What is a skein of Wool

[katis]

I am a beginner knitter and I have been looking at some patterns and have found the term "skein of wool". I don't know what this means, so I would appreciate an explanation of what it is.

[madhen]

A skein is just a length of coiled wool or yarn. So if you go to a store, you can buy one skein, which is one packaged roll of yarn.

However, skeins can be in all different lengths, so be sure to look at how many yards of yarn/wool you will need to finish a project and buy your skeins accordingly.

[ladytoysdream]

Most yarn is sold by the skein. Sometimes called a few other names.

Whatever your project is, find out how many ounces you need to make it. Look for the amount of ounces on the skein label, and then buy the correct amount of skeins. Check the label for dye lot number also. Make sure all skeins have matching numbers. Also some labels will give you the skein total amount in yards. Also check label for washing / care instructions.
Good luck

[quilting2day2]

A skein of wool is yarn that is made from wool. You will find it in the
fiber content on the paper wrap on the yarn. Patons makes a wool yarn

[YankeeMom]

Skein could easily be replaced with ball of wool. It's a non-quantified amount of yarn. Like others have said, it's wound...either by hand (a pretty twist like this ) or by machine (like this).

[Grainlady]

Yarn comes in balls, skeins, and hanks. YankeeMom showed an example of a hank (the first link) and a skein (second link).

The main difference is that you need to rewind the hank or it gets tangled if you try to use from it. The skein is ready-to-use; and in most instances you can pull the yarn from the inside to the outside, or the outside in. You need to determine the "nap" of the yarn to know which way it should be used. If it flows through your fingers better one way, and drags through your fingers the other way, that's how you determine which way to use the yarn from the skein. If no difference in the drag of the yarn, then use the way you like.

To use the hank you carefully untwist it into a large circle of yarn and place it on a swift and then use a ball winder to rewind it. This is also done by-hand when someone holds the hank of yarn between two hands and the yarn is rewound into a hand-wrapped ball or with a ball winder. You generally only find hanks in speciality yarn shops, and they should rewind the yarn into balls for you, especially if you don't have a swift or ball-winder to do it yourself.

Caution winding yarn by hand or with a ball winder - NEVER wind the yarn tight. You'll end up stretching it and you'll get an incorrect gauge.

Unfortunately "skein of wool" doesn't tell everything you may need to know for a particular project. "Skein of wool" doesn't say how much (weight or length), nor which basic type of yarn: bulky, worsted weight, sport weight, baby weight. (That list was from the thickest -bulky, to the thinnest - baby.) You can even get into plys of yarn to make up the wool yarn. It can be 1-ply, 3-plys, 6-plys, all which can change the look of the project. "Wool" can also be a smooth yarn or one with bumps and slubs in it.

The label on the yarn will have the important information on it for each project.

1. Name and identifying number of the color.
2. Dye lot number
3. Company name
4. Yarn's Brand name
5. Care instructions
6. Length of yarn in meters/yards
7. Weight in grams/ounces
8. Ply (number of strands twisted together to make the yarn)
9. Yarn content - what the yarn is made of (wool, cotton, etc.)
10. Suggested knitting needle size and expected gauge (number of stitches to the inch) for this yarn, as well as suggested crochet hook size and expected gauage.