# Something NEW I learned



## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

When you wind yarn from a swift into a ball using a ball winder, you should ALWAYS rewind the yarn from THAT ball into ANOTHER ball. The ball made from the swift is under more tension than one that has been RE-WOUND!!! :thumb:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

:goodjob:Yes'm. Always wind them twice!


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

:grit: Ooops.............SORRY, FR! :ashamed:
:teehee: Your yarn might have a LITTLE tension in it! :whistlin:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I guess I've never had any problem with mine being tightly wound.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Neither me..... all the yarn we balled up has already been knit into chunky/fluffy things. :shrug:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I just leave all mine in skeins from the swift until I am ready to use the yarn.
It is only under tension for the duration of the project.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I have never had a problem with wound balls of yarn being too tight. . .


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

My earliest attempt at laceweight merino from home-prepped raw fiber?
Yeah, I wound it up and sort of forgot about it for a few months.
When I went to knit it, I found a ball of FLAT yarn that I had to peel off itself.
That was disgusting, I had to reskein it and rewash it before I could use it.
Never again.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I don't even under stad how you would get the tension that tight. Maybe you are raising the swift up too night and slowing it down. My swift spins freely, if anything I need to add tension to it or it will spin back on itself. Kind of like a bobbin not under tension.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

With mine it seems to depend on the yarn. I just got into the habit of doing it twice as I never know if it is going to be a tight one or not.
Also, I was told years ago by Granny, never wind them before your going to use them. alot of people like to take all thier skeins or hanks, and just wind away! Not always a good idea.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Yeah, the heavier the skein the tighter mine get. Also, just making that swift go round is STILL putting SOME tension on the fiber! My swift moves freely, but it STILL takes SOME FORCE. On the microscopic fiber level (which is where I am learning now) it WILL cause some tension. Any physics class will also confirm this. 

I learned this from the MS WB. Just passing it along..........


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

WIHH I was thinking the exact same thing on several topics. Most of my spinning is kept in skein form until ready to use too. Them it isnt an issue


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Check this blog out:
http://spinheartspin.blogspot.com/2012/01/wool-type-matters.html

Interesting stuff! Thanks JDog - found it while I was reading the MSP thread on Ravelry. 

I'm glad you started this - I was going to ask how everyone stores their skeins. No I know - don't ball 'em


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

LOL, you guys are so funny to watch and listen to. As we keep saying, "Listen to the fibers and they will tell you what they want ti be."


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

gone-a-milkin said:


> I just leave all mine in skeins from the swift until I am ready to use the yarn.
> It is only under tension for the duration of the project.


AGREE(1)



gone-a-milkin said:


> My earliest attempt at laceweight merino from home-prepped raw fiber?
> Yeah, I wound it up and sort of forgot about it for a few months.
> When I went to knit it, I found a ball of FLAT yarn that I had to peel off itself.
> That was disgusting, I had to reskein it and rewash it before I could use it.
> Never again.


Since it was sticking together, it was either balled with some grease in it, or on a hot & humid day. 

When you


gone-a-milkin said:


> I just leave all mine in skeins


There is no problem and in my case, it makes wonderful wall art!!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have a question. JDog you said in the above quoted statement that, "...I just leave all mine in skeins from the swift until I am ready to use the yarn." This question is for everyone though  Do you use your swift to make your skeins? Do you not make a skein using your niddy noddy?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Marchwind, I said that. 
I dont have a niddy noddy. 
The swift works fine though. 
My swift is not the umbrella style, it is like this one.










Cyndi,
"Since it was sticking together, it was either balled with some grease in it, or on a hot & humid day. " Yes, likely both. :teehee:

I still have never been able to get Merino squeaky clean. Gosh is it ever fine and greasy!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Ahhhh GAM I always only thing umbrella swift. I wonder does JDog have an umbrella swift or one like you have? I also wonder if that is what makes the difference when winding into a ball? I'm just really curious about this. The thought has never crossed my mind that the balls/cakes wounds would be considered to be under a lot of tension. I find this all very interesting.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

J has the umbrella.

I think the tension issue varies greatly from yarn to yarn type.
Some of the balls seem quite content to be.
There are a few that seem to be under more tension than others, but certainly nothing alarmingly compact.

I have found that certain overeducated, but otherwise quite pleasant folk tend to over-analyze things for the simple reason that simple drives them nuts. :grin:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

MW, FR is correct, I have the umbrella.

Just take some yarn in your hands, pull it ever so slightly and just see how LITTLE of a tug it takes to stretch the yarn. You can hardly pull it a all and you can see it places it under tension.

