Today we discover the various methods for wrapping hand knitting yarns and the labels to match for each shape. To simplify we commonly use the words ball or skein; in reality each shape has its own specific name.
The Ball of Yarn
Most yarns are sold as ball, in English called ball. The best known and perhaps the most convenient shape for both knitting and crocheting. The ball can be rolled by hand or with special tools such as a spinning wheel or a ball winder.
The right label to hold the ball of yarn can be wrapped with a double-pointed or single-pointed cable tie.
The Skein
Other yarns are instead wrapped in skeins (hank (in English), and to be able to use them you still need to transform them into a ball of yarn. You can use the spinning wheel or an electric winder or the back of the chair, or by having someone help you. Using the skein in its original form risks tangling the threads.
The right label for the skein is a band or a tag.
The Cake
If you use an electric winder or washer instead, you get a cake (call cake in English). It is a kind of tall ball of yarn with a flat top and bottom. The name comes from its shape similar to a cake.
The correct label for this form of yarn is a band.
Elongated ball
The mix between the skein and the ball of yarn is a elongated ball of yarn (called bullet skein in English). It is the classic and well-known form. The yarn in this case can be pulled both from the outside and from the inside.
The right label for this ball of yarn is a band.
The Cone
Cone (in English cone). In this case the yarn is wrapped in a cone of plastic or rigid cardboard. On the market you can find cones with different types of yarn, such as cotton, wool, polyester or mixed yarn.
The cone usually fits over the bobbin holder of knitting or weaving machines, but can also be used for hand knitting yarns.
The label for this shape is a curved band.
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