Just a thought…almost all yarn in the UK - apart from a few independent dyers - is sold in balls. It seems to me that other countries sell yarn in skeins and therefore your work can’t begin until it’s wound.What do you prefer to buy - balls or skeins? And why? 🧶’s are much preferred by me 🧶 - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

mrsdtuson.bsky.social • 27 days ago

Just a thought…almost all yarn in the UK - apart from a few independent dyers - is sold in balls. It seems to me that other countries sell yarn in skeins and therefore your work can’t begin until it’s wound.What do you prefer to buy - balls or skeins? And why? 🧶’s are much preferred by me
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Comments

jehanette.bsky.social•27 days ago

I would prefer balls. Skeins are supposedly better for storage?

academic-owl.bsky.social•27 days ago

Tbh I rarely see yarn in balls. But, with the exception of the added bit in sock yarns, I usually only use natural fibres, so I guess that’s why.

woldten.bsky.social•27 days ago

I was always told that it was better to keep them in skeins, the fibers were more relaxed. Depending on how they are then caked or balled, it can stretch the fibers, and if left so, keeps them under more tension. So what I learned was not to cake or ball until you were ready to work with the fiber.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I kind of get that….but there are plenty of very expensive/natural fibres included here in UK that are balled.

Good yarns are often re-used too and that doesn’t affect the Knit necessarily…I just think it’s the vendor /dyer /spinner /manufacturer who decides their preference maybe?

woldten.bsky.social•27 days ago

I’m guessing they all have different equipment as part of their business models and then there’s woolen spun vs. worsted. It’s an interesting question.

ameliam0lly.bsky.social•27 days ago

well i guess i’m about to go down a black hole of wool spinning machinery (i haven’t knitted or crocheted since i was like 10)

jackyknitstuff.bsky.social•25 days ago

I think the skein/ball thing applies more to home winding. The balls that you get from commercial brands aren't wound to a tight tension - they're as loose as a skein. Home/hand winding is tighter.

lgorse.bsky.social•27 days ago

US here. In addition to what others have said regarding storage, some local LYS will offer to wind your skein for you for a nominal fee (like max of 5 bucks a skein). I generally leave them in a skein though bc it's neater for me in my cubbies.

tamimcclung.bsky.social•27 days ago

And yes, I always ball my yarn to knit. It’s more about the process and presentation. In the US machine mass produced yarn is formed into hideous ball/skein blobs the tangle badly!

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

That’s sad to hear, no wonder you buy skeins

tamimcclung.bsky.social•27 days ago

I’m a handspinner. Yarn is wound off into a skein for a couple of reasons. First it must be washed and wet set and hung to dry. If the fiber was not already dyed this is also the stage the yarn is dyed rinsed and dried. Variegated yarns display their colors best in a skein. Balling is an extra step.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Interesting, I’d not thought of the dyeing processes. Thanks for that ☺️

harrietburns.bsky.social•27 days ago

I used to love a nice cone, when I worked at a wool factory 😋

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I rarely see cones these days…

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Used to be everywhere didn’t they? Saw a few on eBay the other day though ☺️

harrietburns.bsky.social•27 days ago

https://www.coldspringmill.co.uk/

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Ooooh, that’s far too dangerous for me as it’s only about 1 1/2 hours away! Might be worth a drive 👍🏼

harrietburns.bsky.social•27 days ago

I went once it's really nice and they have a cafe!

gingercats3.bsky.social•27 days ago

I prefer skeins, they stay neat longer in storage, and you can wind them into centre pull cakes that don’t develop into huge snarl-ups

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I pull all mine through the centre of balls usually without mishap lol but there have been times when…

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gingercats3.bsky.social•27 days ago

😂

hnmalcolm.bsky.social•27 days ago

I enjoy the process of winding yarn; I find it to be very meditative.

sandyab.bsky.social•27 days ago

Me too!

haleyjadey.bsky.social•27 days ago

I dont think I've ever seen a single store sell balls. I also don't unravel my skein to make a ball.😬

lindsayea.bsky.social•27 days ago

Most of the yarn I buy in the UK is in skeins. I mostly buy Rowan or West Yorkshire Spinners. Although I’m going off Rowan as there are too many joins in a skein. I love the look and feel of skeins but I hate winding them.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Yeah, I love Rowan too but it’s begun to be very pricey…

lindsayea.bsky.social•27 days ago

I buy it from Wool Warehouse or Black Sheep wools where it is often on sale. However, my last Big Wool balls had, on average, 4 joins per ball. Not good enough.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Really, I rarely find knots. Howunlucky. I love Blacksheep wools - one of my fave shops to visit

monicaprino.bsky.social•27 days ago

I prefer balls if yarn because it’s easier to just start a project. But - I really like the “aesthetics” of the skeins…

novalie.bsky.social•27 days ago

Skeins are usually for natural fibers, so they don’t get stretched out over time. Here in the U.S in big box stores you’ll primarily find balls, but in specialty yarn shops you’ll find a good mix of both, and almost always a skein for natural fibers.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I guess, yeah. I’m lucky to have a few indi’s near me and all but one of them, wind their (natural fibres) into balls or cakes as well as selling the same items in skein-form.

dvandaele.bsky.social•27 days ago

Here in Canada, Debbie, stores offer to wind skeins into cakes… for a price per skein! Add at least a dollar per skein!Personally, I wind a project or enough to knit most of a project at a time. I can’t imagine knitting from the skein though. That sounds interesting.

ssconey.bsky.social•27 days ago

The first time I bought a skein I could not find the end and made a colossal mess winding it. 🤪. But I still like to hand wind my yarn into balls regardless of how it comes. I guess like the ritual as well as the chance to get a feel for the yarn before starting my project.

