 Yarn for hand-knitting is usually sold as balls or skeins (hanks), although it may also be wound on spools or cones.Skeins and balls are generally sold with a "yarn-band", a label that describes the yarn's weight, length, dye lot, fiber content, washing instructions, suggested needle size, likely gauge, etc.It is common practice to save the yarn band for future reference, especially if additional skeins must be purchased.