Winding is not Fun
April 26, 2008 by Christianne
Isn’t that a beautifully wound ball of yarn? Handmaiden Sea Silk in Cornflower. Just gorgeous. Really. 660 yards of silky wonder.
What a pain in the ass.
Guess how long this took me to wind? No. Guess how many times I had to TRY to wind it?
Four.
The first time, we were winding along, minding our own business, contemplating yarn patterns - Montego Bay or Clapotis? wind, wind, wind. I had this much left to wind………………….and POP! The ball just jumped the hell off the skein winder. The jumbo Skein winder. Just jumped. I’m not kidding. It was like some kind of rocket booster launched the ball off the skeinwinder.
I was amazed. Perplexed even. But I returned to the task at hand. Wind the yarn. By the way, how do you spell WIND? WINED?
Hmmm, maybe a glass of wine will help.
Anyway, back to the yarn and winder. Second time - the ball looked like someone had inflated, then let the air out of it, and it slumped down the base of the winder in a heap. Silky stuff indeed.
The third time - that’s when it got dark, and hell arrived. And the knots. And the tangling up of the yarn. Oh, then the cursing started. DH said - do you need help?????? That’s what the cursing did - it made him ask if I needed help - from the other room, of course. Because the room I was in - not safe for entry.
Time out - had to leave to meet Jeanne for lunch before group - 15 minutes ago. Issued a severe yarnstorm warning - Nothing and No One to enter the room and touch the yarn that is everywhere on penalty of torture.
Lunch was great - Group was fun! Came home and remembered. That mess in the yarn room. Remembered I had already worked on this bleepity bleeping bleep ball of yarn for over an hour. Realizing it’s going to take me probably another hour to sort out the knots and get the yarn wound into something resembling a ball. Considered taking Jeanne’s advice about hand winding it. Considered letting the dog in the room and letting her “take care of it” for me.
Ten minutes later - that ball was the result. Beautiful, isn’t it?
I’m not making Montego Bay or Clapotis. Nope. I’m exhaused. But I did find another pattern I want to make and I have to tidy up a few projects before I start it because……….It’s another of Anne’s wonderful patterns and I have two on the needles already. So stay tuned.
See. I promised some yarny photo’s and there you have it. I don’t see a bunny in it, do you?
Gosh, now that was a nightmare. Beautiful results…good thing you are persistent. I think I’ll stick to my hand winding
What a PAIN! So does that mean you wound it by hand, then, or the other thing finally worked?
It’s beautiful stuff, though.
I see a bunny hutch, does that count…? LOL!
Great job with that ball. I swear, sometimes the little minxes have a life of their own.
Glad you finally got it wound - gorgeous yarn! Can’t wait to see what you decided to make with it.
hahaha, that happened to me when i wound a skein of geisha recently! it kept popping off the ball winder and making my life hell.
I’ve had that popping off the ball winder thing happen to me before. It’s amazing to watch. You have gotten very tricky with your bunny pictures.
I’ve also had the ball pop right off. Always when I am almost done. I don’t know if I am going super fast to be done or what but it just flies off.
Glad to see you got it wound up. It’s very pretty. I am with you on Anne’s patterns. I have them lined up and have to stop myself from casting on.
I dunno…if that furry little thing in the background is a bunny then you’re caught. LOL
I had that happen to me once, too. Except it flew off the ball winder and straight at my husband. He said that when the “Stash” started attacking him, that was when he knew it was truly taking over the house. ROTFL He still backs off when I start winding.
Is it the SeaSilk-? That’s so weird.
No, I didn’t see a bunny. No sirree, no bunny.
A glass of wine always seems like a good idea - but when it comes to knitting and drinking, winding and drinking . . .
W
oh how frustrating!! I went through that with a skein of Primero last year - I was ready to set the thing on fire. Thankfully I managed to get it all balled up - and the ball is sitting in my WIP basket because I can’t decide what to do with it! lol
I found that when Sarah uses my ball winder she winds counter clockwise and she always pops the ball off the winder. But I wind clockwise and I never have a problem. You may want to test out which way you are winding
It is gorgeous yarn, but maybe a long time out is in order.
I feel you, my winder just broke. Stupid plastic thing, the gear shattered. It must be time to move on to better things.
Is that white thing the bunny?
This is funny. I had the winding from hell with some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn. I was staying at my daughter’s house with my grandson as she was away on a business trip. I brought my ball winder and not the swift. I place the yarn over a chair back and began to wind. A few tangles happened. No problem. I began to wind a little faster about half way through. Boy did I create a tangled mess. It took me over an hour to sort it out. I had this mad urge to toss the mess, but hung in there. I am now knitting a pair of entrelac socks.
Love the yarn. Miss the bunny. Le sigh.