Ever wish you had a yarn winder for all those bits of skeins you had leftover? And then spent a few agonizing moments trying to make a ball so you can keep them somewhat organized? Well I stumbled across a wonderful way to make a centre pulled yarn cake without a winder. You will need some simple tools. Get a pen and paper because you want to be ready. I'll wait...... Ok you good?
You need your leftover yarn and a toilet paper tube or a paper towel tube.
That's all.
This is probably the best way I've seen to make a centre pull ball of yarn ever. It all started when I stumbled across a youtube video, it made great sense. So I figured I would do my own tutorial for funsies. Alright first lets talk about what kind of skeins you should wind and which ones to avoid. I found this out the hard way when I was making a blanket and the baby yarn I was using wasn't being sold anymore in stores, so I decided to frog the whole thing. Ok great. Except it was nearly half a skein of baby bernat sport, so the better part of 400 yards at least. I only had a toilet paper tube and it became quite a large undertaking. So if you have a large skein to wind, use a paper towel tube you will be happier. Alright so I have a few ( snorts) skeins laying around that need winding.
Ok so here are some examples of left over skeins you may (ok you do have) laying around your house/craft room. I don't recommend the pink one since it has form and in general isn't falling apart and the cake would be too big for the toilet paper roll, but the other three are perfect candidates. Let's get started.
So here is my toilet paper roll. I gave myself a note so I know which way is top because well sometimes we all forget, as well as notes to the other people in my household to not touch it or toss it. The only time they care about cleaning up is when I have things that they shouldn't touch laying around. ( i'm trying to make it their fault because well it is. LOL)
Alright, I made a small slit in the top. This isn't necessary, but I prefer it. It keeps the yarn in place and I don't have to hold it inside the tube, killing my hand and fingers in the process ( i forgot a picture, but essentially I just put one end of the yarn thru the tube then slide it into the slit to hold it in place. ( jeez that sounds so dirty sorry y'all)
Then I start winding
Now I like the more cake look if you will, so after a few wraps just wrapping it around the tube, I do it at an angle where I bring the yarn around the top and cross it down the bottom, after a few wraps I rotate the tube a little and keep going, you'll see how it turns out in a few pictures. But you can just do a traditional wind, or however you like. :)
See how it's kinda criss-crossing.
see what I mean. :)
Ok so when you are done you have this little tail.
I just get my hook and go under some of the yarn and pull it thru
There wasn't enough so I went under another section to make sure the tail stays tucked
now you can just slide it off the tube. This is where I had trouble with my first one. I had so much yarn and it was so big and tight, it was a nightmare getting it off the tube. Testimony that smaller bits of yarn work better as this slid right off.
and there you have it a nice little yarn cake/ball with a centre pull.
now I'm just bored and wanted to take pictures.
isn't this pretty?
I hope this helped you, and if need a video I linked the one I originally watched at the top of the page. :) Have fun winding!!
