# Break yarn?



## mamastella (Jun 19, 2011)

So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


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## Dreamweaver (Feb 1, 2011)

I also cut it. When yarn was always a natural fiber, like wool, it was much easier to break yarn and the tapered end resulting probably "spit" joined easier to the next color. Today, there are so many synthetics, more tightly spun yarns, this is not a practical suggestion. I don't really know a reason to "break" but that would be my guess.


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## Poledra65 (Jul 6, 2011)

lol...Use scissors. lol...I don't know why they say break either, you'd think they'd just say cut. Oh well...


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## Aggie May (Aug 28, 2011)

mamastella said:


> So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


Break can also mean cut so get out those scissors and go for it.
I do prefer to break my yarn when I can because the fluffy end of the yarn is then much easier to thread into the needle when tidying up the tails but as you say, some yarns almost cut your fingers off if you try too hard.
Have fun.
Colleen.
PS, Remember, the pattern is just a guide and no-one but you will know if you do not follow word for word.


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## e.ridenh (Jan 24, 2011)

mamastella said:


> So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


~~~~~~~~~~~
OMG, yes cut the yarn, sweetie.......break it......that doesn't mean literally......probably old terminology that followed us across the waves hundreds of years ago.

Have a nice TG, sweetie and good luck.

Donna Rae
.....ps., I will indeed break yarn if I can't find my snippers.....I carry a nail clipper around all my WIP totes......and I have 25.....so, I bought a score of snippers/clippers; LOL!


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## Sorlenna (Feb 17, 2011)

I seem to remember Elizabeth Zimmerman explaining that in one of her books...though I don't remember what she said! I've almost always cut mine with snips or scissors, though (breaking it hurts my fingers, especially in winter), and I always say go with whatever works for you!


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## hennalady (Nov 12, 2011)

mamastella said:


> So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


If I remember right it is so it is easier to weave in and disappear when your project is done. You can simply cut it at an angle as I do and get the same effect.


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## 9sueseiber (Oct 29, 2011)

It hurts anyone's hands.I knew that but stupidly tried it again anyway, just because the pattern said to.--- Yup, it still hurts.lol I thought maybe it was to keep down fraying, that so many yarns do, when cut. However, it does seem like it would increase fraying. I don't know what to do about that either. ha


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## SEA (Feb 9, 2011)

Mamastella,
Is your dog celebrating St Patrick's Day- What a sweet face.

SEA


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## mamastella (Jun 19, 2011)

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I guess I just needed validation for my preference of cutting the yarn. I do wish they'd quit putting "break yarn" in the instructions but now I will read it as "cut yarn." Note to SEA: My sweet dachshund, Cody, thanks you for the compliment. He is sweet looking isn't he? And his sister (littermate) is even prettier. But he's not really green. I just tinkered with his photo. He is up for celebrating anything that comes along and takes his cues from me (part Irish,) so St Patrick's Day gets its well-deserved attention.


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## Joanna88 (Oct 12, 2011)

Hennalady,is that Hep Cat on your avatar? I must have sat for the last five minutes or so completely mesmerised........pure magic. thanks. :lol:


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## DeeDeeF (Mar 29, 2011)

I think its so you can create a seamless join with wools way back when scissors were pricey items.


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## hennalady (Nov 12, 2011)

Nannajay said:


> Hennalady,is that Hep Cat on your avatar? I must have sat for the last five minutes or so completely mesmerised........pure magic. thanks. :lol:


Dont you just love her?? Here is another that gets me every time...


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

Am sure they mean cut it. I can see no reason at all to break it.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

DeeDeeF said:


> I think its so you can create a seamless join with wools way back when scissors were pricey items.


That's right! I remember when scissors _were_ costly! My first pair of dedicated-to-knitting-yarn-ONLY scissors - made in Germany -, with round tips, cost $15, but my mother said they were worth it. If I need scissors or nail clippers today, I just pick up a few - made in China - at the dollar store.

Synthetic yarns will break skin, before _they_ break. Cheap scissors and nail clippers to the rescue!!


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

I have heard that when airlines prohibit scissors, a little dental floss dispenser will work. You know, they have that little cutting edge on them that will work with yarn.


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## iris925 (Apr 22, 2011)

If I am using a yarn where I don't want the abrupt cut end I will take a blunt yarn needle, hold the yarn taunt at the place where I want it 'broken', then insert the yarn needle into the side of the yarn so that I separate a few fibers and pull until they 'break'. I continue doing this over and over until the yarn is broken. The fibers break easily when done in the small increments of a few fibers at a time until the yarn is separated. 

Just thought you might like to know how it can be done without making your fingers hurt (I can't 'break' yarn with my hands/fingers as my hands would hurt for hours afterwards.)


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## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

I have my good scissors that I have had for a long time. I need good scissors for cutting fabric. I wrote "for fabric only" on them. We were always told to keep dedicated scissors for fabric, and I think they are right! I can use anything at hand for yarn, but I like having a nice, sharp pointed pair.


Jessica-Jean said:


> DeeDeeF said:
> 
> 
> > I think its so you can create a seamless join with wools way back when scissors were pricey items.
> ...


