untangling the yarn vomit that has come out of a skein. So frustrating, because that is time spent that I could have been working on my project.


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## marina1109 (Jan 23, 2013)

courier770 said:


> Actually, when you get that "plug" of yarn out...DON'T search for the end, that's when things get tangled. Instead take the strand that leads from the skein to the "plug" and start wrapping it around the skein from t he skein end. It's easier and you'll come to the end faster, without having caused any tangles.


Thank you courier770, I will try that next time


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

Just love all the responses people made on this subject (thread)--like all fiber arts people no two are the same (thank goodness) and makes each ones work unique!

What do you do then with "Knit-Cro-Sheen"/"Big Ball" (Coats/Clark) or "South Maid"?--they come in a manufactured 'skein-ball-cake' wound around a central paper tube! Take Bucilla's "Blue Label" or DMC's "Baroque" which comes in a manufactured 'skein' as you all describe (I still fish for the thread from the inside like Courrier77 since that was the way my professional knitting friend taught me in design school) and when "frogging" one project thought I was laying my thread carefully so I could rework it, found I had made the worst tangled mess ever (tried for over 48 hours straight to untangle and just ended up cutting thread at the end of a row and untangling what I could--ended up throwing some aside to use in case I didn't have enough to complete project!). Will make sure to wind up carefully no matter what direction next time (don't think that will ever happen again LOL).

I have always wound my own "pull from the center" skeins but they always come out oblong like an egg (look nice in a bowl or centerpiece for Easter LOL) and figure they turn out that way because you aren't supposed to wind over the initial pull out end--never wound in a ball, like my mother who tossed, since my tension gets all whacky pulling against the resistance of the thread--even in cans or bottles with holes in the lid and plastic bags. Saw how to do the small spools for intarsia knitting on PBS Interweave program but will have to practice first--makes more sense than the manufactured spool winders that you have to fight to get the thread back off through those "teeth"!

But that's just ME and if you like doing things your way and enjoy the outcome then really what difference does it make--its all in the creation.

Take it from an insider Red Heart has a patent on their pull out method but like one of the threader's wrote they found a company that was nice enough to "tag" their inside end which I wish more companys would do. I never understood my friends dislike for Bernat until recently working on a project using some of their yarn for the first time found multiple "slumps" and poor tie-ons which to me means poor manufacturing (spoiled by all the mills I use to buy from in Oregon). So I just became more aware of the possibility of that happening and "watched" more carefully for the potential problem so I could take care of the problem at the end of the row (good thing wasn't doing lace work!).

I was taught never to knot in the middle of a row or to knot the end of the thread (my instructor would purposefully feel for them so to make your couture work "unacceptable") and have seen all the comments made on KP about Magic Knots and all, but has anyone done the "sheet knot" instead--hard for someone like me but am willing to try one just to see since it really isn't a knot and is supposed to be more resistant to untying than the Magic version--inmates use them to climb down walls!

Bought a skein winder for my Xmas present but haven't taken out of the box yet--would like to use it to wind up two different yarns from cones to make a "rag" yarn but haven't figured out how to twist the one cone thread faster to accommodate the result--HELP COURRIER77!!!


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

If you are talking about using one of the small ball winders to combine two cones of yarn so you can knit two strands together...forget it! The standard small ball winders can only accommodate about 150 - 180 yds. of worsted weight yarn. There would be n o reason to wind one "faster" than the other.

No onto something else you brought up. There is never a need to "knot" yarn at the end of a row, you merely do a splice. This involves no "knotting" and no ends to work in. I'm surprised your instructor didn't teach this technique.

Yarn does not have "grain" or "nap". Refer back to my earlier posts in t his thread where I have explained "twist".


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## mountaingal (Feb 19, 2013)

AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Kateannie (Mar 21, 2011)

I think we are all in the same boat. I take a larger (h+) crochet hook and slip into the yarn skein about half way. Sometimes I get lucky and come out with a small amount of yarn including the end I am seeking....other times I end up with the "plug" and go from there. I do prefer using the inside end rather than the outside as the skein doesn't flip back and forth and I can leave the label on. When I am doing two identical pieces (sleeves, sweater fronts, mittens) and am using two skeins of yarn, they don't get tangled up in each other.


