Re-using yarn

[Pottedpalm]

I love knitting but hate sewing up. I have knitted several items for babies/children and never got round to finishing them before child grew too big. They are in lovely yarn, lots of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, etc. i now want to to re use the yarn; how best to do this? Unravel and wash? Any advice welcome please!

The old method was to slowly unravel and then wrap round a jar of hot water to get the kinks out ans then wind back into a ball

No need to wash? Is that because it hasn’t been worn?

I wouldnt bother washing it no

If the yarn is particularly crinkly when unravelled I steam the hank over a kettle (holding it between two wooden spoons!)

Ah, ok @SoupDragon , that sounds do able. Then hang it to dry? And wind into a loose ball?

Yes. It doesn't need much drying (I hang it on the arms of an Ikea Socktopus)

Be careful to tie the hanks so they don't end up in a total mess (bitter experience!)

I'm exactly the same - I hate sewing up. If you can use circulars and dpns, it's possible to make raglan cardigans and jumpers with no sewing up at all - knit the front and back as one piece, knit the arms as tubes and then join everything together on a long circular needle and continue knitting, decreasing your stitches as you go.

@NannyR
I have had a tee attempts with circular needles but not got far. I have recently discovered some top down baby cardigans which have minimal sewing like this one which I just posted on another thread

I love knitting and hate sewing up.

There's an untapped market for professional sewers-up!

I always chose seamless garments to knit now. Life changing!
I was always taught to soak the yarn briefly after undoing it to prevent wrinkles and dry it on a coat hanger. Then wind into a new ball

I wind the unravelled yarn around my ironing board and then go over it with the steam iron before rolling into a ball.

I'm such a lazybones that I have often knitted straight out of one piece into another - ie not even unraveled the yarn. I can't say I've noticed any difference between parts knitted with fresh yarn and parts knitted with the unraveled yarn.

Though if I know I won't complete a piece and want to save the yarn for future use, then I do unravel properly. There is a difference between yarn that I have simply hand-wound into a ball, and yarn that I have put on a swift and then used a ball-winder to wind into a centre-pull ball. In neither case have I ever relaxed the yarn in any way. It just straightens itself.

And I thought I was the only knitter who hates sewing up! Where do I find seamless knitting kits or patterns please?
@NannyR* where is that cute baby cardigan pattern from and which yarn did you use? DGrandchild due in the summer so planning some knitted garments for next winter!

Have a look at ravelry.com

https://ravel.me/maile-sweater I've made so many of these little cardigans over the years - it's really simple and my go-to new baby gift.

@blackcherryconserve
If you wanted the patten for the cardigan I made, its from Oge designs. You can knit it on straight needles and the only seaming is the sleeves.

Forgot photo

The Oge patterns are gorgeous!