Unravelling some knitting - help

[janx]

I started knitting a jumper for my son and never finished it. It will be too small now, so I would like to try and use the wool for something else. I am a novice and don't know the best way to do this? Can you buy something to wind the wool onto - thanks

[overthemill]

you can probably buy something but i would simply a) wind it it onto a piece of card (like from a cereal packet) or b) wind it into loose-ish balls. How long ago did you start the project? If it was years you may want to steam it to get rid of crinkles.

[janx]

It was 4 years ago.... How would I steam it? Thanks

[overthemill]

haha, then probably worth steaming! I would loosely wind around a coat hanger, hang that over the back of a cupboard door over your boiling kettle (as safely as you can!) - or in the bathroom when running a bath or shower?

i bet you could youtube it?

[SoupDragon]

I have very fond memories of doing this as a child with my grandmother.

I've done it recently and wound it round the legs of a child's chair. Once I had it all wound round, I took the skein off and held it stretched between two wooden spoons over a lidless kettle. The steam from the boiling water relaxes all the kinks out.

You can then wind it into a ball.

[janx]

Thanks - better get that kettle boiling

[FaintingGoat]

Um, to be honest, I'd leave it knitted up until you want to use it. Then, when you are knitting with it, just undo the cast-off, and pull out a couple of metres at a time, and knit it. That way it stays neat and un-tangled, and you save yourself an awful lot of boring winding. I don't think it would matter if it was crinkly.