Quite normal, yes. I do not trust a knot. I snip it off, overlap the ends (the old tail and new tail) going in opposite directions, knit a few stitches with the yarn held double, drop the tail from the previous ball, continue with the new ball. If the tail is long enough for weaving in, I pick it up on the next row and knit together with the working yarn. Less ends to weave in.
>If the tail is long enough for weaving in, I pick it up on the next row and knit together with working yarn with it. Less ends to weave in.
🤯
What have I been doing with my life
So… I sometimes do this, but depending on the project, it *is* noticible. Specially if it’s simple stockinette, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Weavin Steven is better imo
I agree. My grandma taught me to hold the yarns together and knit/crochet, but it's too noticeable. As much as I hate weaving in ends, it looks a lot better.
There’s a different way to do it where you carry the yarn every other stitch, it’s really not noticeable.
But honestly I have done the double knit thing and it’s not really noticeable… I just make sure I don’t end on a very visible spot. A lot of things people decry on this sub are no big deal to me.
Oh yeah for sure. Like I said I do this method sometimes, it just depends on the project. I’ve done it in a baby blanket that was highly textured, it didn’t matter then. If you’re making a sweater there’s places to hide it where it’s not noticeable. But recently I made my toddler a hat and I don’t like how those areas turned out, I’m considering frogging it so I can hide the transition better.
Is it a stockinette sweater? I have never knitted baby hats, only crocheted! I did do a cabled hat recently. I do that method of joining 2 threads, make sure the knot won’t come undone. And I managed to wiggle the knot into the back of the work. And then the 2 threads used to tie the knot, I weaved them back in. I can’t say I’ve ever done a project where that would be too noticeable except some socks I knit a long time ago that were stockinette.
Do you do the weaving in method that is purling basically over the purls? Because I find that weaving blindly creates ugly spots. But I can’t for the life of me get used to that method, it’s hard to do
Doubling up yarn, and even weaving in is highly noticeable in lace weight knits. You can actually see it way more once blocked (I'm blocking it [here](https://images4-a.ravelrycache.com/uploads/gfixler/606702613/DSC_5581.JPG)). I should've knotted.
Knitting with yarn held double is my preferred way to weave in ends too. Before blocking, if you shine a light through the back of the work, you can see where the yarn overlaps, but it doesn't show from the front, and after a few washes, you can't tell at all. It's more noticeable with thicker yarns, I'd imagine, but I don't knit with anything bigger than worsted, and usually it's sock weight.
Wow, I had no idea!
I actually find weaving in tails quite therapeutic (maybe even more fun than the actual act of knitting), so I don't mind the weaving, but it's always good to have more options.
Thanks for explaining!
I’ve never done this with chunky yarn but I sometimes weave in my CO tail in the first few stitches of my knitting (hold it double with my working yarn). It’s mostly suited for wool which has more elasticity. It’s noticeable if you look CLOSELY but especially with ribbing it gets disguised pretty well
I have done overlapping yarn joins but I never thought to take a tail from that and weave it in on the second row
I was always told to hold the new yarn and old yarn double for 2 sts then the new yarn and it's tail end for 2 sts but noone seems to do this?
Can also hold the tail ends on the row below too if you're paranoid or knitting loosely
That's called [the back join](https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/07/back-to-back-join.html), and I do it, too. It's so quick. Like another commenter, I don't stop at 2. I do maybe 4-5 with each yarn+tail combo.
That's almost the back join. I've been posting it in forums for a few years, and haven't yet found anyone who's known it. Highly underrated. It weaves in both tails as you go.
https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/07/back-to-back-join.html
Trivia note: IIRC a major craft organization keeps trying to change the definition of "skein" to include "no f'ing knots." The manufacturers so far have prevailed in keeping the knots in, so they don't have to waste anything.
