Today is the first day of “Tip Tuesday” and I’m very excited for this addition to my blog. I think it’s a great way to share some tricks of the trade and to create some discussion. I know this one starts off with a little crafty controversy because I know there are some very different beliefs when it comes to yarn and how they are used. Centre pull, outside pull, wind, roll, etc. I’m sharing a technique that I prefer doing prior to beginning a project but, if you have your own method or way of working with the yarn then you do what works for you! I know for me, I find my projects to flow a bit more nicely when I wind them ahead of time.

Yarn comes in various forms: Twists, hanks, skeins, balls, donuts, etc. Some of these forms you will absolutely need to prepare ahead of time. Hanks (like Lion Brand Hand Dyed Heaven or yarn you find in your local yarn shop) and twists (Caron x Pantone line) cannot be used as-is. That is a given and part of the process when purchasing that type of yarn. However, yarn that is in skeins, donuts or balls (most name brand yarn found at craft stores) generally have the option to use right from that form. Some labels even have instructions on which direction to pull from and have the yarn tail ready to use. We also know that yarn found in stores is generally from a factory and sometimes breaks or imperfections can happen. I’ve even had on random occassions, found a small knot in hand dyed yarn from a local shop. It happens and it’s something that is much easier to deal with before a project than running into halfway through. So while we would all love to not deal with little annoyances, it is worth it to take the time early on.

If you have a winder, your yarn will end up in these lovely little cake forms. Which by the way, are absolutely wonderful for storage. I have a few Rubbermaid tote bins and I was actually able to fit MORE yarn in them once they were wound into cakes. The yarn cake shapes stack so nicely and neatly on top of each other and because they are flat, the yarn doesn’t roll around or move too much.

If you don’t have a winder or prefer to wind by hand, you’ll most likely end up with a ball shape. Classic and also looks really cute sitting in a bowl on the shelf. Yarn prep and home decor? Yes please! If you go with this method, you’ll definitely want to consider using a yarn bowl or other type of holder to keep your yarn from rolling around while working with it. This shape is also fairly easy to store and to travel with.

So tell me! Do you prepare you yarn ahead of time or use it as-as? Did you find this tip helpful?

Head over to my Instagram @sweet_bee_crochet and let me know! I’ll also be sharing on my Facebook page Sweet Bee Crochet so you can also join in the discussion there as well. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the next Tip Tuesday! Happy crocheting!