How to make a hank?

#1

So I’m exploring dying wool myself, and I keep reading that the wool has to be in a hank. How exactly do you make the wool into a hank?

#2

Wrap it around something. The longer the hank, the longer the color repeat. I’ve used a wide sewing ruler, and the feet of my ironing board. Some people use dining room chairs. I’ve unwound hanks by placing it around a paper towel holder and a heavy crock set a foot or so apart.

The easiest is of course to use a swift or a warping board, which you’ll want to consider if you decide you like dyeing.

#3

So just make a giant “O” of yarn and kinda knot a strand arround the middle? Just let it soak like that?

#4

Yes, make a giant circle of yarn. But don’t tie it in one place, or you’ll be kicking yourself severely. You want to tie it in at least 4 places, depending on the size of the hank. The bigger it is, the more ties you’ll want. Use a piece of cotton or acrylic yarn (it won’t take the dye) in a natural color (so it doesn’t bleed), and don’t just tie a circle around it, but weave it in and out so it’s holding the strands in such a way that they can’t easily tangle.

Once you’ve done all that, then you can soak it.