gregariousgoth.bsky.social•27 days ago

I do this too! It helps me find any factory knots, helps understand how variegated or gradient colors play out, helps get a feel for the texture and tension, etc etc

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I get that. Do you wind when bought or just before you choose to use it?

ssconey.bsky.social•27 days ago

I wind it when I am ready to use it.

beauharnais.bsky.social•27 days ago

I prefer balls, but it doesn't influence whether I buy the yarn or not. It all has to do with color and composition.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I agree 👍🏼🧶

knittyaunty.bsky.social•27 days ago

I've never seen yarn sold in balls in the USA. It's always skeins. Most are designed so you can work directly from the skein. More expensive ones need to be wound.

jensturm.bsky.social•27 days ago

Balls for sure! Unfortunately, I usually have to prepare skeins.

gregariousgoth.bsky.social•27 days ago

I actually really enjoy winding 😅 I got a swift for Christmas and now it’s just smooth sailing. My winder sucks but my hands enjoy the motion. Also, I find store bought balls just don’t behave the way I want them to, and I hate center pull with a passion (it always falls apart on me!) so 🤷🏻‍♂️

thedivinemissm.bsky.social•27 days ago

I prefer hanks.

sarahstrickt.bsky.social•27 days ago

Balls. I don’t like winding and I also do not want to buy the additional equipment you need for doing so. The only exception for me is a special skein of hand-dyed yarn.

pearsonsmom.bsky.social•27 days ago

I like skeins because I like to wind my own yarn and find the breaks before I start knitting!

sarahofcheese.frigocheeses.com•27 days ago

For me it’s skeins, there is something so lovely about seeing the skein and pulling it from the stash for whatever reason it called me and then watching how it changes into a cake with the yarn winder. It’s my chance to meet my yarn for the first time, a lovely 1st meeting and making plans together

roxmpls.bsky.social•27 days ago

The sorts of shelves and containers I use for storage make hanks/skeins easier for me to see what I have and to avoid yarn falling off the shelf or getting buried in a container. The ritual of taking out the swift and ball winder makes me feel like I'm really committing to this project. 🧶

dragonsandcats.bsky.social•27 days ago

I read an article recently that advis3d to not change yarn to a ball until you are ready to knit because it puts undue strain on the yarn. I'm not sure if it's true. If it is, I am screwd on yarn I have had wound for years.

jackyknitstuff.bsky.social•25 days ago

Also heard that. Also not 100% convinced. But one reason I've personally found for not caking straight away, if you buy a lot of handdyed and have a stash.....is that it's easier to destash/sell-on yarn that you realise needs a new home if it's still in its original form.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

See, I just don’t get that…why would it exert tension if it was wound/caked correctly? I’m with you…

anniebkay.bsky.social•27 days ago

seems about half and half, skeins you can knit directly (ball like), and skeins that you need to ball. This is US. Nice when you can knit direct, but either one, it’s just part of the practice.

pendraiafae.bsky.social•27 days ago

I'm a beginner spinner, and I skein the yarn I spin first as it's easier to wash in a skein. I prefer to buy balls of yarn and I'm not sure I buy that balls put extra stress on a yarn. 1

pendraiafae.bsky.social•27 days ago

I think skeins show more of a yarn, though, and you can see all the colours with multi-coloured yarn. I wonder how much of the terms for skeins relates to this and the fact that it displays the yarn to tempt the buyer. I'm in assistance and you see both skeins and yarn in balls here. 2

pendraiafae.bsky.social•27 days ago

Assistance should be Australia. Damn auto correct. 3

braveheidi.bsky.social•27 days ago

I live in Switzerland and almost all the wool I buy is in balls. I much prefer it that way. If it's dk weight, I don't mind it being in skeins, but fingering weight, it's such a hassle.

snowfloe.bsky.social•27 days ago

Could not be arsed to rewind either shop balls or skeins into cakes every time, even with one of those winders. Plus skeins are usually more expensive.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Yeah, I’d not like doing it either. Much prefer balls - especially huge ones like these 400g big boys lol

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dvandaele.bsky.social•27 days ago

I mentioned this to my partner, who pointed out that machinery to wind skeins to balls would be a bottleneck, a choke point, in processing. Right now, I’m using Miss Babs Killington and Tanis DK, both in skeins, and Rowan Felted Tweed and a European silk in balls.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

Good point about the manufacturing process. Rowan tweed is lovely isn’t it? It’s expensive here though imo.
Most cheaper yarn (balled) here is manufactured in Turkey now but there are lots of other uk spun/balled here too.

dvandaele.bsky.social•27 days ago

I choose the yarn and accept how it’s put up. I think making skeins into balls requires more equipment, so I’m understanding when a dyer skips this. I tell myself that there are other preliminaries between yarn purchase and beginning: gauge swatching and worse, washing and drying the swatch.

mrsdtuson.bsky.social•27 days ago

I remember sitting for hours (or so it seemed) when I was little, with a skein wrapped around my outstretched hands while my mum wound balls from it. Can you tell I’m older than the invention of wool winders?!

lindsayea.bsky.social•27 days ago

I remember that, too!

pendraiafae.bsky.social•27 days ago

Me too! Now I get my husband to help.

harpy511.bsky.social•27 days ago

I mainly buy skeins as I tend to buy the hand dyes the lovely ladies in our local yarn shop produce. The colours are just too hard to resist. 😊 I generally go for 4ply as it takes a bit longer to finish a project so it keeps down the cost a bit. 😉