Okay so I’ve been browsing around for some time now. I guess I kinda figured this would be a normal problem butI hadn’t read this anywhere. I’m working on my first sweater vest and as such had to buy more than one or two balls of yarn to complete it. Joanns was having a super clearance on some bulky yarn, called Life I think. It looked nice, felt nice and I figured .75 a ball was worth it for a first time “real” project so I stocked up, 10 balls, didn’t care about dye lot though since the whole project was a bit experiemental. Anyhoo, I’m knitting knitting knitting and I come to a knot! Not like a tangle but the yarn is two stranded and one of the strands was knotted together and then twisted with the other non knotted strand. It’s like they ran out of length and then just tied a knot to get more length. I dunno that seemed really peculiar. Later on I ran into a couple other bigger knots where the whole peice of yarn was tied together. I had no idea that would happen, I figured like quality control or something would prevent a single skein from not being a single continuous string of yarn, apparently not in this brand. Is this common? I’ve only knit 6 balls and found knots in three of them. Regardless except for one spot the knots all ended up on the wrong side of the work so I didn’t really care, but what do you do, break the yarn and make a regular join as if you were starting a new ball? So peculiar.
No one told me about yarn knots!
Yeah, it happens. I have had it happen in cheap yarn, expensive yarn, whatever! I just cut and pick up again like I’m joining a new ball. It sucks, but it doesn happen! :shrug:
I’ve had that happen before too, with cheap and expensive yarns alike. Sometimes I cut and add, sometimes I just knit the knot in like it wasn’t there. it depends on the project for me.
I’ve had it happen, and I just keep on going. With that said, most of my projects have been “practical” ones and very simple. For example, scarves and lapghans. I figure that even though I was giving them as gifts they were going to get a lot of use but not to the point where the knot was going to make them an embarrasment to use (how much do you care if there’s one of those knots when you’re cuddled under the blanket on the couch? :teehee: ) Also, sometimes it kinda ends up more on the wrong side of the work so it’s not so noticeable on the front (if that makes sense).
Now, if I was making a sweater or something like that I’d do the cut and knit. I think it all depends on how much the knot is going to bother you. :shrug:
I’ve also run into places in the skein where it looks like there’s a giant hairball (for lack of a better term)…that bugs me more than the knots do.
A tip I learned here: If you have a winder, rewind every ball, skein or hank. At least you know that you have then. :shrug:
[quote=“aylaanne”]
Do you mean yarn barf?[/quote]
Yeah, I guess so…I thought a “yarn barf” was when you pulled on the yarn you were using to knit and a huge glob came out of the center of the skein, and you had to unwind that hideous mess. :roflhard:
I’m different, I guess…I always cut and rejoin, but I would especially do it on something like a scarf or blanket that has no wrong-side!
Do you mean yarn barf?[/quote]
Yeah, I guess so…I thought a “yarn barf” was when you pulled on the yarn you were using to knit and a huge glob came out of the center of the skein, and you had to unwind that hideous mess. :roflhard:[/quote]
That is what yarn barf is, I guess I was just trying to figure out what you meant by “hairball”. :doh:
for me, it depends on what i’m doing and how big the knot is. for instance, i was able to hide small knots in a garter stitch blanket and a sinful ribbed scarf, but would never attempt it in st stitch.
Do you mean yarn barf?[/quote]
Yeah, I guess so…I thought a “yarn barf” was when you pulled on the yarn you were using to knit and a huge glob came out of the center of the skein, and you had to unwind that hideous mess. :roflhard:[/quote]
That is what yarn barf is, I guess I was just trying to figure out what you meant by “hairball”. :doh:[/quote]
Well, a couple of the blankets I made I used Red Heart Light and Lofty…of course, it’s a bulky yarn anyway, but in a couple of places on one skein it was like the stuff got stuck in the “yarn making machine” and it dumped a bunch of the “Lofty” stuff all in one place making a huge blob of fuzz on the strand of yarn. That I did have to cut out as there was no way to disguise it.
The other few knots I ran into were covered very well in the scarves due to the ribbing pattern, and in one of the blankets that was stockinette, it seemed to stay on the wrong side of the blanket - even after washing it never popped through to where it was visible on the “V” side.
Maybe someday I’ll get to the point where I’m a real perfectionist, but for these projects I was fine with letting the little things slide - I made the blankets for my sisters-in-law and older nieces, but figured they’d end up being used by their little ones or grandkids anyway (and we all know what can happen when kidlets get ahold of blankies)…in fact, one of my step-niece’s kids cabbaged onto hers the minute she unboxed it. :teehee:
I bought 2 black skeins of Angora blend in black (to go with the 2 skeins of white) and the FIRST ball I wound had not one, not 2, but 3 Knots in it
if it were not SO inconvenient to go back to the store i would have returned it to them. I just spliced them
but I plan to get the stores number
the lady that runs this shop is GREAT, but I know she would have swapped it out had I asked
and she will LOVE the hat I M making
ecb
I have had that happen more than a few times. Imagine my shock when it happened on some expensive yarn, too!! I was bummed. I thought “I spent that much money for this??!!” I was kind of upset. But I got over it. If I am just making something for myself, like a lapghan or scarf, I will let it go and fall where it may. But if I am making something for someone else, I cut and rejoin it. The cool thing is, if it happens on wool, I like to felt the ends together, and you can’t even tell the difference.
Well, my LYS told me they are allowed to have 4!!! knots in every skein. I usually try to get the knot on the WS, but it always shows up after all, so I decided that from now on, I’ll cut the knot and weave in the ends.
This happened to me last night. I’m working on a mitten, and I got about 3 inches up the cuff and found a knot. Since it’s my first mitten and I don’t even have the right needles or yarn, I figured I’d just go with it. I don’t know how these are going to turn out anyway. I’m knitting mittens because I bought a pattern for an entrelac purse, knit the bottom of the purse (the easy part) and now I’m scared to keep going! I have to work up some courage…
If you are working with animal fibers, you can just cut right to each side of the not and spit slice the pieces together.
I don’t care if they are “allowed” 4 knots, if I get more than one I fire up the old email machine. I spend a heck of alot of money on yarn…I expect quality and don’t appreciate having to waste time hawking loogies on my yarn to get a continuous piece. They need to sell the ones that break off in the machine as seconds.
I totally agree with you. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Those companys only think about making money, so if they are allowed to have 4 knots in a skein, they will have 4 knots in a skein if necessary. :grrr:
wow, well I’m unhappy to see this is such a common occurance (especially in expensive yarns too!) but relieved to know I’m not the only one annoyed and frustrated at it :-/ There’s one knot in my work that kinda popped through to the front and I tried to manipulate it so it would stay in the back but unfortunately it’s being onry. I wish I had cut and joined so now it just looks funky there :-/ I’ll know better for next time.