A hank, a skein and a ball of yarn. What is the difference? 

Are all balls created equal? No, not really and we’re talking yarn balls here!  One of the most important steps of your knitting project is selecting the yarn. And understanding the differences in how yarn is packaged is key.

So let’s get down to it.  Here are the top three most common terms you will encounter.

A ball of yarn is what you would typically find at your local craft store.  Balls are machine wound, ready-to-use and both the inside and outside ends can be used to cast on.  I prefer to use the outside end as the yarn will not tangle and keep the ball in a small bag to prevent it from rolling around.

Skeins are tubular in shape, machine wound, and are fairly common too.  They are designed to be “center-pull”, which means the yarn ends can be pulled from the center and won’t roll around as much when knitting.  Some large brand names actually have instructions on their yarn labels showing this.

The term hank is used when referring to high-end, hand-dyed, artisan yarn.  This yarn is typically formed into a large loop and string is tied to keep it in place and then the yarn is twisted to form the hank.

It is important to know that hanks need to be prepared for knitting otherwise the yarn will easily tangle and it will be nearly impossible to fix.  You do not need a ball winder, just your hands and some kind of cardboard tubing, like a used paper towel roll.  I have created a video to demonstrate “How to Unwind a Hank” of yarn.  Watch and see how easy it is to do!

Don’t let hanks discourage you from purchasing artisan yarn!  It is super easy to prepare and it will be worth the time and effort.

LEARN.KNIT.LOVE