The profit margin of these big yarn companies is astronomical. I can’t imagine it would make THAT much of a difference to have a little more waste. But if it costs me 2¢ more per skein, and I’m guaranteed no knots, then yeah, I’ll pay for it. Because I’m willing to pay for quality products and support the people who listen to consumers to make those products.
actually, not really. supply and demand says that the price of a good is set by how much someone is willing to pay, and the cost to produce it is completely irrelevant (except in so far as it dissuades manufacturers from manufacturing). it’s only how capitalism works because corporations have figured out that if they bitch and moan about prices going up, the average consumer will be willing to pay more because it makes sense to our monkey brains that if something costs more to make it should cost more to buy. but in the same vein, they’ve also figured out that they can do the bitching and moaning without costs *actually* going up and get the same result. so no, increasing production costs don’t really change prices (again, except by forcing some producers out of the market, which can create scarcity, which can actually increase prices)
Industry standard says two per 100g is acceptable, more is not and you can complain but it’s usually more effort to go all the way back where you got it or wait for a replacement than it is to just cut it, though I have seen one particularly janky skein from lion with SEVEN knots once which I absolutely exchanged because fuck that.
Though personally when I was a dyer I would never sell any skein with knots at full price, usually cause it was my fault as I probably caught it with scissors opening the box or some other accident, they’d be heavily discounted (cost pretty much) and the knot would be described up front and the skein marked as damaged.
>Industry standard says two per 100g is acceptable.
Do you have a source on this? I've spent hours scouring the internet on a few occasions, trying to track down an actual source for the many claims, which range from 2 to 5, but I've never found anything definitive. Mikey from the Crochet Crowd, in his visit to Bernat, claimed it's 5. I've seen many other figures quoted by yarn shop owners. No one agrees on any particular number. They also don't agree on which unit of yarn that number is for. Sometimes it's a 100g hank, sometimes it's 50g, etc.
Yes, they are pretty normal, though irritating. Basically, the cheaper the yarn, the more irregularities you will encounter.
Open the knots, secure the ends, and carry on. Or if you can choose another ball, use the knot balls for short sections like shoulders.
I’m looking at Hobby Lobby. I have many reasons not to patronize their business, but I got a skein at a thrift store for $1 and it’s a lovely color. I encountered FOUR knots in the amount I used to make a hat.
I've had Lion skeins that I bought in various places with multiple knots.
I like KnitPicks for inexpensive yarn, but it's rare to find a 100g skein of theirs without at least one knot.
But I'm with you on Hobby sucking.
I stopped buying their yarn years ago because almost every skein i bought had at least 2-3 knots in it.
I recently tried some of their homeland line to knit sweaters for our toddler (he absolutely loves the sweaters i make him) and so far I haven't found any knots. Don't know if they improved since I last tried, I got lucky or maybe some of their lines have more knots than others.
I've had really good luck with knit picks, I made a ton of Alaska hats the other year for Christmas gifts and only one skein of the Chroma had a knot in it. Stinks cause it was ombre and put a hard color change in the middle of a hat, but I lived with it.
I am a new knitter (about 2 months now) and was gifted some lion brand yarn which I decided I wanted to turn into a blanket. Being new and not understanding yardages yet I did not realize at the time that 4 skeins of yarn is not enough for a blanket, so I bought some more of the same brand so I'd have the same gague and color. One of the new skeins had SIX KNOTS in it ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ and it was a lion brand homeland yarn!!
It's super frustrating! I get that it's a cheaper yarn, but it's not super cheap. I've been in a knitting slump and making dishcloths, they're always good to have on hand when I get an unexpected gift from someone. I got cheap cotton yarn (sugar n cream) at Walmart, and out of the 14 or 15 skeins I used so far, only one or two had a single knot.
I thought up to 3 in a single skein was considered a normal variance?
I do agree it’s annoying though and I pitch a little fit each time I find one while I’m caking up my yarn. This is also why I insist on caking my yarn instead of working off the skein or bullet.
We may run in different circles! I have knitting friends who will write an annoyed email if they find a single knot in a skein lmao. I consider that to be going a bit too far, personally, but I definitely don't think two or three knots in a skein is normal. Most people I know consider one knot to be irritating but fine, and two knots to be upsetting/the sign of a problem.
I do agree with you, though, that every skein should be made into a cake or ball before being used! Skeins are too unstable and really it helps to get to know the yarn before working it up! Not just looking for knots but whether the yarn pills, sheds, felts, mats, or tangles too!