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## Jayceeme1 (Nov 16, 2011)

PLEASE NEVER!! "break yarn" by literally trying to break it, you will damage your hands, have known people get nasty bruises and even cuts.... please do be careful. 

If 100% wool it can be done, but you could damage ends, your hands or worse pull your knitting out.

BREAK YARN means CUT WITH SHARP SCISSORS, have never understood why they insist on using that silly phrase .

Treat yourself to a lovely pair of scissors and use solely for "BREAKING YARN" :lol: :lol:


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## inishowen (May 28, 2011)

mamastella said:


> So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


I'm sure you can cut the yarn if it's easier.


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## jacki.reynolds3 (Jun 8, 2011)

Since I'm teaching myself to knit through books, I read that "break Yarn" was old teerminology. Yes today we can cut yarn. I'll still see that on a patterns, but it's usually an older pattern. Some still do break it, personal preference.

Iris925-love your cats. Are they Siamese or himalayan? My Himalayan looks just like them.Could be littermates, they look so much alike.


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## NIKKE (Nov 18, 2011)

I think that they use the word _break_ because it gives an indication that you still have a work in progress which is not completed.

To me the word _cut_ seems far more final and gives the impression that the project is finished. Even though they never use the word cut at the end of the pattern and assume that you know this.

I think you may have to look at really, really old patterns. It may be that they did say cut at the end, but over time assumed that knitters knew this and the omission of the word _cut_ became convention.


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## Ms Sue P (Mar 19, 2011)

e.ridenh said:


> mamastella said:
> 
> 
> > So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?
> ...


I have several pair of the folding scissors that I carry in my knitting bags. No worry about cutting something I do not want cut.


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## kathy320 (Jul 29, 2011)

I almost always cut the yarn. Agree with everyone who thinks that "break" is an older term that just stuck with us. I also find that reading these posts often reminds me that there are a LOT of "right ways" to do things when we knit.


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## cathy47 (Jun 6, 2011)

mamastella said:


> So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


What happened to that dog...??!!! fall into a vat of lime jello..? ;-)


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## farmgirl (Jul 19, 2011)

I always cut the yarn...I'd still be sitting with the projects that say to break it if I didn't


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## msusanc (Apr 5, 2011)

Yeah, I tried to break the yarn once. Once.


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## MrsB (Jun 3, 2011)

http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?p=724258


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## carmenl (Jan 30, 2011)

Empty floss containers are great in a pinch. I just throw my empties in one of my wip bags. Also useful on a plane.


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## 2sticksofwood (Oct 2, 2011)

Mamastella is your dog green or is it my computer?


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## kittyknit (Sep 25, 2011)

Nannajay said:


> Hennalady,is that Hep Cat on your avatar? I must have sat for the last five minutes or so completely mesmerised........pure magic. thanks. :lol:


Every time I see it I smile! LOL :lol:


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## MrsB (Jun 3, 2011)

"break yarn" means to break away from the main knitting piece.


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## mamastella (Jun 19, 2011)

LOL. No, my Cody Joe is not green. I just played around with his photo and kind of liked the green one. In another one, he is like a tapestry. Just having fun. Thanks all for your discussion on breaking vs cutting.


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

Ms Sue P said:


> e.ridenh said:
> 
> 
> > mamastella said:
> ...


I have several pairs of scissors I got at the dollar store that I keep in my various bags of knitting. They are fine for cutting yarn. I just never, ever, use my teeth!


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## ajay (Mar 8, 2011)

Hannajay, LOVE,LOVE the kitty. So cute


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## Damama (Oct 2, 2011)

My kiddos always knew that is was a serious offense to touch my fabric scissors. I always had lots of scissors around for general use. To this day my daughter will ask "Are these sewing scissors or can I use them?" She is now 41 yrs old. :thumbup:


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## Pansy Blabberfingers (Oct 29, 2011)

Damama said:


> My kiddos always knew that is was a serious offense to touch my fabric scissors. I always had lots of scissors around for general use. To this day my daughter will ask "Are these sewing scissors or can I use them?" She is now 41 yrs old. :thumbup:


 My daughter says the same thing & she is 52. Old habits die hard, don't they? LOL!


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## sandyann (Jul 5, 2011)

I remember growing up there were two pairs of scissors in the house. One for mom's fabric while she was sewing and the junk pair for everything else. And yes, they were expensive. So breaking yarn made sense because scissors were scarse. Now a days its a different story, I probably have 6 pairs at least that I have with me in the RV. That's not counting the ones that I have in storage.


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## 4578 (Feb 2, 2011)

if I have to break yarn (no scissors easily available - airline took scissors, clippers and knives), I seperate the plies and break 1 at a time - save the hands. I have also been known to gnaw yarn apart...all in the spirit of creativity and just gotta knit one more stitch - NOW!


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## moke (Oct 8, 2011)

this is strange..i just knitted something that told me to break the yarn..and there was a reason for it too..lol of course this stubborn taurus..just snipped it and moved on. I think it is old terminology myself.


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## Billie B (Apr 5, 2011)

mamastella said:


