Re-using yarn
 

Hi All,
I would greatly appreciate input on how to prepare used yarn for re-use. I had knit a circular shawl-collared vest that ended up just not fitting correctly. Before I ever wore it, I unraveled it and am going to start over. Of course the yarn is all curly and I would like to straighten it out. It is Liberty Wool, 100% washable wool. Can I just put the whole yardage in a mesh laundry bag and wash it as directed on the label?

I assume you have the yarn in balls? If so, you might want to make hanks out of them (by wrapping them around a chair top). Then tie the hanks so that they can't come undone (using scraps of washable yarn). After you've secured the yarn, you can wash it to get the kinks out.

This site is about how to salvage yarn from a thrift store sweater, but the same idea applies for the washing part of it (scroll down to find info about this method): http://www.weebleknits.net/thrifty.html

Usually just rewinding it loosely into a ball will be fine, the yarn will relax. There may still be some kinks in it, but when you wash/block the item when finished they'll even out.

I wouldn't wash it in the machine, you can lay it on a steamer - put a mesh strainer over some boiling water and it should relax.

You mean you don't like knitting with Ramen noodle yarn? :noway: I thought everybody did that. ;)

I don't mind - sometimes when I need to reknit something, I just unravel it as I go. Though I found that pulling off some of it and wrapping it into a figure 8/butterfly bobbin helps relax it while it's waiting to be reknit. And it's easier to pull yarn out from it than a really large piece.

I just let it sort itself out when I'm done and blocking the FO. I'm far too impatient to fiddle with trying to de-Ramenize it beforehand.

Winding the figure 8 doesn't take anytime at all and keeps it neat instead of spread out all over. I do this for new center pull skeins that get a lot of extra yarn pulled out when you start.

Oh yeah, those. I have a name for those, but it's not very polite. :twisted:

Re-using yarn
 

Thanks to all of you who replied to my question. I love the comparison to ramen noodles - that is just what it looks like! I feel confident that I can move forward with some nice, smooth yarn now that I've had such great feedback - thanks again!

It's usually called 'yarn barf'.