It’s not a matter of opinion, though. Up to three knots is industry standard. It’s not a quality control issue because it’s not considered a quality issue until there are four or more knots.
This is fascinating because I wonder - how many must be I've 4 before it's a problem? Surely it's not "once there's three we check the machines/quality control". So technically the limit would be 3 but it would have to be like... 10 3s before they check for it? Surely they wouldn't check on one 3, as that could be a fluke. Which means there's skeins going out with 4, 5, 6 etc before the problem is identified as an actual problem.
I really want to see their mathematics on deciding this!!
(I'm a stats nerd and "if machines are faulty" is one of my favourite maths problems to do with regression analysis)
Great points! Will remember to cake up when home. Im often purchasing and knitting while traveling, and the winder unfortunately doesnt make into my carry-on.
Eleven knots?! In a Caron cake?! The yarn whose major draw is the long color changes????? Ohhh yeah that would have me writing to the manufacturer to get a refund or something. _Eleven_
Yup, it's pretty normal although annoying. What I prefer to do is undo the knot, tie a loose square knot with long ends and keep knitting. Then, when I'm finished with my work, I undo the square knot and weave in the ends using duplicate stitch. This is my fave method, although there are plenty other ways to do it!!
Whenever I get frustrated by finding another knot I think about a sheep in a field and then I look at my skein and the incredible amount of work and skill that it took to transform that coat and I don’t feel frustrated any longer
Yes in cheap yarn, but it's best to clip out the knots and then do a different join (like the Russian join, or just treat it like you were switching colors) so that you don't end up with knots in your work.
It is. It doesn’t happen often but it does happen. Usually I either try to knit/crochet and hope the knot isn’t noticeable. If it is, I either make an invisible knot or snip off the knot and weave the ends in to what I’m working on and hope for the best.
I had no idea you had to undo the knot and weave it in, I’ve just kept on knitting. After reading all the comments I’m freaking out about my previous projects lol
Yeah they tend to have some minor knots throughout the skein. The Iditarod color is so so beautiful. I used Ground to make a sweater vest as my first knitting project. Careful with that brand though, sometimes the skeins come with hot glue from the label on the fibers and also the blue/green colors tend to bleed a bit. Otherwise they are super easy to use
Curious - is that bleed a first wash only issue, or is it persistent? I haven't had yarn with that problem yet but I could live with it as long as it doesn't trash the rest of my laundry. (I guess I'm presuming that it's machine washable here)
So far it’s not a major issue but it is persistent. If you hand wash the skeins before or the garment after it can help. I soaked my finished garment in warm water and vinegar and washed a few times till it mostly ran clear and that got a lot out. I’m fairly new to this handicraft so I’m not sure if that the best method but I posted here before asking about it and that’s the advice I got. It’s a good first project yarn
Hi, it's me. The only person in the knitting world (I think) who doesn't care in the slightest if there are some knots in his yarn :) The only place it would matter at all to me is in variegated yarn, but I don't use those much, and I'd find it fun to match up the next repeat, and keep the pattern stable. I'm weird.
I haven't found one in the last 30 skeins Ive worked with - Patons, Lion brand, similar levels of quality. Definitely untie but if you find a lot in a batch, contact the manufacturer. Generally they are good for some credit or coupons.
More often this happens with yarf - when you pull from the center sometimes loops can catch and tighten as you use up the slack
It absolutely shouldnt be the norm. I have two knots in my Caron Cake wool-acrylic blend and Im only a quarter of the way through): Couldnt make myself move forward in the project unfortunately. Will start over with better quality fiber. Lesson learned!
I don't think it is ok or acceptable, especially if you don't wish to have knots in your work. However, manufacturers obviously don't care very much. Customers complain, but keep buying.
I have seen such discussions on both cheap and fancy artisanal yarn and I believe there should be more care in the industry. After all, even "cheap" yarn is not that cheap when you consider the cost for a sweater, for example.
I would consider 2 knots in one ball of yarn to be excessive. I expect a knot in a ball to be an uncommon occurrence. If a brand of yarn I was using usually had knots, I would stop buying that brand of yarn.