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## knovice knitter (Mar 6, 2012)

I use a nostepinne to wind into balls with a center pull. Check on search here for nostepinnes. There is a thread on how to make one out of an m&m tube. I bought a wooden one at hobby lobby. I love it. It goes fast, the tension is just right. The thing cost about $7. I usually only wind hanks, but sometimes a skein will get wonky and I will wind it into a ball using the nostepinne. I seriously doubt that I spelled that correctly, but I know I am close. Also, if there is quite a bit left over from a project, I will wind what's left of the skein for my stash.


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## knittingdragon (Jun 15, 2012)

I always knit from the outside of the yarn. Don't have a problem. Sometimes I use a yarn bowl, but most of the time I have the yarn on the lounge beside me (opposite side to where the cat is sitting).


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## yorkie1 (Sep 5, 2011)

I have tried every method someone posts on here. Sometimes I can find the end in the center and sometimes, (mostly not) there is no way to find it with out pulling out a glob. I carefully try to untangle it, but it never comes out easy like some post. It's just take my time and untangle it. Usually takes pretty long to do this too. I am extra careful, but it is always a tangled mess.


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## janettj (Jan 8, 2013)

I agree, why can't they leave the end sticking out.


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## Banty Hen (Feb 1, 2013)

It was invented by men who don't knit.


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## TawnyaFletcher (Nov 14, 2012)

Lol. Yep, pulling out a "plug" and hunting for the end often results in a tangled mess for me. After I find the end I usually have to shake out the plug and roll it up. I then tuck that back in the ball. Thanks for sharing about Red Heart Soft. I'd have been all day looking for it.


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## Jules934 (May 7, 2013)

AmyKnits said:


> ................ _ it is NOT tangled in the skein, so how you pull out a tangle is a mystery to me.........
> Even if I pull out a "plug" instead of the end, it is NEVER tangled, just in a plug. ... Once you get the "plug" of yarn out, just look for the end and use it... it is not tangled. _
> 
> AmyKnits is right -- it's NOT TANGLED. It's actually a little skein MADE OF LOOPS.
> ...


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## yorkie1 (Sep 5, 2011)

. Yes and if you finally find the end it's already peen pulled through the loops therefore it's a tangled mess. 
If you find the end immeadiatly then you might be lucky in pulling on it maybe you've found it before it gets pulled thru the loops.


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## Jules934 (May 7, 2013)

OOOOpppps guess yorkie & I doubled. 

And yes, it would be a lot easier if they left the end sticking out.


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## amethyst2 (Mar 14, 2013)

I usually always do...wind into a ball before I knit...so you can say I am knitting from the 'inside' by the time the skein is a ball...I really can't see any difference when knitting from the outside tho...and I too have started putting my yarn in a bowl, or a plastic bag...no more rolling on the floor...that's a huge relief to me...
I also wind my ruffle ribbon yarn onto a paper towel holder to prevent the ugly twisting that occurs with those hanks of ribbon yarn...but I'm not making the scarves anymore...


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## amethyst2 (Mar 14, 2013)

With a 'plug' for Caron Simply Soft yarn...their skeins have the inside starter very easy to find and to pull out...but I still wind my skeins into a ball...doesn't take a lot of time, and it gives these old arthritic hands, fingers, wrists and arms a LITTLE rest from the needles.


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## BlueRose (Jul 23, 2012)

When my thinker is working I try to notice the skeins when buying to choose the skeins with both ends out. Sometimes I get home and have to pull the plug and start knitting. I don't stress over it.


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## Jaymacphe (Jan 24, 2013)

RosieC said:


> Well, I figure if you buy a hank/skein of yarn and wind it into a ball yourself, you're going to be starting with the outside end of the yarn. So, if I don't feel like fishing on the inside of a factory wound ball of yarn, I start with the outside. I have never noticed a difference - but then I am a leftie and I sometimes approach things differently.


I don't know about other knitters, but l used to start with the inside of the ball so that my wool did not go skittering across the floor and tempting my cat into a wild free-for-all with it until l could get to her (not so fast with a knee replacement). Now l just put the wool into a lidded plastic jug with a pouring hole and find that ideal. I don't think my cat is all that keen though.......she seems to think l used to do that to entertain both of us..
and l take the wool from the outside of the ball.
:roll: :roll: :lol: :roll: ;-)


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## Sophieroz (Dec 31, 2012)

I always try to knit from the inside but often find more "knots "here. I think the companies are adding smaller pieces in what they feel is the "end"- to reach the claimed yardage. And--they must think knitters always start with outside yarn so won't notice. I have found this with expensive brands as much as inexpensive.

