Skeins of yarn need to be wound into balls in order to knit them easily. If you don't wind them first, you will end up with a giant tangled mess of yarn!
You'll need...
a skein of yarn
drying rack, lap, or someone's arms
Here's what to do...
Remove the tag and open the twisted skein by pulling out the tucked-in end.
Each end of the untwisted skein will have a loop. Open up the loop and lay the yarn in a circle
Find the ends of the yarn. If they are knotted, untie them and work the ends out until they are loose.
Transfer the skein to a place where it can hang in an open circle. A folding clothes drying rack is perfect for this. Alternately you could use a chair back with square edges, your lap, or the extended arms of someone who really really loves you!
Be sure that the circle is not twisted. The end you start with should be on the outside of the yarn, and as you unravel the skein, the yarn should be coming from the outside of the circle.
Hold the end between your thumb and two fingers. Wrap about 10 times.
Remove the wrapped yarn from your finger and turn it 90°. Wind another 10 times or so, loosely. Continue to wind and turn until a ball shape begins to form.
It is important not to wind too tightly, or you will stretch the fibers and make them less pliable and soft in your finished item. Your ball should be solid but squishy. If you notice you are winding a hard little rock instead of a yarn ball, try this technique: simply wrap the yarn around the ball and over one of your fingers as you wind. When you remove your finger the yarn will loosen. You will need to remove your finger and replace it each time you change directions.
As you unwind the skein and wind the ball, make sure the yarn coming off the skein is loose and not getting tangled. Stop as soon as you notice an issue with the skein or you will make it worse. Readjust the yarn to ensure that the working yarn is reachable from the outside of your skein.
Continue until all the yarn from the skein is transferred to the ball.
Recipe by blossomsandposies.com at https://blossomsandposies.com/blog/knitting-basics-how-to-wind-a-ball-of-yarn/