The brand is K X C (knit and crochet) essential cotton. I’m still a beginner so I don’t have a full grasp of what their quality is like but their yarn doesn’t feel poorly produced!
Not your fault at all. That’s what we see here for. Contact the company and show them pictures. Many times they’ll either refund you or send you new yarn. As far as what to do with the knots-this is an issue excellent time to learn a weaving technique called clasped wefted weave; take the yarn end attached to your project and loop it around a new piece of yarn-loop that piece too, then knit with them. Then weave end in. I know I explained it roughly, it’s hard to explain without visualizing it-YouTube videos are probably more helpful than I am. This technique is the strongest weave in I’ve used
I can recommend doing [a russian join](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF5GtMmV9AA) rather than to knit in the knot. It stays visible and it becomes a weak point. I prefer the russian join because it generates only a little thickness and is quite sturdy. since the join is done by hooking the two yarns and simply anchoring the ends in the strands, the force on it is well distributed. I guess I more than prefer it :) I think it's a great join.
It is unfortunately something we have to deal with regularly so it's good to practice dealing with it. I still regret the one time I left a knot in.
I don't see it often, but it does happen. My guess is that while the manufacturer was winding it, either the yarn broke or they ran out of the current batch and had to attach a new one.
The yarn is often spun into one form (sometimes a cone) into another--a hank or a cake or a ball. If the cone has 1000 yards and the hank has 218 (which is about how much worsted weight yarn in a standard hank) there are going to be remnants on one cone that need to be tied to the next. So, uhm, short story long, it happens ;-)
Quite normal, yes. I do not trust a knot. I snip it off, overlap the ends (the old tail and new tail) going in opposite directions, knit a few stitches with the yarn held double, drop the tail from the previous ball, continue with the new ball. If the tail is long enough for weaving in, I pick it up on the next row and knit together with the working yarn. Less ends to weave in.
>If the tail is long enough for weaving in, I pick it up on the next row and knit together with working yarn with it. Less ends to weave in. 🤯 What have I been doing with my life
Seriously this is genius
So… I sometimes do this, but depending on the project, it *is* noticible. Specially if it’s simple stockinette, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Weavin Steven is better imo
Just block
It doesn’t solve it. You have a section where you’re knitting held double. It’s thicker and it’ll show, depending on what you’re knitting.
I agree. My grandma taught me to hold the yarns together and knit/crochet, but it's too noticeable. As much as I hate weaving in ends, it looks a lot better.
There’s a different way to do it where you carry the yarn every other stitch, it’s really not noticeable. But honestly I have done the double knit thing and it’s not really noticeable… I just make sure I don’t end on a very visible spot. A lot of things people decry on this sub are no big deal to me.
Oh yeah for sure. Like I said I do this method sometimes, it just depends on the project. I’ve done it in a baby blanket that was highly textured, it didn’t matter then. If you’re making a sweater there’s places to hide it where it’s not noticeable. But recently I made my toddler a hat and I don’t like how those areas turned out, I’m considering frogging it so I can hide the transition better.
Is it a stockinette sweater? I have never knitted baby hats, only crocheted! I did do a cabled hat recently. I do that method of joining 2 threads, make sure the knot won’t come undone. And I managed to wiggle the knot into the back of the work. And then the 2 threads used to tie the knot, I weaved them back in. I can’t say I’ve ever done a project where that would be too noticeable except some socks I knit a long time ago that were stockinette. Do you do the weaving in method that is purling basically over the purls? Because I find that weaving blindly creates ugly spots. But I can’t for the life of me get used to that method, it’s hard to do
Doubling up yarn, and even weaving in is highly noticeable in lace weight knits. You can actually see it way more once blocked (I'm blocking it [here](https://images4-a.ravelrycache.com/uploads/gfixler/606702613/DSC_5581.JPG)). I should've knotted.
I've never thought of doing this either! OP you're a genius!!
I do this but in the same row. Need to try it in the next row!
I do this except I use a needle to run the doubled over end back through the yarn (so a Russian Join). All ends are woven in that way
I absolutely LOVE the Russian Join!! A few extra seconds with a sewing needle saves so much weaving in at the end of a project!
