How to use both ends of a cone

#1

So I purchased a whole bunch of yarn from eBay, from this couple who makes their own. Beautiful stuff. And a great deal with lots of yardage for relatively cheap.

But the yarn I purchased was of smaller gauge than I expected so I’d like to double up to use it. Can someone give me some suggestions as to how to do this, barring the obvious of just unwinding it from the cone and making two separate balls (kinda tedious, eh)?

Or, if that’s the only solution, can someone tell me how I know when I have two approximately equal balls? Thanks loads, guys!

#2

If it’s a cone, I’m not sure there is a way.

As far as making the balls equal, you can weigh them if you have a kitchen or post scale.

#3

If it’s on a paper/cardboard cone center, you might be able to pull that out and find the start of the yarn that way, but it sounds like a big risk of tangling to me if you’re trying to work both ends at once.

Do you have a ball winder to be able to wind it easily? I think that would be the less risky option…wind a ball from the cone, weigh it and then weigh the remaining cone (without the cardboard center if it has one) until they are approximately equal. You might be able to get away with just winding one ball and leaving the rest in the cone and working from both simultaneously, with putting the cone on one of those paper towel holder thingies so it can spin freely.

#4

You could just use two cones, too.

#5

Rock on, guys! Thanks loads! Now I hunt for a ball winder 'coz I like that idea best!

#6

If you use a ball winder, you can take one strand from the center and one strand from the outside. That is how I always knit with two strands.

#7

Ooooh, Debbie, that’s a fab idea! I was gonna go out and buy a scale to weigh the yarn, but your way is easier and more cost effective. I just hope the ball winder I bought can handle the amount of yarn I intend to wind…