How to hand wind a center-pull ball of yarn

[@jarethhsms]

As a woodworker with a family full of knitters you just set me up with a lot of quick gifts. Thanks!

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

I know this is two years too late, but if you are going to make this, put an indented ring around the top, like the center rings, but just one about 1/2” from the top. And drill a hole in the bottom also about 1/2” from the end for a hanging loop. It’s much more versatile with these modifications

[@annaf3628]

It would also be convenient to wrap your yarn around an empty paper towel tube and place the finished yarn cake (still w/the paper towel tube in the center of the yarn cake) on a paper towel holder to use as a yarn dispenser while doing your future projects

[@smokeykitty6023]

OMG! You, also, are brilliant! 👏 ❤

[@vickiecrabtree301]

My favorite method, since I don't own a ball winder, is to use a large straight sided prescription bottle. The end of the yarn is put inside the bottle and the lid screwed on to anchor it. Then I just wind away. When I'm done, I remove the lid, pull out the bottle and I have a perfect yarn cake!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Amazing how many ways there are to get to the same thing, when it comes to knitting!

[@suemauer5965]

I sometimes do this, but I leave the bottle in place and put the yarn label inside.

[@kathysmoroden5331]

Vickie Crabtree what a great idea. Perks for being unwell are few and far between,!

[@daniellance6892]

you probably dont give a shit but does anybody know of a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb forgot the login password. I would appreciate any help you can give me

[@daniellance6892]

@Tomas Elon I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and Im trying it out atm. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@ZimVader-0017]

Instead of a toilet paper roll, I used the foil wrap roll. It's longer like your wooden tool and of sturdier cardboard. It worked like a charm. Thank you :)

[@RoxanneRichardson]

It's amazing how many different ways there are to make this work, is it? :-)

[@bucket25361]

When I was a kid I remember standing for ’hours’ with my arms outstretched holding the yarn for my Mom who made me the coolest things.

[@pooppoop3595]

THANKS I WILL DEF DO THIS!!

[@Pixxelina]

@@patportran4683 worked for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@berneemartin8859]

@@patportran4683 your comment made me curious. So I googled how to do this with a nostepinne. This video by Chantelle at Fiberific was very informative kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6Kan4BnlKplbLc

[@rebeccaclarke9985]

BEST winding video I've found thank you so much.

[@desireemarana4997]

I️ use a turkey Baster with the bulb off. I️ string the yarn through the center and tape it to the bottom. Works like a charm.

[@sunrhyze]

I've just watched about five tutorials on the nostepinne (so everyone else doesn't have to), and can report that this was definitely the best one. For sheer bravery I can recommend watching Arne & Carlos trying this for the very first time. It was amusing (they are always amusing). I was inspired to buy a couple of these in different sizes from a guy in Nebraska, at Etsy, and now I know how to use them! Thank you (maybe I should tell Arne & Carlos to watch your video). A little bonus from A&C is you get to hear an actual Norwegian pronounce this Norwegian word! Or we could just call it a winding stick.

[@sunrhyze]

@@patportran4683 If you know of a better one, I'm sure that knitters here would greatly appreciate your providing specific information about it.

[@Ginnyvelarde]

Instead of tucking in the tail of the yarn, I lock it to the body with a child’s hair clip which I buy at The Dollar Tree Store. I get 10 for $1.00. They work like a charm .

[@suzannacoleman4811]

I'm going to do that. It's soo annoying when the yarn unravels from the outside.

[@katmarrs7054]

Thank you so much! I've had a nostepinne forever and thought it would be easy and I just tangled my yarn up so I tucked it away with my other lost projects. And I decided to try again and found your video! I just finished my first cake!

[@iheartu27]

LOVED this! looking for ways to be more minimalist and I don't want to keep collecting tools that I don't use daily, using a paper towel/TP roll is GENIUS

[@smokeykitty6023]

Woman, you are brilliant! 👏 ❤

[@katphyre]

Thank you. I've hand wound yarn for decades but never knew that I should wind on a core at a slant and turn the core toward me for a centerpull ball. So much better!! I've started buying in hanks instead of commercial skeins and it all has to be wound so this is great info.

[@vdosmimi]

Thank you!!! My sweet husband bought me a nice new set of crochet hooks and a nostepinne - and I figured it was for winding yarn, but didn’t know how. And I didn’t know the proper name. 😊

[@nickybailey791]

I have been knitting and crocheting for decades but have never seen this before. It's brilliant, thank you😊

[@scizessita]

Thank you, Roxanne Richardson! I just discovered you by pure chance in my quest for a way to wind a center-pull ball of yarn by hand. I now proudly count myself among your subscribers. I'm also very happy to know that you have a presence on Ravelry. Will look for you there. THanks again.

