Duct Tape Yarn

Duct tape yarn is not as easy to make as it seems.  I had a full roll of red duct tape, so I decided to use some of it to make yarn, and it did not turn out the way I had expected it too.  The making of the yarn took longer than I expected, and actual yarn itself was not smooth and even as I had imagined it to be.  However, the yarn still turned out the way I needed it to be for my purposes.

Yarn that one can buy in the stores usually has a circle cross-section, so I tried to achieve that as much as possible.  The first time I embarked on my yarn-making adventure, the yarn turned out flat and unusable, with varying widths and thicknesses.

Visibly uneven and flat

Next, I decided to use a twirling technique to create a circular cross-section.  Using one hand to hold the roll of duct tape and the other hand to twirl the yarn, I managed to make the yarn roundish.

In the process of "spinning" the duct tape to create yarn

The other tip to keep in mind while making duct tape yarn is to not have a great amount of free duct tape.  By free duct tape, I mean duct tape that has been separated from the roll.  If too much duct tape is free, then it begins to stick together, and the yarn becomes flat and inconsistent in width.

The amount of free duct tape should be no larger than this

I only made about three yards of yarn, as it does take a lot of time to make sure the duct tape does not fold in on itself and to ensure the yarn remains consistent.  Duct tape yarn is very rigid and inflexible when it is first made, so I crumpled up my yarn to loosen it up and stretch it out.  Next, I created a ball the yarn and tied it with a rubberband, leaving it overnight to soften up.

A duct tape yarn ball

I have not used the yarn yet, but I will in the next few days.  I just need to wait for it to be flexible and easy to use in order to make a successful project.