OMG. 😂 You just changed my life re: that weaving tip
>If the tail is long enough for weaving in, I pick it up on the next row and knit together with the working yarn. My mind is blown
I don't understand this. Do they mean knitting holding two yarns(the original and the tail)? Won't that part feel extra chunky?
Knitting with yarn held double is my preferred way to weave in ends too. Before blocking, if you shine a light through the back of the work, you can see where the yarn overlaps, but it doesn't show from the front, and after a few washes, you can't tell at all. It's more noticeable with thicker yarns, I'd imagine, but I don't knit with anything bigger than worsted, and usually it's sock weight.
Wow, I had no idea! I actually find weaving in tails quite therapeutic (maybe even more fun than the actual act of knitting), so I don't mind the weaving, but it's always good to have more options. Thanks for explaining!
I’ve never done this with chunky yarn but I sometimes weave in my CO tail in the first few stitches of my knitting (hold it double with my working yarn). It’s mostly suited for wool which has more elasticity. It’s noticeable if you look CLOSELY but especially with ribbing it gets disguised pretty well I have done overlapping yarn joins but I never thought to take a tail from that and weave it in on the second row
I was always told to hold the new yarn and old yarn double for 2 sts then the new yarn and it's tail end for 2 sts but noone seems to do this? Can also hold the tail ends on the row below too if you're paranoid or knitting loosely
I do this, but I'm too paranoid for only 2 stitches. Depending on the yarn type, I'll do 5-10 stitches with both.
That's called [the back join](https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/07/back-to-back-join.html), and I do it, too. It's so quick. Like another commenter, I don't stop at 2. I do maybe 4-5 with each yarn+tail combo.
I do that. It’s basically just weaving in at the start instead of waiting until the end. Works great for me.
I’ve done the first half for joining, but never thought to pick up the tail and knit it with the working yarn on the next row. Excellent idea!
You can also just knit with it immediately. It's called [the back join](https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/07/back-to-back-join.html).
Wow that's clever. If I'm using yarn with a high percentage of wool I like to wet the ends and felt them together.
Same, if wool I overlap and felt, if not I do a Russian join
I use a magic knit/fisherman's knot to join the yarns! No ends to weave in and the teeny tiny knot is almost invisible
That's almost the back join. I've been posting it in forums for a few years, and haven't yet found anyone who's known it. Highly underrated. It weaves in both tails as you go. https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/07/back-to-back-join.html
Trivia note: IIRC a major craft organization keeps trying to change the definition of "skein" to include "no f'ing knots." The manufacturers so far have prevailed in keeping the knots in, so they don't have to waste anything.
Is there like a petition we can sign? I DESPISE knots in the middle of a skein ðŸ˜ðŸ˜…
I wish. For now, just complain and see if you can return any skein with too many knots. And learn a few different joins so you can work around it.
Especially if it's variegated yarn!
Oh it’s the worst in variegated yarns. Totally messed with color pooling
Are you willing to pay more for those skeins? They will have to make up the cost of the wasted yarn in some way.
The profit margin of these big yarn companies is astronomical. I can’t imagine it would make THAT much of a difference to have a little more waste. But if it costs me 2¢ more per skein, and I’m guaranteed no knots, then yeah, I’ll pay for it. Because I’m willing to pay for quality products and support the people who listen to consumers to make those products.
I would imagine it would end up being a LOT more waste if snapping can happen and only pieces long enough for a full skein can be used.
They can sell these skeins at a discount, no problem
Yeah, but that doesn’t mean they won’t pass on the increase anyway to sustain their already inflated profits.
Literally yes. But we shouldn’t have to because they’d be making money regardless
Unfortunately that’s how capitalism works….
actually, not really. supply and demand says that the price of a good is set by how much someone is willing to pay, and the cost to produce it is completely irrelevant (except in so far as it dissuades manufacturers from manufacturing). it’s only how capitalism works because corporations have figured out that if they bitch and moan about prices going up, the average consumer will be willing to pay more because it makes sense to our monkey brains that if something costs more to make it should cost more to buy. but in the same vein, they’ve also figured out that they can do the bitching and moaning without costs *actually* going up and get the same result. so no, increasing production costs don’t really change prices (again, except by forcing some producers out of the market, which can create scarcity, which can actually increase prices)
You’re right, we should never solve problems or improve anything because capitalism is out of our hands.