[@sandygrogg1203]

I clearly remember my Grandaddy holding the yarn for my Gramma!

[@joefran619]

I do it for my wife now I drink a lot!

[@bdancestars]

joe fran HAHAHAHA 😬

[@loyaltytoroyalty]

I did it for my Granny. It seemed to take for ever when I was six or seven, and boy! did it make my arms ache!

[@marywood2561]

Yes...my Aunt had me help wind Aunt Lydia's Rug Yarn...She had arthritis, so she held it and I wound it..:)

[@melissakreitzer7206]

Thank you! As a weaver and fiber artist I am adding yarn to my weaving. I always wondered why it needed to be wound "again" once I bring it home from store.

[@flying2anotheruniverse]

I tried to wind a center pull ball a week ago, unfortunately before I knew about this video, and I'm now having a hard time knitting as I'm using both ends of the yarn :( Now I really know how important this video is.

[@reneereed4772]

Great video. I've had a nostepenne for several years and this is the easiet and very understandable video I've seen. Thanks

[@denisemcgill6260]

Great idea! I only used my fingers to wind around up till now. This looks 10 times better! Thanks.

[@Wetherby10]

Great video! I especially liked the section demonstrating how to wrap the yarn on the 'nostepinne' with the camera-view showing how the work would look to me. I just finished winding my first 'ball' of yarn. It was easier than I'd thought it would be. I used a French rolling pin and taped the starting yarn in place with masking tape.

[@myhandsaslanguage]

This is so cool! Thank you so much for this tutorial. I didn’t feel confident in winding with just my fingers, but I didn’t want to buy a yarn-winder that I don’t really have space for. This is the perfect middle ground!

[@TheGingerNinjaKnitsandJournals]

I know this video is old, but it was so helpful. Thank you!

[@lindachandler2293]

Just did my first center pull on a toilet paper roll. I love it! I think I'll save one of the heavier plastic wrap cardboard centers, so it's sturdier. Thanks bunches.

[@storydale]

I did this for a couple of skeins of yarn a while back when I came upon a video. I think I ended up using a thick handled wooden spoon. It worked well.

[@louiset2079]

This is excellent. I am going to try this with a loo roll or kitchen towel roll while my mechanical winder is trapped in storage. Thank you and I love the idea of putting the ball band into the centre.

[@mireah]

Thank you for this vid. I'm a newbie to crocheting and found your vid very informative. I'm self taught via KZbin, so while it's been great for showing me how to hold my hand and the yarn, as well as the stitches and jargon of the craft. What nobody's done (that I've spotted) is show why you take from the centre of the ball rather than the outside. Made me have a 'DOH... that's why my wool does that.....' moment.

[@Kathy-G]

Thank you for giving me inspiration... I just used a chunky yarn hook to wind my yarn into a yarn cake!

[@wendijackson8844]

I tried this; worked great! However, the ball collapsed in on itself and became a tangled mess. It seems to work better with smaller amounts of yarn. I decided to keep the toilet paper roll in the ball, place it on a holder and use the yarn from the outside. Perfect for keeping the sleeve with the yarn.

[@nwadtrah]

That’s a brilliant idea! It would work great for colour work! (My need for the holder is greater than the bath room’s...)

[@MaryFont62]

😂

[@lynnysharp8428]

This tutorial is incredibly comprehensive! Thank you for the simple explanations

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You're very welcome!

[@lindameyer8519]

Thanks!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You bet!

[@monikajoyner2265]

I've learned winding yarn over a stick when I was a kid, so about 40 years ago. I use every kind of stick I have handy, like a pen or pencil. In my family we wind tight egg-shaped balls with just one end open. I definitely will try your way of winding loosely. Here is one of the best adventages of winding yarn over a stick: you can rewind in the middle of your knitting work (after ribbing for example) without cutting the thread. That's impossible with a yarn winder. Thank you for this video, it's really easy to understand and follow.

[@mckohtz]

Great idea! I think I could use an extra-large knitting needle to do this! Thanks!

[@karenferrer215]

I love this method. I’ve been using my fingers but this is much neater looking making into a flat shaped. Thank you for posting 😊

[@luminousmoon86]

Thanks for this. I tried to follow a tutorial for just winding a center pull ball around my fingers, but I kept losing the yarn. Using a toilet paper roll is such a smart idea! I definitely think it'll work much better.

[@SugarCone]

Thank you so much for this tutorial, life saver as I didn't want to spend money on a mechanical winder xx

[@Cstarsmoon]

Thank you so much for the video. Who knew I didn't have to invest in a ball winder, Yippee. What a great use for those recycled rolls, if they get too much use, just wait for the next one. ;-))

[@nortok00]

Great video! I have seen the wooden nostepinnes before but had no idea what it was for. Using the toilet paper or paper towel roll is awesome. I also read through the comments and there are a lot of great alternatives suggested by viewers! 👍 I'm.going to try this. 😁

[@Abs0629]

Thank you. I've been windingmine with hand since I was a kid. This is better

[@catznjam470]

I've also used wooden spoons or, for a long time, I had the butt end of an old pool cue - this works for lengthy macramé cords too👍👍 very handy!!

