The Yarn Diary

The Yarn Diary | June 01, 2026

How to Fix Curly Circular Needle Cords | Quick Knitting Fix

Use Warm Water to Relax Curly Circular Needle Cords

Sometimes when you start using brand new circular needles, the cords can be a little unruly. They can get very curly and twisted from being in the packaging, which makes it hard to keep your project flat and can be frustrating to work with.

All you need to remedy this is some warm water. You want the water to be hot, but not boiling. You can use your teakettle and wait until I see some steam, but warming up even just a mug of water in the microwave would work too. Dip the cords into the water for a few seconds, then stretch out the needles and give a gentle tug. The warm water will relax the plastic enough to release the curl. Only do a few seconds at a time! You don’t want to accidentally melt your cords.

Shop All Yarn Free Patterns New Products

by WEBS - America's Yarn Store

archive Tips top-traffic

Check Out This Month's Hottest Blog Posts!

2026

Rowan Fall/Winter 2026 Has Landed: Alpaca Sparkle, Kaffe's Colours and the Kidsilk Haze Collection

Rowan's Fall/Winter 2026 collection arrives at Yarn.com on September 3: a 25th-annivers...

Cascade Yarns

Cascade 220: A Complete Guide to the Whole 220 Family

2026 Rowan Fall/Winter 2026 Has Landed: Alpaca Sparkle, Kaffe's Colours and the Kidsilk Haze Collection

Rowan's Fall/Winter 2026 collection arrives at Yarn.com on September 3: a 25th-annivers...

Cascade Yarns Cascade 220: A Complete Guide to the Whole 220 Family

amigurumi Stylecraft Chenille Chunky: A Soft, Velvety Yarn for Toys, Blankets & More

Meet Stylecraft Chenille Chunky — a plush, velvety chunky yarn in 22 shades. Perfect fo...

alpaca Berroco Fall/Winter 2026: A Guide to Stratto, Nuvola, Biella, Brina & Merino 401 Chunky

Berroco's Fall/Winter 2026 collection is live at Yarn.com: five new yarns from $12 to $...

buying guide What Size Crochet Hook for Each Yarn Weight (Lace to Super Bulky) Continue reading

The 5 Best Chunky and Super Chunky Yarns, Voted by Our Customers

The 5 Best Yarns for Baby Knits, Voted by Our Customers

The 5 Best Sock Yarns, Voted by Our Customers

The 5 Best Merino Wool Yarns, Voted by Our Customers

The 5 Best Cotton Yarns, Voted by Our Customers

The Most-Reviewed Yarns of August 2026

Yarn.com Reviews: What Knitters and Crocheters Say

Free Knitting Patterns — PDF Downloads You Can Print

How to Read a Yarn Label

Check out our guide on everything you need to know to get comfortable reading your yarn...

20 Free Crochet Blanket Patterns (Beginner to Advanced)

Sport Weight Yarn: Gauge, Needle Sizes & What to Knit With It

Bamboo vs Cotton Yarn: Which Should You Use?

Bamboo drapes, cotton holds its shape. Compare feel, drape, stitch definition, stretch,...

Wooden vs Metal Knitting Needles: How to Choose

Wood grips, metal glides. A practical comparison of friction, tip sharpness, weight, co...

amigurumi 25 Free Crochet Patterns with PDF Downloads — Blankets, Hats, Bags & More

25 of our best free crochet patterns — all available as instant PDF downloads. Blankets...

beginner 24 Easy Knitting Patterns for Beginners (Free PDFs & More)

Start knitting today with 24 beginner-friendly patterns — from your first garter stitch...

beginner How to Read a Knitting Pattern with Confidence

How to read a knitting pattern made simple—learn to understand abbreviations, materials...

beginner How to Read a Crochet Pattern: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how to read crochet pattern instructions with confidence. Get clear tips, abbrevi...

2026 The 10 Best Crochet Hooks of 2026 — Expert-Tested Picks

From ergonomic grips to luxurious birch wood, these are the 10 best crochet hooks of 20...

What Is Medium Weight Yarn? A Crafter's Guide

Find out what makes medium weight yarn so versatile, how to choose the right skein, and...

Wool vs. Acrylic Yarn: Which Is Warmer and Easier to Care For?

Wool or acrylic? Learn when to splurge on natural fiber and when to save with synthetic...

Acrylic vs Cotton Yarn: Which Should You Use?

Choosing between acrylic and cotton yarn? This guide compares texture, warmth, durabili...

acrylic yarn Acrylic Yarn: Everything You Need to Know

The complete guide to acrylic yarn — what it is, how it's made, when to use it, best pr...

crochet How to Store Yarn: The Complete Guide to Keeping Your Stash in Perfect Shape

Everything you need to know about storing yarn properly — from protecting against moths...

acrylic yarn Best Yarn for Crochet: A Complete Guide for Every Project & Skill Level

A complete guide to choosing your first crochet yarn — what weight, fiber, and color to...

acrylic yarn Best Yarn for Blankets: A Guide for Knitters and Crocheters

How to choose the right yarn for any blanket project — from baby blankets to king-size ...

crochet Yarn Substitution Guide: How to Swap Yarns Without Ruining Your Project

How to substitute yarn in any knitting or crochet pattern — matching weight, gauge, fib...

acrylic yarn Best Yarn for Amigurumi: How to Choose Yarn for Crochet Toys

The complete guide to choosing yarn for amigurumi — what fiber, weight, and hook size t...

beginners What Is a Skein of Yarn? The Complete Guide to Yarn Packaging

beginners The Complete Crochet Hook Buying Guide: Materials, Sizes & Expert Picks for 2026

baby How to Knit Baby Mitts and Booties: A Knit-Along

Learn how to knit baby mitts and booties with our step-by-step guide. Find tips, tools,...

beginner How to Make a Crochet Hexagon Step-by-Step

Master the crochet hexagon with our beginner-friendly guide. Learn easy steps, tips, an...

beginner How to Crochet a Granny Square: A Beginner's Guide

Master the crochet granny square with our step-by-step beginner’s guide, including tips...

beginner How to Crochet the Bollinger Shawl Step-by-Step

Crochet your own Bollinger Shawl with our step-by-step guide. Find tips, yarn recommend...

beginner How to Knit an Entrelac Scarf for Beginners

Learn how to knit entrelac scarf designs with our step-by-step beginner's guide, includ...

archive How to Join Less Than 10 Stitches in the Round | Knitting Tips

archive Are you a Standard Size?

This is our last guest post by Dora Ohrenstein.

archive Anouk Cowl in 2/10 Merino Tencel

The beginning of the new year is a great time to start a new project, maybe something j...

archive Hate That Gap? How to Join in the Round Invisibly

Learn how to join in the round invisibly for seamless circular knitting. Get our step-b...

archive How to Fix Curly Circular Needle Cords | Quick Knitting Fix

archive How to Keep Your Knitting Edges Neat | Selvedge Tips

archive What Do the Numbers on Coned Yarn Mean? | Weaving Tips

archive How to Get the Best Fit for Hand-Knit Gloves & Mittens

archive Easy Knitted Plaid: How to Knit a Plaid Pattern

archive How to Convert a Flat Knitting Pattern to In-the-Round

archive How to Divide a Ball of Yarn in Half | Knitting & Crochet Tip

View All Posts