As for splicing, this works easily with woolens but not cottons or acrylics. Or is there a way to do this too? any suggestions welcomed. I never incorporate a knot. So either spit-splice or cut it out and have 2 more ends to weave in later.


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## 9sueseiber (Oct 29, 2011)

Once or twice I have found the "right" end? After knitting for a very little while my yarn got tangled and when I looked, it was the other end coming out the same end of the skein. It tangles around the one you're working with and there is no way to stop it. You just have to keep messing with it all the way. Or pull out a big tangled mess because both ends have been winding around each other,\and then sit there and untangle. Anyone have any suggestions for when that happens? I hate it!
Sue


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## yorkie1 (Sep 5, 2011)

9sueseiber: That's what I've been talking about. I've also had that happen to me more times than I care to mention. 
I once wrote to Red Heart and told them I was very disappointed in their yarn. I had used it for years and there was always a little end sticking out the end and then all of a sudden I was getting these skeins that had the two ends wound around each other in the middle of the skein and by the time I could see what was happening it was nothing but a tangled up mess. Took forever to get it untangled.
I asked what happened to their quality control as their yarn was getting really bad. I haven't used much of their yarn since so don't know how it is now. 
They sent me a letter apologizing and a 6 pack of their 4- 0z. skeins of their yarn. I was pleased in getting the yarn, but it sure didn't help otherwise.


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## northampton (Jul 12, 2012)

When we wound wool off a skien the ball rolled as you knitted but modern ball are oval and therefore do not roll that is why I start from the middle stops someone playing with ball while I am kniiting
Suzanne


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## laminitagirl (Feb 7, 2011)

Reyna said:


> I have saved this tip for future use. Thank you.


You are welcome. I never dreamed when I posted this comment there would be such response!
:thumbup: I love contributing to a fantastic discussion. I am just a voyeur so much of the time. Happy knitting everyone


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## Thea (Sep 1, 2012)

Dowager said:


> Amy and yaknits, the last skein of yarn I opened, I never DID find the end! I stuck my fingers in both ends, and pulle out a plug the size f about 1/3 of the skein, a tangled mess, and STILL didn't find the end! I have noticed, though, that the "outside" end always seems plenty easy to find! *LOL*


Sometimes I'm lucky enough to find the end almost immediately but other times I pull out a plug and sometimes I pull out a tangle. I think it just depends on the ball.


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## KathleenElsner (Dec 31, 2012)

I don't usually have too much trouble, a yarn barf or two, but that's easy to work through. The one time I had trouble was when I was using Lion Brand Homespun. I found that in trying to find the inside end I was breaking the threads in the yarn. Now when I use that yarn I wind it into a ball using the outside end.


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## knityknot (Mar 25, 2013)

why do you take the yarn from the inside to start knitting.
I just take the end from the outside of the ball of wool cast on then keep taking small amounts from the ball of yarn and use it as I go along I just keep repeating till ball of wool runs out.
No tangles and messing about "so easy"


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## Knitish (Feb 8, 2011)

Knityknot: ditto. Life is tuff enuf, just pull from the outside and there is no collapse knotting.


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## kittenosmall (Dec 31, 2012)

The outside really is the best for me even if I see an inside string, don't want to meet a ball of knots at any point tho I have been known to chance it at times, this has turned into a fun discussion, love reading it, your friend janet


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## Thea (Sep 1, 2012)

knityknot said:


> why do you take the yarn from the inside to start knitting.
> I just take the end from the outside of the ball of wool cast on then keep taking small amounts from the ball of yarn and use it as I go along I just keep repeating till ball of wool runs out.
> No tangles and messing about "so easy"


Knityknot, I prefer using from the inside because I usually take my work with me when I am standing in the business queue at the bank or sitting in the car waiting for my b/f. I need the wool to run smoothly while I'm crocheting. If I use from the outside the ball will roll around in my bag and snag on things or it will escape and unroll on the floor. :shock: :roll:

I also have a cat that will hunt my ball of wool if it moves around. If the wool is running from the inside, the ball lies relatively still and my cat will ignore it. :thumbup:


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## Pat Bossow (Jan 23, 2012)

If you are reading the label the end of the yarn is on the left side, you do have to pull out some yarn but it is much better knowing it is on that side. I have had a lot of messy knots when doing this before I found the secret.


