Empty Space

So, I’m making go0d progress on the Zarabel sweater, but I’ve run into my first frustration (aside from not being able to join my cast on edge without twisting it).  As I’m working my way up the chart for the side panels, the stitches have steadily decreased, creating empty spaces in the chart.  I find myself wishing that there was a different symbol, or that unworked spaces could be blacked out, instead of me sitting here and mulling over the chart for several minutes trying to figure out where the empty spaces are and where I’m supposed to knit a stitch, and when the worked spaces on the chart have shifted.

Obviously, I’m managing okay, since I’m still working my way up the sweater…but it certainly would have been nice.

I’ve gotten far enough, even, that I had to wind my second ball of yarn.  I’m pretty comfortable with how far the first ball has gone and think that I should have plenty of yarn to complete the project.

Now, I usually get my yarn wound at the store, but occasionally I end up with unwound skeins for whatever reason.  Last time this was the situation, I took a few pictures of my technique to share with you.  First, here is my makeshift swift:

I start with the chair backs touching in order to get the skein around them, and then move them apart until the yarn is no longer sagging, but not taut.  Sometimes Mei Mei likes to help; she is making sure I don’t lose that yarn end that’s on the ground.

It’s hard to see in this photo, but I leave several inches of the tail of the yarn hanging down as I begin to wind the ball.

Then it’s time to loosely wind around, making sure I don’t catch the tail.

Once I’ve wound all the yarn, I tuck in the end I’ve been winding under the last few passes.

If I was careful enough not to get my original tail caught in all the winding, it should still be dangling down from the center, giving me a center-pull ball of yarn!

April 8, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Uncategorized

One Response

  1. Casey - June 12, 2010

    Wow! That is amazing that you have figured how to make a center pull ball by hand. I haven’t seen anything like that before and I should start trying to do it! I just ordered a ball winder for myself…of course it was two days AFTER I found this post. lol Oh well thanks for the helpful tip as I am sure it will come in handy eventually.

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