How to Wind a Hank of Yarn by Hand

Learn how to wind your hank of Everyday Jute (or any yarn in a hank) into a ball, without a ball winder, using our easy, step-by-step tutorial.

No swift, or ball winder? No problem! Turning your hanks of yarn - also known as ‘skeins’ - into project-ready balls doesn’t have to be tricky. We’ve got a yarn hack to keep things simple, and will have you crafting in no time.

You will need:

• A hank of the Everyday Jute yarn
• 2 chairs

Step 1

Untwist the hank and lay it flat, in a circle.

Step 2

Untie the pieces of yarn that hold the strands together.

Step 3

Carefully find one of the ends of your yarn.

Step 4

Place 2 chairs back-to-back, and carefully fit the yarn around them - moving the chairs apart to hold the yarn taut. Make sure the yarn strands are not twisted - this will make unravelling it much easier!

Step 5

Unwind some of the yarn from round the chair, and gently start wrapping it around the palm of your hand.

Step 6

Carefully slide the yarn off your hand, and begin wrapping it around the middle of itself - make sure you don't wrap it too tightly.

Step 7

Slowly keep wrapping, and turning the yarn, to start forming a ball, while carefully unwinding yarn from around the chairs.

Step 8

You’ve created a ball of yarn! 

Now grab your needles or hooks; it’s time to start your next project!