# Memories



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

I was thinking as I wound a ball of yarn from a skein, how I intend to buy a ball winder at SAFF. I like center-pull.

Then I realized that those thoughts had sparked a memory of something I used to do as a child.

I'm now sitting here looking at three center-pull balls of nicely wound yarn. No ball winder, and no nostepinne. Just my two hands. I've very pleased that I remembered how to do this! And the yarn is soft, not stretched like a ball winder can make it sometimes. :dance:

So dredge up your childhood memories for what you used to be able to do when playing, but forgot about as an adult.

And maybe...just maybe...I'll tell you how to wind a nice center-pull ball with no tools!

  
Meg


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I remember my great grandma winding yarn into balls with her arthritic fingers when I was growing up. It was something that we both did that was relaxing but useful.

I didn't even realize there were such things as ball winders to do the job for you until about twelve years ago! 

(I still wind by hand.)


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

FalconDance said:


> I remember my great grandma winding yarn into balls with her arthritic fingers when I was growing up. It was something that we both did that was relaxing but useful.
> 
> I didn't even realize there were such things as ball winders to do the job for you until about twelve years ago!
> 
> (I still wind by hand.)


:nana:
Okay, take my memory! 

I was trying to remember where I learned it. I can't. Part of me thinks I just figured it out winding yarn when I was into crocheting granny squares as a kid. Another part seems to remember an uncle teaching me this...but I didn't see that particular uncle much, so it doesn't work well.

I guess I'll never know, will I?

At any rate, you simply use your thumb as a nostepinne...sorta. Wind the yarn around a few fingers for a bit. Slip that off, and stick your thumb through it. Then use it like a nostepinne. Yesterday I did balls ranging from 1.5 ounces to 8 ounces. Did 'em all. You can leave a tail out so you don't have to fish for it, too.

And remembering that saved me about $100!

Meg


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

G'ma always made 'thumb-balls' while I stood there with my hands apart holding the skeins.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I've wound center pull balls but not on my thumb. I wind then around my hand to start and then just pull it off fold that part up and wind the ball around it. Then like the store bought ones you just pull out that little lump in the middle and away you go.


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

see! Everyone knows how to do this! Why didn't I? And then why do people buy ball winders?


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Well, grandma didn't wind for center-pull. And personally, I can't stand center-pull since by the time you get towards the end, your ball is collapsing in on itself!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Why do I have a ball winder? Well it is far quicker than any ball I could wind. The ball winder actually doesn't wind a ball it winds a cake with a flat top and a flat bottom, and those stack really nicely :bow:


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I wrap the end of the yarn around my thumb, then start winding around to fingers. Then, take out the two fingers and use three fingers. I get a center pull ball. I also have a ball winder, which I prefer if I have to make several balls of yarn. I like the way they stack.


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Hmmm....my center-pull hand-wound balls are flat top and bottom and stack. I'll try to remember to take pictures tomorrow and see what ya'll think.

Meg

Here's a picture. I dont' know how to add them directly from Flickr, and I can't get into my Photobucket account to use that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2745939913/

Now, tell me what is different! Obviously, some are neater than others...but aside from that?

M


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hmm, my hand wound ones and even the ones I wind on my Nost. don't come out with flat tops and bottoms, mine are round :shrug: Oh well!


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Mine (and my grandma's were, too) are all round BALLS. If it's flat on either end, it ain't no ball .


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

FalconDance said:


> Mine (and my grandma's were, too) are all round BALLS. If it's flat on either end, it ain't no ball .


Oh, yeah? You come tell the Murphy -puppy that!

I took some more pictures. One each from the top, bottom and side of a single ...ball? cake? mudpie? Now I don't know what to call it. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/?saved=1 Diddn't have a ruler handy, so I took them all on top of my laptop by the logo, so you have a size reference.

Regardless of what it's called, apparently lots of folks here can do this, they just prefer a winder.

So, what else do you know how to do and take for granted that everyone else knows, too?

I remember when I finally got someone to show me how to twist a skein. I thought I was the only one on the planet who didn't know how to do that, but I've since met quite a few people who don't know how...or didn't. They do now. Such a little thing, but everyone assumes the knowledge is universal. What other knowledge are you guys all sitting on that I don't know how to do? Come on...spill it!  Enquiring minds want to know!