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## Jules934 (May 7, 2013)

9sueseiber said:


> Once or twice I have found the "right" end? After knitting for a very little while my yarn got tangled and when I looked, it was the other end coming out the same end of the skein. It tangles around the one you're working with and there is no way to stop it. You just have to keep messing with it all the way. Or pull out a big tangled mess because both ends have been winding around each other,\and then sit there and untangle. Anyone have any suggestions for when that happens? I hate it!
> Sue


I'll take that "outside" end and softly wrap it around the skein a few times and then tuck it under the wraps. That keeps it in place and from socializing with it's "alterego".


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## Jules934 (May 7, 2013)

Pat Bossow said:


> If you are reading the label the end of the yarn is on the left side, you do have to pull out some yarn but it is much better knowing it is on that side. I have had a lot of messy knots when doing this before I found the secret.


:thumbup: :thumbup: Thank you :thumbup: :thumbup: There's half the battle won!


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## lovelandjanice (Aug 8, 2012)

I agree the mess is made by trying to find the center pull. I have been there and done that and it can be a mess. When I get a plug or a mess out, I usually start at the end attached to the skein and wind the excess around the skein. Sometimes the "plug" seems like half the skein.


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## Thea (Sep 1, 2012)

lovelandjanice said:


> I agree the mess is made by trying to find the center pull. I have been there and done that and it can be a mess. When I get a plug or a mess out, I usually start at the end attached to the skein and wind the excess around the skein. Sometimes the "plug" seems like half the skein.


Ha, I'm sooooo glad I'm not the only one. ;-)  
I used to always think that I was doing something wrong but eventually just stopped worrying about it.


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## Byrdgal (Jun 27, 2011)

It is very frustrating!!! I have pulled, fumbled and then just used the end on the outside---but don't like to.


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## Carol Os (Sep 21, 2012)

I agree with OBSSESSED that if you pull the end on the outside and wrap it round the ball and then pull the inside out from the opposite end it is a little easier some times you still get a plug. It is easier than using the ball from the outside as you can stand it upright in a bag or container and pull the wool from the centre.


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## darowil (Apr 17, 2011)

AmyKnits said:


> There is no "super special secret" to doing this. I just put my index finger into both ends at the same time. You can feel around for a "loose" end and pull it out.
> 
> Occasionally I cannot feel the loose end and then I just pull out a "plug" of yarn. When you get the "hunk" or "plug" out, you can see the end and use the yarn from the end.
> 
> ...


Don't know how you manage it! I have even had balls that I have been using for a while (sometimes on a second sock even) which suddenly comes out tangled. So sorry some of the yarns are tangled in the ball. 
Sometimes the plug pulled out is fine, but other times it is tangled.
As I responded to Amy whihout reading all the posts this may have been said. IN THEORY (and note that it does not always work despite the theory) if you have a ball (skein) that has the lable facing the ends of the ball pull from the end that is at the bottom of the band. If the band goes the other way pull from the right side with the band in the position to read it. This is only a guide but it does seem to work most of the time.


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## darowil (Apr 17, 2011)

Forgot I was on a very old digest- just finsihed todays and went stright to this one!


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## gmarie (Feb 8, 2012)

kareo said:


> I can confirm you are not the only dummy having a problem with this!


DITTO!!!


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## Yself (Sep 19, 2016)

I was having major trouble doing this until I ran into a great "how to" description on Youtube.


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## belinda (Mar 30, 2011)

Yself said:


> I was having major trouble doing this until I ran into a great "how to" description on Youtube.


Would you share the link, please?


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

maurah said:


> What is the purpose of starting on the inside? I don't recall hearing that I should pull from the inside so I knit from the outside of the yarn.


The ball stays put better if you are pulling from the inside - doesn't roll around...although you can put it in a plastic bag with zip lock half closed and it will stay put. However, some multi-color yarns are wound so that in order to keep the colors consistent you have to work some balls from the outside in and some the other way. I had that happen with one bunch of yarns and it was a real pain to figure out.


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