Most Lion Brand yarns come in "pull skeins" or "center pull balls". These include balls like Vanna's Choice, Wool-Ease, Babysoft, Pound of Love, and similarly shaped oblong balls. It also includes skeins like Homespun and Amazing. It also includes "cake" shapes like LB Collection Silk Mohair or LB Collection Baby Alpaca.
All skeins have an outside end that allows you to begin work by unrolling the yarn from the outside. You can begin knitting or crocheting from the outside, wind it into a ball by hand, or use a wool winder to make a pull skein. However, many people prefer to pull from the center as it can keep the ball neater.
If you don't want to work from the outside end, please follow these steps to find the center "pull" or "end" of the ball:
- Pull out the end of the yarn which is visible from the outside of the ball, which has been tucked into the ball. This is important, as it may get caught on your inner end, if you do not remove it, and cause tangling later.
- Go to the opposite end of the ball from which that outside end was tucked, and insert the thumb and index finger of each hand into either side of the skein, compressing the skein between your fingers until they meet.
- Feel for the very center. Pull this out and the end should be with it.
- Extra yarn will usually come out with it but is quickly used up. You can also wrap the excess yarn around the outside of the ball (to keep it neat) until you find the center "end" of the yarn.
- Start working from this end.