Winding yarn is a peaceful pastime. It is also the only moment in knitting when a cat is invited to participate. In this guide we explain how to wind a ball with a cat on the other end, and how to do it without harm to either party.
What you need
- One skein of yarn, loosely held
- One cat, willing or otherwise
- One chair, slightly bigger than you think
- One quiet hour
- A sense of humour
Step one: set the scene
Sit in a comfortable chair. Place the cat on the floor in front of you. The cat will immediately leave, return, leave again, and sit under the table. This is normal. Allow ten minutes.
Step two: begin winding
Take the loose end of the skein and wind it around your fingers four or five times. Slip the loop off, and begin to wrap the yarn around it in a figure of eight, turning the ball as you go. The ball will grow. The cat will watch. Your hands will feel like a fairground.
Step three: the cat joins
At some point the cat will come out from under the table. She will approach the trailing strand. She will touch it, with one paw, like an inspector touching a suspect. Do not react. A reaction is an invitation.
Step four: the standoff
The cat has the strand. You have the ball. Between you lies a line of tension, tight as a violin string. Neither of you wishes to move first. The room is silent. A clock ticks. A bird sings outside, unhelpfully.
You have two options. You may let go, in which case the yarn will leave the room at speed, taking the cat with it. Or you may hold firm, in which case the cat will bite through the strand, and you will have two balls, one large, one very small, and a new relationship.
Step five: finishing
Tuck the end into the ball. Place the ball on the shelf. The cat will ask for it. You will say no. The cat will say yes, with her eyes. You will give her the ball, because you are not made of stone. The ball will be in the garden by morning.
Final advice
Winding yarn with a cat is not about speed. It is about companionship. Also about the cat winning. Accept this early, and your knitting life will be much happier.