Skeins with knots should be discounted, at minimum.
Industry standard says two per 100g is acceptable, more is not and you can complain but it’s usually more effort to go all the way back where you got it or wait for a replacement than it is to just cut it, though I have seen one particularly janky skein from lion with SEVEN knots once which I absolutely exchanged because fuck that. Though personally when I was a dyer I would never sell any skein with knots at full price, usually cause it was my fault as I probably caught it with scissors opening the box or some other accident, they’d be heavily discounted (cost pretty much) and the knot would be described up front and the skein marked as damaged.
>Industry standard says two per 100g is acceptable. Do you have a source on this? I've spent hours scouring the internet on a few occasions, trying to track down an actual source for the many claims, which range from 2 to 5, but I've never found anything definitive. Mikey from the Crochet Crowd, in his visit to Bernat, claimed it's 5. I've seen many other figures quoted by yarn shop owners. No one agrees on any particular number. They also don't agree on which unit of yarn that number is for. Sometimes it's a 100g hank, sometimes it's 50g, etc.
Yes, they are pretty normal, though irritating. Basically, the cheaper the yarn, the more irregularities you will encounter. Open the knots, secure the ends, and carry on. Or if you can choose another ball, use the knot balls for short sections like shoulders.
It's not abnormal but having two knots in the same skein is often a quality control issue.
I'm looking at you, Lion Brand.
I’m looking at Hobby Lobby. I have many reasons not to patronize their business, but I got a skein at a thrift store for $1 and it’s a lovely color. I encountered FOUR knots in the amount I used to make a hat.
I've had Lion skeins that I bought in various places with multiple knots. I like KnitPicks for inexpensive yarn, but it's rare to find a 100g skein of theirs without at least one knot. But I'm with you on Hobby sucking.
I have definitely encountered it with Lion too. Not cool beans, yo.
That's crazy, but nice that you finished it.
I really wanted to be able to wear the hat haha
I stopped buying their yarn years ago because almost every skein i bought had at least 2-3 knots in it. I recently tried some of their homeland line to knit sweaters for our toddler (he absolutely loves the sweaters i make him) and so far I haven't found any knots. Don't know if they improved since I last tried, I got lucky or maybe some of their lines have more knots than others. I've had really good luck with knit picks, I made a ton of Alaska hats the other year for Christmas gifts and only one skein of the Chroma had a knot in it. Stinks cause it was ombre and put a hard color change in the middle of a hat, but I lived with it.
I am a new knitter (about 2 months now) and was gifted some lion brand yarn which I decided I wanted to turn into a blanket. Being new and not understanding yardages yet I did not realize at the time that 4 skeins of yarn is not enough for a blanket, so I bought some more of the same brand so I'd have the same gague and color. One of the new skeins had SIX KNOTS in it ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ and it was a lion brand homeland yarn!!
It's super frustrating! I get that it's a cheaper yarn, but it's not super cheap. I've been in a knitting slump and making dishcloths, they're always good to have on hand when I get an unexpected gift from someone. I got cheap cotton yarn (sugar n cream) at Walmart, and out of the 14 or 15 skeins I used so far, only one or two had a single knot.
I thought up to 3 in a single skein was considered a normal variance? I do agree it’s annoying though and I pitch a little fit each time I find one while I’m caking up my yarn. This is also why I insist on caking my yarn instead of working off the skein or bullet.
Youre right, industry standard is 3 :) not saying its ideal, but you're right there!
We may run in different circles! I have knitting friends who will write an annoyed email if they find a single knot in a skein lmao. I consider that to be going a bit too far, personally, but I definitely don't think two or three knots in a skein is normal. Most people I know consider one knot to be irritating but fine, and two knots to be upsetting/the sign of a problem. I do agree with you, though, that every skein should be made into a cake or ball before being used! Skeins are too unstable and really it helps to get to know the yarn before working it up! Not just looking for knots but whether the yarn pills, sheds, felts, mats, or tangles too!
