Ok - for you who are great and knowledgeable, I need a “stupid” question answered. Is there an easy way to find the beginning of a skein of yarn (from the inside of course) where the yarn does not get tangled as you pull it out? Is there a trick - or do I have to rewind the yarn into a ball? WHen I pull out the end, usually 1/4 of the skein comes with it, and it is tangled and I spend lots of time making yarn balls. (I told you it was a stupid question!!!)
Thanks
this question is SOOO not stupid. In fact what you have experienced is what we fondly call Yarn Vomit and nobody has a fool proof plan of getting it out of there. there are lots of ways to try but as soon as you find the perfect plan, there comes the skein that proves you wrong. 
Very carefully!! I’ve tried it myself and have done the same thing as you said, pulled out half the skein!! So I just start on the outside.
When I get a skein like that if the end doesn’t come out easily I usually just go from the outside. It’s such a mess when you end up with tangles that it’s just not worth it to me :shrug:
Yarn Vomit is SOOO frustrating! HEre’s something I read on I believe Craftster:
I got this tip from a knitting mailing list:
stick one index finger into each end of the ball so that your fingertips overlap in the center.
now spin your fingers around each other.
you should now either have found an end, or have a piece of yarn between your fingers. Pull that out. (it should only be about a foot long, rather than the normal center booger that ends up being about 20 yds long)
I’ve been in major knitting burnout, so haven’t started anything new recently. However, someone replied to the above post and said it worked like a charm. Let us know how it works if you try it!!
I have the same problem. I can’t wait to try the 2 finger trick.
Terrific tip! Thanks! I hate Yarn Barf! :teehee: samm
I just bought a ball winder. Now, I just pull out the yarn vomit and then wind it up in nice little yarn cake. :teehee:
Had to laugh at this. I just started a new skein and that is what I am doing, untangling the yarn vomit and winding it around itself!
I finally got to try the two fingers. It works. I am working on a Booga Bag with about 5 different yarns. I got some yarn barf but not as much as I would have doing it the old way.
Thanks for the hint. :notworthy:
YEAAA!!! Go Carla for trying the tip and letting us know it works!! That’s almost exactly the same feedback that this tip got on Craftster!!! :cheering:
:shrug: didn’t work for me. i got the usually 20 yds. :shrug:
I didn’t know there was a name for this! The good thing about it having a name: there are enough folks out there who share the problem. We are not alone!
Sometimes I pull out the usual yarn barf without even finding the end, so I just end up shoving it back in and using the outside. :teehee: That’s the only reason why I like acyrlic, because you can actually find the inside piece of yarn without pulling out a ton of yarn barf. I’ll have to try the two-finger trick and see if it works.
(I just crack up everytime I hear “yarn barf” )
I almost always start on the outside cus an elderly lady told me that pulling from the inside stretches the yarn (she called it wool). Then, when the “wool” relaxes back into shape, your tension is off. :shrug:
I only start with the inside when using cotton thread.
I got a real bad mental image there… vomit into cake :ick:
I always try to make sure that I get an equal number of “layers” on each side of my fingers. If you’re off by even one, you get miles coming out of the middle of the skein.