[@lunacatfish]

Thank you SO much! Best tutorial on how to do this I've found :)

[@cindyyeager8627]

A rigid cardboard tube from aluminum foil is my nostepinne. I've used this method since childhood.

[@radhalapure9787]

Wonderful idea of paper towel roll....😊

[@tazzlair]

This was a fantastic simple tutorial. Thank you!!!!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You are so welcome!

[@calistachan6998]

this is so wonderful! i have anxiety and this method was so understandable and lovely - thank you so much :)

[@millieneisser7341]

I've tried winding on my hand and it's ok for a small amount of yarn but for a decent amount of yarn just doesn't work for me. Can't wait to try this. ❤❤💕💕

[@elfriedeerickson7688]

Thank you so much for this video, I found it at the perfect time. Just started to learn to weave and now I don’ t need a yarn winder😍

[@marymartin8802]

Thanks so much for the helpful video on how to roll a centre pull ball of yarn as I had purchased a very simple tapered core for winding yarn but wasn't sure how to do it - your video was so helpful - thanks again.

[@kokilpaul9737]

Thank you😊 Excellent idea to use the toilet roll👍

[@satsumamoon]

This makes nice looking cakes but takes a very long time. I spent 50 minutes each on 200g aran cakes before coming across a video using an electric kitchen whisk. Its not as pretty but my next yarn was 200g.of half the thickness of the previous ones so I just had to try it. I havent got a winder or a swif because this is the first time I bought skeins. It might be the last.

[@satsumamoon]

You put the whisk inside a kitchen paper tube or toilet roll.

[@MsDebbyWebby]

Excellent! I happen to have toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls left over from another project I have finished. Thanks! I Subscribed.

[@JennyB-oj6sk]

Hello, Having read all the comments, pro and cons, I think that the winder would be fine for up to 50 grams or 2 oz of yarn. After that the winder would be stretching its limits. To wind any more than 50 grams would make the cake too big and when the work got to a stage where the center hole of the cake becomes large it would collapse within its self. So, having watched your video it may be nice to say that the smaller winders are good for small cakes but anything over 50 grams would need a bigger winder. Thanks for your video. Regards, JennyB.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I regularly wind 100g balls of yarn with a winder, and then knit the entire cake with no difficulty. Presuming you aren't moving the cake around much, but allowing it to sit on a table near you, it should be fine right up to the last 5 or 10 yards, when the remaining amount of yarn weighs so little that the tension of pulling on it might cause it to fall off the table and tangle a bit on the floor. If you're moving the ball around a lot by shoving it into a knitting bag and pulling it out frequently, then you might run into more issues. Some people put the cake into an old knee high stocking, or a mesh ball holder, in order to prevent the cake from getting disturbed as it's put into and taken out of the knitting bag.

[@sheliahammer5286]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you!

[@erin19798]

That's great! I don't yet have a ball winder and this will work perfect for hanks I want to purchase and not wonder how I will then get it into a cake.

[@violingineer7862]

Wow! I always thought I would have to buy some specialty machine for center pull skeins. I'm trying this today.

[@sharongamble9854]

Thank you so much for the idea. The video inspired me to "wind" the balls those balls that want to roll away.

[@katf3836]

I think that I would leave the yarn on the core until I was ready to use it. I think it would keep it from possible unfurling. thanks. Great idea. I have a #50 knitting needle with a ornate end which is perfect for the slipknot anchor. I do like the tp core though. Thanks again.

[@linettelow]

This is very informative :) Thanks so much, Roxanne ♡ Have a beautiful week. Xx

[@mDiago6200]

Wow! What a great idea! Thank you so much.

[@p.f.b.1484]

Thank you for this video! Very clear and useful!

[@tchklette]

Thanks for a great video with very clear instructions.

[@theastewart6721]

Great idea! Very inventive! Thanks for sharing!

[@teatimecherry4718]

Your video is the best on describing this process. Those commercial windy things are overpriced. Based on your example and the comments, there are many household items that can be used as an anchor. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@rastiiiiiiii]

This is so helpful thank you ! 🫶

[@KriRama]

This is so helpful!! THANK YOU! ❤

[@kithg]

Very helpful, thanks very much!

[@barenddutoit9931]

Hi Roxanne... thanks for all the great tutorials you share! You're my knitting Guru...!!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

And are you learning.....? :-)

[@barenddutoit9931]

Roxanne Richardson Definitely! With all the knowledge I've gained from you, I feel like a Pro!

