Complaining About the Wrong Things (and Why Knots in Yarn Are Not a Defect)

We live in a time when people complain a lot.
Sometimes with good reason, other times without really knowing what they are buying or using.

In the world of yarns — especially natural, artisanal, or high-quality industrial yarns — this happens more often than you might think.

A real example?
A customer complained because, in a very thick yarn cone (Nm 2,500) for hand knitting, she found a few knots.

Let’s explain clearly why this is not a defect, why it is normal, and above all how to properly deal with knots when knitting with needles.

Knots in yarn: let’s start from reality

A yarn is not a synthetic, molded product.
It is made from:

• natural fibers

• mechanical processing

• industrial and artisanal steps

• inevitable interruptions during spinning

Knots are not added randomly and are not a sign of poor quality.
They are the natural result of a real production process.

Even the best Italian spinning mills in the world have knots. Always.

What a splicer is (and why it can’t always be used)

A splicer is a machine that joins two yarn ends without a knot, using air or water to interlace the fibers together.
The result is a join that is:

• cleaner

• more regular

• almost invisible

But there is a problem (a physical one, not a commercial one)

With very thick yarns, such as:

• Nm 2,500

• yarns for large needles

• chunky or super-bulky yarns

👉 a splicer simply does not work.

The reason is simple:

• the fibers are too bulky

• the twist structure is different

• a stable splice cannot be guaranteed

In these cases, the only technically reliable solution is a knot.

“Then I’ll buy the yarn directly from the spinning mill”

In theory, it sounds great.
In practice:

• ❌ spinning mills usually sell only to VAT-registered businesses

• ❌ they require large minimum orders

• ❌ the retail price would be more than double

• ❌ you would still find knots

Yes, even yarn bought directly from the manufacturer has knots.

Why?
Because continuous yarn exists only in theory, not in real production.

The knot is not the problem. How you handle it is.

Anyone who knits knows this:
a knot does not ruin a garment, if you know how to deal with it.

How to properly manage a knot while knitting

Here are the practical rules 👇

1. Never knit the knot as it is

The knot should never be worked into a stitch.

2. Untie the knot

As soon as you reach it:

• stop

• gently untie it

3. Use the overlap technique

• overlap the two yarn ends for 6–8 cm

• knit normally, working with both strands together

• after a few rows, trim the excess

Alternatively:

• you can use invisible joining techniques

• or light felting (only with animal fibers)

4. Place the join intelligently

• along the edge of the work

• near a seam

• never in the center of a visible stitch pattern

A yarn without knots does not exist (if it is real)

If a yarn:

• is natural

• is thick

• is not glued or artificially stabilized

• is not plastic

👉 it will have knots, sooner or later.

And this is not a defect, but proof that:

• it has not been “artificially perfected”

• it is not a fake industrial product

• it is real

Complaining is easy.
Understanding what you are holding in your hands takes a bit of knowledge.

A knot in a thick yarn:

• ❌ is not a defect

• ❌ is not a scam

• ❌ does not indicate poor quality

✔️ it is normal
✔️ it is technical
✔️ it is manageable

Those who knit do not look for fake perfection, but for the truth of the material.

And the truth, sometimes, comes with a knot.