# Knitting with extra thread w/ yarn



## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

I have a skein of multi-color yarn but it's 2 ply, really thin stuff and the color changes are very short lengths. By itself it's kinda much. And I really can't find a pattern I like with this thin of yarn. 

So I got some white yarn and just held the "thread" with it and knitted a small piece and really like it. 

But I can't get very far before the two yarns get all tangled up. Is there some trick to this? I tried googling but I found info on knitting with two colors and keeping yarn straight, but not while holding the yarns/thread together. 

When I knit I only get a few rows in before I have to dangle my projects to let the yarn untwist. Is this normal? It's really a mess with two yarns! 

I'm so excited at how pretty something will look with these two together, but I'm not sure I can do it with all the tangling mess. 

Is there a trick to it?


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Do you have them in balls, or skeins ? You can try putting the balls ? into a coffee container, and put holes in the lid , then bring the yarn through the hole(s) ...may help ?

Also, When you turn your work, make sure you turn it opposite ways ... to the right , next time to the left .... to the right ..... does that make sense ??

If your a spinner , you can ply them together and make ONE strand of yarn .... no tangles !!


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I almost always work with multiple strands held together.
I always make cakes (the balls that are flat on top and bottom) before I start working.
Or.. I go ahead and ball the yarns together as one.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Sometimes I'll knit with a couple balls of yarn and they do seem to want to tangle together although in most cases around here, it's not being knit at the same time but just on the same project. 

Miz Mary has a great idea, if you happen to have a spinning wheel. I wonder if it would work if you sort of wound the two skeins together into a ball? Although that might end up with one strand being longer than the other and you'd have a loop that you'd have to work along the double strand all the time.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

If you are knitting from balls knitting from the inside rather than the outside of the ball may make a difference.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

I do always try to knit from the inside, but the thin thread stuff is on a cone. 

I don't spin (YET) but I do have a ball winder! I never thought of trying to wind them up together and then knit! I'll have to try that. 

I've never paid attention to how I turn my work. Never even thought about it. Maybe that's why I get so twisted up. I'll try that too! 

I literally every few rows have to dangle my projects and untwist them. The heavier projects like dog sweaters get hard to untwist. I've never read anything about anyone else having that problem, so didn't know if it is just me or just part of knitting.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I think the cone is your problem. Wind the two together into one ball if you are able. You may have to wind the cone yarn into a ball first then wind the two together.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Yes, as Mw says, it's the twist. A yarn is twist eather left or right, if you knit or wind in the same direction it will put more twist into it which will make it get loopy and twist too much. You just have to go from the other end of the skein or wind off a cone and then you will be knitting from the proper end. I know this is wacky confusing, but with all the wrapping,turning,right/left handed knitters, spinners, diffrent countrys-ohy-if's being a bummer ,try something diffrent. Also keep you yarns away from each other until you figure it out as you knit.


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

Thank you, everyone! 

I wound the cone up and made a center pull and what a difference! 

See some on the right side of the stitch and some on the left side on my needle... plus I missed getting that purple loop on one stitch! 

Do I need to worry about which side of the stitch the thread goes? Or just put them together and knit and let it all sort itself out?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nope you don't need to worry about which side of the stitch the yarn is on. You are going to get a heat here'd/splotchy look no matter what. It looks nice those two together. Are you sure that purple loop isn't hiding under the white stitch? Are you talking about the one that is the 5th stitch from the point end of the needle? 

Have fun with this. What are you making?


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> Nope you don't need to worry about which side of the stitch the yarn is on. You are going to get a heat here'd/splotchy look no matter what. It looks nice those two together. Are you sure that purple loop isn't hiding under the white stitch? Are you talking about the one that is the 5th stitch from the point end of the needle?
> 
> Have fun with this. What are you making?


Thanks for the answer! I was afraid I was going to have to knit very, very slowly if I had to balance those stitches out. 

I am talking about that 5th stitch. I did somehow miss it and I can pull the loop up. I'll just have to be more careful! This was just a swatch to see how it looked. 

The colors are actually pastel colors, my iphone camera kinda changed the colors and I am in the mood for spring and Easter stuff, so I'm trying to find something to make with it. 

My vet has an Easter Parade each year with prizes for the costumes and I found a bunny sweater to knit... I am considering making a sweater for my dog. I may use this yarn just for the inside of the ears and the tail, as I think a whole sweater in it might be too much? I also am thinking of knitting something for Easter for a friend's little girl. Scarf and hat? Or maybe a little animal or some sort? 

I just found the yarn in my stash and loved the colors and thought I need to do something with it! LOL


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