Recently I read a blog by another crafter that advised against making center pull balls, with the reason that the end bits get irrevocably tangled. I love my nostepinne style center pull balls, but have experienced some tangling toward the end of the ball as the energy in the yarn twists the final wraps. I also have a knack for untangling most things, so just deal. But is there a way to manage the ball so there are no tangles? Yes.

By keeping the center of the ball open with a thumb or finger, the ball cannot collapse upon itself as you unwind. Here is a short video (with cat) showing how the two ends of the yarn come off the ball. This is particularly helpful when making a two-ply yarn from a single ball of single spun yarn.

It is important to recognize that each crafter is different, and there are many different ways to do almost everything. I personally can’t stand round wound balls, the way they skitter and jump as the yarn comes off, and inevitably roll across the floor to join the dust bunnies under the chair.

We recently returned from a long road trip, and on the trip I spun when I wasn’t driving. I love it. I can put it down with a few seconds warning, there are no dropped stitches when we go over bumps in the road, it keeps my hands busy, is productive, and calms my soul.

Plying is also possible if I do a 2-ply and use both ends of a ball of single ply (inside and outside ends). I prefer a top whorl spindle to ply, which I happened to pack as my backup spindle. I did not rinse or set the twist with water for any of the spinning, instead relying on time to do the magic.

I love it so much, that I think I will keep fiber and a spindle in a shoebox in the vehicle, for those parked and waiting moments that occur so often.