[@punkypagan]

If you like the woode. Tool but dont want to shell out a whole bunch go to an antique store and look for a cone spindle for the old mechanical spinners. They are perfect and will set you back only a few dollars.

[@priyalaxmikonjengbam1250]

Love this video. Thank you so much for this.

[@K26epic]

Thank you Roxanne!

[@sharmanklinefelter508]

thank you roxy so helpful

[@dna2gether]

I have learned to wrap the end of the yarn around my little fingers several times and use three fingers to start the ball always holding the string wrapped around my pinky

[@alessia-6699]

Great video! It's concise and gives all the information needed. Thank you :)

[@joannegonzalez9931]

Great idea ❤ thank you

[@adelabrouchy]

Very useful, thankyou.😀

[@allisonbyrd]

Rox, you were kind enough to answer a question I posted earlier today on your video about yarn twist! Thank you for that! Lo and behold, the yarn I *just* pulled out of storage to start a new project is in a skein that opened up into a diameter slightly too large for my umbrella swift to hold! I searched for hand-winding videos on KZbin and came across your helpful video here. Since I just watched your video on avoiding (or compensating for) increased or decreased yarn twist when winding, I am wondering what is the best combination, directionally speaking, of (1) unwinding from the skein, and (2) winding onto a toilet paper or paper towel roll, or a nostepinne like you were using in this video, depending on whether you’re dealing with an S-twisted or a Z-twisted yarn .I can see you were using an “S” twist yarn in this video and winding with the yarn coming from the right (off screen), and winding over the top of the nostepinne from the front (clockwise, if you were to point the nostepinne toward the viewer), but I can’t see what’s going on with the skein you are pulling from - whether you are pulling the yarn off of it in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, I mean. This is making my brain hurt, so if you have any advice in this regard, I would greatly appreciate it!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

If you are winding clockwise with the yarn in your right hand, you'll lose s-twist as you wind. When you use the yarn from that tail from the left, where it's anchored it will come out of the ball counterclockwise, which adds s-twist. So it that process cancels itself out.

[@allisonbyrd]

@@RoxanneRichardson Thanks! I see that now. Does the way the yarn comes off the skein before it reaches your right hand (in your example) matter? I assume you’re not spooling it off the skein, so I’m guessing that some twist will be either added or subtracted as the yarn “exits” the skein, even if the processes of winding onto the nostepinne and knitting from the center of the resulting yarn ball cancel each other out. Also, when I went looking for nostepinnes online, some of them have the yarn-anchoring groove where your brother put it on yours, near the end you hold, and others have the groove near the tip, so I guess that has to be taken into account, too!

[@daleodberg6714]

A very interesting video, thank you

[@kerriebarney5823]

Thank you for a wonderful video! It helped me out so much!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Glad it helped!

[@patphares6258]

Excellent tutorial….❤

[@marymccormack8118]

Brilliant explanation. Thank you!

[@pyro-millie5533]

Lifechanging. Thank you!

[@vitalinastepanenko2508]

Thank you very much ! Love your video and lessons!👍💪👏🏻🌹

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm so glad you like it/them! :-)

[@leilonnihamilton8356]

I would love to have a ball winder since it is faster, but for now l am going to try your toilet paper roll idea. Thanks.

[@lailasvensen3878]

Thanks for the tutorial. Nøste means ball of yarn.

[@kasandrabeesandbirds1466]

I just use my hand. Wrap the tail around my thumb, then start wrapping around 4 fingers. As fingers get covered I will pull out and grab the ball, keep wrapping around fingers to maintain a relaxed wrap.

[@OddWoz]

Excellent video. Great tips. Thank you! Subscribed. 👌🏼

[@joanmachado9063]

Great video

[@kkitomura]

I am so glad to have this info - thank you, it is perfect.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm so glad you found it useful! :-)

[@eileenholderness615]

Amazingly helpful!! Wish I had known this years and years ago!! Thank you very much

[@soraiaprst4784]

Obrigada 💐

[@MAJA98610]

Thank you

[@joanaperez9851]

Muchas gracias, por ofrecernos estos pequeños consejos, que son muy útiles en la práctica...!!!

[@opticapolana6342]

Thanks

[@bettybanks5367]

Thankyou for this tutorial!

[@raynashilling1245]

Great video. Very helpful. Thanks so much!

[@BeautifulOaks]

Resourceful. Thank you.

[@debbyferguson5638]

Loved the video!😊

[@dauntiekay2768]

Great video--who knew--I am gonna have to try this! thanks for information!!!

[@stitchann]

Thanks so much, Love it!

[@VasantiP]

Great Idea thank you.

[@annd2279]

it has taken me too long to learn how to do this, thank you!! I only have one question- if this is a hank are you using a swift? if not, what then? thanks again!