> So many patterns instruct you to "break yarn" at the end of a section or project. I have tried to do this but it just hurts my arthritic hands too much. I'm not a new knitter, have been knitting for decades but I never really understood why they say break rather than cut the yarn. Anybody know or have a theory?


Why is that poor dog green? Was it St. Patrick's Day or is he jealous of someone?
Billie


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## 3mom (Apr 20, 2011)

Nannajay said:


> Hennalady,is that Hep Cat on your avatar? I must have sat for the last five minutes or so completely mesmerised........pure magic. thanks. :lol:


I agree, mesmerizing and cute. How did you get his head to go back and forth?


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## mavisb (Apr 18, 2011)

I am afraid I always break my wool with my hands, it is is especially tough I cut the wool. So I wouldn't worry about it too much it makes no difference.


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## MrsB (Jun 3, 2011)

My grandmother had scissors that were expensive dressmaker shears and pinking shears, each with their own velveteen-lined box. Neither were to be used on paper, which dulls the blades. In those days, one would take their scissors to be sharpened when necessary, and it was fairly expensive. We never dared used her scissors for paper dolls as that would send her into a fit!


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

Sends me into a fit, too. Scissors should be loved and cared for just like your good kitchen knives. Since my grandfather was a butcher and my father grew up helping in the shop, I learned this early. Do not put knives in the dishwasher or in a plastic drawer - wood only; and do not use good scissors except on the right fiber. I have probably 20 pairs of scissors and almost all have their purpose - paper, kitchen, ribbons, wool/cotton fabric, yarn, nails, cuticles, tool box, etc. My grown children and grandchildren all know how to use my scissors. At home, they don't even pay any attention - just grab the closest pair and go for it, so it doesn't really convince them except at my house! I have scissors that are more than 20 years old and have never been sharpened because they have never been mis-used.



MrsB said:


> My grandmother had scissors that were expensive dressmaker shears and pinking shears, each with their own velveteen-lined box. Neither were to be used on paper, which dulls the blades. In those days, one would take their scissors to be sharpened when necessary, and it was fairly expensive. We never dared used her scissors for paper dolls as that would send her into a fit!


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## MrsB (Jun 3, 2011)

nd have you seen the price of a well-made pair of Shears? They can get to be very expensive.


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

Yes, indeed. I good pair of scissors can set you back. I paid $28 for my yarn scissors that I also use for needlepoint projects, and I'm not about to use them for anything else.

I cut my yarn when it says to "break off." I don't know where that expression came from, but we all know what to do now! If I want a really strong hold on something, I use yarn, because it seldom breaks even when you don't want it to.



MrsB said:


> nd have you seen the price of a well-made pair of Shears? They can get to be very expensive.


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## mamastella (Jun 19, 2011)

I, too, love a good pair of scissors but the ones I use most are the ones I got for nothing. Several years back, I discovered that the scissors and tweezers that are used by hospitals or doctors for removal of sutures, etc. are disposable and are discarded after one use. I began asking for the set whenever I was present at their use. They are of necessity quite sharp all the way to the point, they are actually very durable. I use them for anything that requires a "snip" rather than a cut. They do a fantastic job and were free! (And my sweet doggie, Cody, is not green. Just tweaked his photo a bit.)


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

I found this answer on Ask Yahoo, which shows how much most of us know, since several had given virtually the same answer:

"It's a phrase that comes from the tradition of knitting with wool. When you get ready to disconnect the wool ball from the work, it is better to pull it apart than to cut it with scissors. When woven in, the end will remain more secure if it is pulled apart than if it is cut. Pure wool will full some as it's worn, and a frayed yarn end will full into position better than a cut one. It's also not hard to pull apart wool yarn. You just give it a slight untwist and stretch it like taffy. Break it before weaving the end in so you don't stretch your stitches out of shape.

If you aren't using wool, then you cut it."

I always cut my yarn, though, and if I want it to "full," I just play around with it for a few minutes pulling it out.


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

My daughter is a nurse, and that's all she has at home - those funny shaped ones. She is so used to using them that she just cuts anything with them, and I pick them up and they won't cut anything. I guess you have to get used to them, but they are sharp! Part of it is that funny angle...just commenting...



mamastella said:


> I, too, love a good pair of scissors but the ones I use most are the ones I got for nothing. Several years back, I discovered that the scissors and tweezers that are used by hospitals or doctors for removal of sutures, etc. are disposable and are discarded after one use. I began asking for the set whenever I was present at their use. They are of necessity quite sharp all the way to the point, they are actually very durable. I use them for anything that requires a "snip" rather than a cut. They do a fantastic job and were free! (And my sweet doggie, Cody, is not green. Just tweaked his photo a bit.)


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## Billie B (Apr 5, 2011)

mamastella said:


> LOL. No, my Cody Joe is not green. I just played around with his photo and kind of liked the green one. In another one, he is like a tapestry. Just having fun. Thanks all for your discussion on breaking vs cutting.


Glad to hear that. Green dogs just have a tough time getting along.
:lol: 
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Billie


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## mamastella (Jun 19, 2011)

LOL, Billie. It isn't easy being green.


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## Penny5 (Jun 22, 2011)

I'M SUre they mean to cut it


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