Literal translation
it tangles up our skein of thread
Meaning
it's throwing a wrench in our plans
Explanation
This expression describes an obstacle or an event that further complicates an affair already under way, sowing confusion where things were meant to stay simple and orderly. The literal image is drawn from thread-work: cabedèu denotes the ball or skein, the mass of thread carefully wound to allow a smooth, knot-free unwinding. Tangling this skein means undoing that careful order, creating snarls that make the thread impossible to unwind without losing considerable time, a predicament familiar to anyone who has tried to untangle a ball of wool fallen on the floor. Transposed onto an affair, a negotiation, or a project, the image conveys exactly the feeling of carefully prepared work suddenly sabotaged by an unforeseen event, a setback, or unwelcome outside interference. The register is familiar, used to describe administrative hassles, misunderstandings, or interferences that delay an undertaking without necessarily ruining it for good, but that demand extra effort to sort out.