I guess it's NOT a good idea to store your yarn under ANY tension. At least that's what they are teaching me. I like storing my in balls/cakes so, I'll just wind twice! :thumb: They say THAT'S OK! :shrug:

FR, haven't you learned ANYTHING? NOTHING in life is SIMPLE! :huh: On the surface, MAYBE, but that would be deceiving! If it harms the yarn in even the SLIGHTEST way, We WANT TO KNOW. Some of us don't use up their yarn as fast as others! :Bawling:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

If I can't get ten or twelve pounds knit up in a day, I don't sleep well that night. :shrug:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

But JDog when you wind a ball with your ball winder, when you pull the ball off doesn't the ball go smaller than it what when wound? The center of my winder leaves a big whole in the center of my ball and when I pull the ball off the winder it all sort of collapses down. All the tension is released. Seriously my, uhem, balls are not under tension.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Neither, *ahem* are mine. :whistlin:



(somehow I just knew that this discussion was doomed to lose it's gender-neutral status) :bored:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Well, yeah, that happens to mine also. Wonders how we can scientifically test to see once the balls collapse, if they are still under tension. Yeah, I think they are (just checked mine), only the center kinda sinks in. My balls are kinda big, so their outer edge still seem to stay the same. I'd be almost 99% sure they still some strands that are a tad bit tense! I TOTALLY see what they are saying! :shrug:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

OK, one has been wound once and the other twice, can you tell which one they are?


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

What one looks more tense? :huh:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Number2. Of course I'm on my phone, but yea, 2


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

They both look the same to me :teehee: seriously, they do. My computer has taken a dump so I'm stuck with the iPad exclusively for awhile. 

What kind of ball winde do you have? Just the standard Royal one?


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

I have this type:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metal-Yarn-...745?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5648b00d49

It may not be one of the best types, IDK.
The ball I wound the second time ended up being bigger and hardly fit on my winder when I was done. It is WAY more squishy and lofty! So, I guess I'll have to admit, mine are under tension! Keep guessing! :happy2:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh who really knows. I just think this is just an interesting topic.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh WIHH you speak the truth there. But I don't think anyone is arguing or even suggesting that tension isn't a bad thing. Wow, I hope you don't think I'm arguing. As I said it just fascinates me this whole ball winder thing.

Alright if you all think I'm arguing I'll leave it alone.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Shouldn't somebody be moving this discussion to GC?

The tension is ruining my morning coffee. :indif:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Nope, I see no arguing!  I'm glad I read about this in my WB, I'm going to rewind ALL my balls/cakes, they are a little tight. There, they are tight, NOT tense.......... when I rewind them they expand and feel so much happier. I like them more compact, but I know they're not happy that way.  

MW, just try rewinding one of your already wound CAKES, using your CAKE-winder and see if you notice any difference. Maybe your US turns easier than mine!  

This class is teaching fiber on the microscopic level, so I guess that's why I'm looking at it that way. :shrug: 

I knew NOTHING about this before now, guess I wanted to pass this on to the others who are interested. 

What's GC? :huh:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Good Coffee ? :shrug:


ETA ........

No, _Great_ coffee. :heh:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

LOL, WIHH, I don't even know what a cake is, I thought I seen someone calling them cakes, earlier. 

FR, doesn't like us talking about male parts and stuff, so now I'm calling them cakes and cake winders! :happy2:

The rewound round thing (ball, cake, doughnut) seems to NOT be tight/tense at all. REALLY, EVERYONE try it, see for yourselves. Because the outside is wound from the outer part of the first wound ball, there is practically NO pull on the yarn when you are winding. The center has a tad bit more pull on the yarn when you start, BUT, once you take it off the cone, whatever tightness/tension in there, is released! :thumb:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

WHAT? There is a GREAT COFFEE section?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

There is here.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

:doh: That would mean I would have to OVER THINK, and I was told NOT to do that, we should keep things SIMPLE! SORRY the tension is ruining you GC! 

You want me to tell EVERYONE you mix your plant and animal fibers? :nono:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

JDog FR need to get his head out of the gutter. We're talking yarn balls not male parts :hrm:

Okay, I'm going to go rewind one of my balls and see. But to be honest, and this is just a prediction on my part. I doubt I'll see much difference. I'm trying to think of how my swift is putting any less tension on the ball than winding from the ball is :shrug: seems about the same amount of tension to me. Back with a report


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Wind one:
















Wind two


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

The second one is taller also, if I smash it down it goes even farther outside the original 4" lines.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Okay the rewound ball is fluffier but I really analysed the ball before rewinding it. The ball before rewinding was smooshy and very pliable, not at all tight in any way. Now the ball is very big but very messy and looks like it will fall apart if not contained. Not a very good ball at all IMHO. But it is bigger and fluffier.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

OK, your balls are proly good with just one wind. Mine, I think they need two. :happy2:
FR and I tried to put some graphite on the rod to make it go easier, but that didn't work all that well either.  Big Al is having a look now! :bouncy:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Mixing my plant and animal fibers ? 

_blasphemy_

I thought I gave YOU all that nasty cotton stuff........ :indif:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

O NO, one of those sweaters I KNOW has some plant fiber in it! I remember such things! SUNSHINE, I think!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Why do I hear Twilight Zone playing in the background ? :indif:


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

My first swift was used and I didn't worry about tension because it was loose. That one burned, got another one. The new one is tight and I have to be careful. I will pull off a length of yarn, then wind it on the ball winder adjusting the tension with my fingers. I sure miss the old swift.


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