Meg


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I also have artistic piles of hand spun yarn. Does this mean it's okay to buy yarn instead of using what we already have?

Knowledge? I can make underarm gussets in a top down sweater without a seam. I can do it with pants too, at the crotch.


----------



## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

[QUOTE
Knowledge? I can make underarm gussets in a top down sweater without a seam. I can do it with pants too, at the crotch.[/QUOTE]

Can we get you to spill the beans on the underarm gusset...hmmm, pretty please?


----------



## RusticOkie (Feb 26, 2008)

I had no idea you could do center pull balls by hand. I guess you learn something everyday.


----------



## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Meg's general question has me thinking (well, a few cells are firing off at any rate) when we "know" something that just seems to be a part of what we do - how do we impart that to someone else without actually being in the middle of doing it? I'm having a hard time wording this so let me give an example - when I learnt to make up a pair of eyeglasses it was at the elbow of someone with 30 yrs experience and me saying "how do you do *that*, why do you do *this* ? He then showed me *that*, or explained *this*, then I could put what he taught me together with the theory. But until I had asked him about that specific action I don't think he could or would have parsed it out separately from the _entire_ process. In other words making a pair of eyeglasses was just so much a part of him that he didn't even think the process thru anymore -it just happened. Later when I would teach a new staff person, that was when I had to think about " how do I know this, why is it done this way" in order to be able to teach the reason behind the action. Until then, what I knew was just what I did - no wondering about "doesn't everyone who does such and such know to do *this*?" IS this making any sense to anyone, lol?!


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

In a similar vein, I'm always amazed at the number of people who say they've never grown a single veggie in their life and _wouldn't even know where to start_! Or who don't know how to fry chicken!!! Or make plain ol' biscuits. My great grandma taught me all kinds of things a girl was expected to know way-back-and-when .... good practical skills (except spinning - that I had to discover on my own since by her time, it had already waned into the history books) that are sadly nearly lost in this fast-paced, throw-away society. I took those skills and expanded on the theme (daddy then taught me how to build a house from basement up, all things involved, "just in case").

Too many times I've heard "you _made_ *whatever*?!?  "


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Ya know...I guess this is why apprenticeships work.

I know exactly what you mean, Liese. This is why I had to dissect each tiny step in knitting and figure out where my issues were, and then figure how to get around it. The folks that have tried to teach me just know their process, and have never divided it into baby steps. I'll certainly be applying baby steps to my spinning teaching even more now. I already do that in my lectures at work, since most of my students are non-majors...biology is hard, unless you break it down into bits, and then let them see how it all fits back together. Then it makes sense. But you can't just break it down into bits and leave it like that. You've got to see the connections. Same with the knitting and other stuff. I love how I can apply my job to my hobbies and my hobbies to my job! 

And sometimes (like with the knitting) you don't know what to ask.

We're off to the beach today to celebrate our 27th anniversary. it's probably going to rain on us, but we don't mind. Ya'll have a great day, now!

Meg


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yep Liese that made perfect sense to me. What I have discovered in all my years is that you have to know what questions to ask since most people don't think about the process, they just do it. 

Since my sons and I all have learning disabilities I'm petty sensitive to what the questions are that need to be asked. I think you all have seen me post amendments for newbies when one of us poss directions or information about a certain skill. 

Does that make sense?


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Oh, yes, when you have to actually think about what you are doing, it gets frustrating. This is why beginner knitting books have lots of pictures. I write instructions and I can tell you that explaining every little detail is painful. How do I do that?


----------



## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Teaching anything certainly can lead to knowing that subject better than before but not always, I can remember a few professional teachers ....

But I can learn so much when watching someone who is confident in their work, confident enough to share. It's funny but some people are too insecure to teach, for them knowledge is power and they can't give it away! Other people seem to be incapable of thinking about *why* they do something a certain way, those people are the ones who will call me, the student "stupid" or just repeat themselves more loudly ...a Maths teacher comes to mind here. Maybe we should reverse the titles of student and teacher, eh?

On the other hand, some folks do seem want to be spoon fed and obviously aren't researching their question in advance of asking it.


----------