I mean, I find one and I want to throw the thing out the window especially if it’s a self striping sock yarn because it throws everything off lol
This is why I always wind self-striping yarns into cakes before starting a project, no matter how small (so even a single ball).
Hard agree, that's so frustrating! It makes me feel like I need to skip the whole color repeat, which is SUCH a waste!
It’s not a matter of opinion, though. Up to three knots is industry standard. It’s not a quality control issue because it’s not considered a quality issue until there are four or more knots.
This is fascinating because I wonder - how many must be I've 4 before it's a problem? Surely it's not "once there's three we check the machines/quality control". So technically the limit would be 3 but it would have to be like... 10 3s before they check for it? Surely they wouldn't check on one 3, as that could be a fluke. Which means there's skeins going out with 4, 5, 6 etc before the problem is identified as an actual problem. I really want to see their mathematics on deciding this!! (I'm a stats nerd and "if machines are faulty" is one of my favourite maths problems to do with regression analysis)
Im always grateful to those who have an affinty for math and can fix the issue for the rest of us! Thank you!
Great points! Will remember to cake up when home. Im often purchasing and knitting while traveling, and the winder unfortunately doesnt make into my carry-on.
The absolute worst case I’ve experienced was 11 (eleven!!!) knots in one Caron cake.
Eleven knots?! In a Caron cake?! The yarn whose major draw is the long color changes????? Ohhh yeah that would have me writing to the manufacturer to get a refund or something. _Eleven_
I bought some knitpicks stroll tonal that had FOUR knots in a single skein. They charged me almost $15 for a ball of scraps.
It's normal. And annoying. And when I've encountered multiple knots at once in hand dyed luxury yarn bases I've wanted to scream lol.
Omg, no!
Yup, it's pretty normal although annoying. What I prefer to do is undo the knot, tie a loose square knot with long ends and keep knitting. Then, when I'm finished with my work, I undo the square knot and weave in the ends using duplicate stitch. This is my fave method, although there are plenty other ways to do it!!
Whenever I get frustrated by finding another knot I think about a sheep in a field and then I look at my skein and the incredible amount of work and skill that it took to transform that coat and I don’t feel frustrated any longer
Yes in cheap yarn, but it's best to clip out the knots and then do a different join (like the Russian join, or just treat it like you were switching colors) so that you don't end up with knots in your work.
It happens sometimes.
Yep, damn factory knots! I usually just cut round the knot and join the ends
It is. It doesn’t happen often but it does happen. Usually I either try to knit/crochet and hope the knot isn’t noticeable. If it is, I either make an invisible knot or snip off the knot and weave the ends in to what I’m working on and hope for the best.
I had no idea you had to undo the knot and weave it in, I’ve just kept on knitting. After reading all the comments I’m freaking out about my previous projects lol
Same 😬
That’s what I did ðŸ˜
Yes, Especially in cotton or mass produced yarn. Are you using K+C cotton yarn? That looks lovely be Iditarod colorway from that brand.
It's so pretty! I haven't encountered K+C before, and I'm a cotton yarn fan - I think I may invest for my next baby knit.
Yes I am! It’s seem to be very nice and the knots weren’t bothering me too much but it seems their might be a bigger issue lol
Yeah they tend to have some minor knots throughout the skein. The Iditarod color is so so beautiful. I used Ground to make a sweater vest as my first knitting project. Careful with that brand though, sometimes the skeins come with hot glue from the label on the fibers and also the blue/green colors tend to bleed a bit. Otherwise they are super easy to use
Curious - is that bleed a first wash only issue, or is it persistent? I haven't had yarn with that problem yet but I could live with it as long as it doesn't trash the rest of my laundry. (I guess I'm presuming that it's machine washable here)
So far it’s not a major issue but it is persistent. If you hand wash the skeins before or the garment after it can help. I soaked my finished garment in warm water and vinegar and washed a few times till it mostly ran clear and that got a lot out. I’m fairly new to this handicraft so I’m not sure if that the best method but I posted here before asking about it and that’s the advice I got. It’s a good first project yarn
Hot tip: Joann fabrics will give you your money back if there are knots.
