The Chaos of Tangles & Knots in Yarn

So Your Yarn Got Tangled

It happens. You start a new project, don’t like how it works up, and you frog all the way back to your slipknot. Then out of frustration, you put it away in a deep corner of your yarn storage with the vow to return to it … someday. Or maybe, you left the yarn on the couch and your kids or pets ran off with it; now it’s tangled around them and some furniture. I once or twice have tried to work with yarn directly from a new hank and found out the hard way what a disaster this is. Work slow, start working it into a ball to get the yarn neater. Once it is untangled, you can wind it into a cake.

Untangling yarn requires much time and patience. Step one is finding an end to work with. If you have a section of the yarn mess that is looser and readily reveals an end, stay there. It will be easier to keep moving forward if you’re not fighting with tight spots for the first few minutes.

Step two is making the untangled portion a ball so it will be easier to wind for the final portion, cake winding. Cake winders are relatively decent in price. I got mine from Amazon. In case it is out of stock, you can search related items to get a similar one. If you have a hank of yarn, be sure to use a yarn umbrella to hold the yarn up while adding to the yarn winder for easier untangling.

Ball making is the original way yarn was bound before skeins and hanks were introduced. Its starts simple, wrap the yarn around 2 or 3 of your fingers until you get a swath of yarn about the same width as your fingers. Then remove that section of yarn, don’t want to slow your circulation, and continue wrapping the newly freed yarn around itself. You will first wrap horizontally until mostly covered. Then fold the yarn up a bit, place your thumb in the middle, and begin wrapping over your thumb. Move the yarn counterclockwise as you continue to wrap and place your thumb in a new position every few rounds of wrapping.

Try Not To Cut It

This is by far the hardest part of untangling yarn. Sometimes the knots seem too monstrous to overcome or too minuscule to ever be released. When you’ve been struggling with the same part for more than a few minutes, it can be tempting to reach for your scissors. Try to keep in mind that however many times you cut through, you’ll now have knots in this yarn. When working with the yarn in the future, these knots can show up ugly and leave a rough finish on your work.

I have untangled many skeins of yarn without cutting; I have also cut the yarn many times while untangling. The results are clear; the less knots the better! I have a skein of yarn I untangled a few years ago and cut it more times than I can count. It is now full of little knots where I made ends meet. I haven’t touched the yarn since, afraid of how it will work up. It is a very lightweight yarn, category 1 I believe, so in theory, I could easily pair it with another yarn, the same weight or slightly thicker, and make it work.

When to Find Time to Untangle

I believe the best time to work on untangling your yarn is when you are in-between projects. You can fully devote yourself to fixing the yarn and not have to worry about any deadlines. Another good time would be on a road trip. Added bonus: no need to worry about losing count while carrying on a conversation! I know most of us would choose to craft, but I’ve heard some crocheters and knitters say they experience motion sickness, poor babes. ☹

Having the desire to create but no motivation to do so is disheartening. If you keep overthinking, you’ll stay in that funk for longer. When you have lost your crojo, crochet mojo, just grab that mess of yarn you’ve been avoiding. Turn your brain off, turn on a good show or audiobook, and get to work. Typically, after I’ve untangled yarn and caked it up, I’m ready to start a new project. Keep in mind the project doesn’t have to be big, you can do something as small as a dishcloth. Embrace the return of the crojo!

*stock photos from Unsplash and Amazon