How To Make Thin Yarn Thicker
With One Skein of Yarn

Do you have some thin yarn lying around and you wish you could make it into a bulkier weight yarn? 

Well, there's a super easy method to do this without much hassle at all! I all it the "S" method, but it's actually the way yarn spinners make heavier weight yarns. They call it "Chain Plying". 

Instructions

Step 1: Pull out a length of yarn from your skein/ball/cake and lay it in front of you in the shape of a large "S".

Step 2: Gather the 3 yarn strands closer together and pretend they're just one strand.

Step 3: Tie a slip knot on your hook and start to work a chain stitch. Once you get closer to where the triple strands end, open the loop with your thumb and forefinger and reach for the strand connected to your yarn ball/skein (your working yarn.)

Step 4: Pull the working yarn through this loop as far as you can.

Step 5: I normally stretch my arms out so I get 2 arms' length of yarn pulled through that loop each time I do this. Run your hand along the 3 strands together to combine them into one.

Step 6: You'll notice a sort of "knot" where you pulled your working yarn through the loop.

Step 7: Completely ignore that knot! You won't notice it at all in your project when you've worked it up!

And that's it! You've just made yourself some bulky weight yarn! 

So as you work your project, every time the triple strand ends, just reach into that loop and grab the working yarn, pull it as far as you can, run your hand along the 3 strands together to combine them into one, and continue to work on your project.

Tips for Success

It's best to pull the yarn through the loop as it approaches your hook. Don't wait till it's too close, otherwise the loop will be too small to pull your working yarn through.

Pattern Recommendations

I like using this method when I make things that need to be somewhat sturdy. Baskets would be good projects for this while using cotton yarn. You can also used it for hats, scarves and blankets. I used it for one of my Unicorn Eyeglasses Tray when I didn't have the appropriate weight yarn on hand. Here's the pattern:

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below.

Happy hooking!

May
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