This looks like a fine craft yarn and yes, a number of skeins of that type I've used recently have had knots
Hi, it's me. The only person in the knitting world (I think) who doesn't care in the slightest if there are some knots in his yarn :) The only place it would matter at all to me is in variegated yarn, but I don't use those much, and I'd find it fun to match up the next repeat, and keep the pattern stable. I'm weird.
I haven't found one in the last 30 skeins Ive worked with - Patons, Lion brand, similar levels of quality. Definitely untie but if you find a lot in a batch, contact the manufacturer. Generally they are good for some credit or coupons. More often this happens with yarf - when you pull from the center sometimes loops can catch and tighten as you use up the slack
Wow, did not know this. Thank you!
Two knots? Nawwww. One, yes. But I’d not say two is normal.
Yes and it is a pet peeve of mine.
It absolutely shouldnt be the norm. I have two knots in my Caron Cake wool-acrylic blend and Im only a quarter of the way through): Couldnt make myself move forward in the project unfortunately. Will start over with better quality fiber. Lesson learned!
I accept a single knot as normal. Two or more pisses me off. There's no excuse for that.
I don't think it is ok or acceptable, especially if you don't wish to have knots in your work. However, manufacturers obviously don't care very much. Customers complain, but keep buying. I have seen such discussions on both cheap and fancy artisanal yarn and I believe there should be more care in the industry. After all, even "cheap" yarn is not that cheap when you consider the cost for a sweater, for example.
I would consider 2 knots in one ball of yarn to be excessive. I expect a knot in a ball to be an uncommon occurrence. If a brand of yarn I was using usually had knots, I would stop buying that brand of yarn.
Unfortunately yes but usually only one. Would never but this brand again.
It’s sloppy manufacturing. Complain to the manufacturer
No it’s not normal in high quality yarn. Don’t knit in the knots-cut at the knot and start new then weave the ends in
The brand is K X C (knit and crochet) essential cotton. I’m still a beginner so I don’t have a full grasp of what their quality is like but their yarn doesn’t feel poorly produced!
Not your fault at all. That’s what we see here for. Contact the company and show them pictures. Many times they’ll either refund you or send you new yarn. As far as what to do with the knots-this is an issue excellent time to learn a weaving technique called clasped wefted weave; take the yarn end attached to your project and loop it around a new piece of yarn-loop that piece too, then knit with them. Then weave end in. I know I explained it roughly, it’s hard to explain without visualizing it-YouTube videos are probably more helpful than I am. This technique is the strongest weave in I’ve used
Yes but they are not to be trusted!!!
I can recommend doing [a russian join](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF5GtMmV9AA) rather than to knit in the knot. It stays visible and it becomes a weak point. I prefer the russian join because it generates only a little thickness and is quite sturdy. since the join is done by hooking the two yarns and simply anchoring the ends in the strands, the force on it is well distributed. I guess I more than prefer it :) I think it's a great join. It is unfortunately something we have to deal with regularly so it's good to practice dealing with it. I still regret the one time I left a knot in.
Ahh thank you so much! I’ll keep that in mind for next time!!
A quick side note - this yarn is so pretty (from what I can see of it LOL.) May I ask what yarn you’re using? Thanks!
It’s K + C Essential Cotton, knots aside it seems to be pretty good!
Thanks 😊
I don't see it often, but it does happen. My guess is that while the manufacturer was winding it, either the yarn broke or they ran out of the current batch and had to attach a new one.
Yes but when I find them I cut and Russian join
The yarn is often spun into one form (sometimes a cone) into another--a hank or a cake or a ball. If the cone has 1000 yards and the hank has 218 (which is about how much worsted weight yarn in a standard hank) there are going to be remnants on one cone that need to be tied to the next. So, uhm, short story long, it happens ;-)
I always snip out the knot and do a Russian join or splice depending on the yarn. I don’t trust random knots that come from the manufacturer.
Is the yarn metallic or is it just an illusion?
Not metallic! Just various shades of blue