How to wind a center pull ball

Don't have a ball winder?  Hate how your yarn balls roll around after you hand wind them?  Well - now you can wind your own center pull balls!

1.  Make your hand look like its pointing a gun and lay the end of the yarn in the palm of your hand and wrap it counter clockwise around your thumb.

2.  Then begin to wrap the yarn around your thumb and index finger in a figure 8 fashion, while the rest of your fingers are wrapped around the yarn tail - dont lose the tail while you wrap!

3.  Continue wrapping in a figure 8 until the yarn is about 3/4 of the way to your first knuckle on your index finger.  Notice that the tail is still in control and visible.

4.  Now, pinch your thumb and index finger together, which folds the two loops of the finger 8 together.

5.  Place your thumb over the spot where the tail comes out of the yarn and keep it covered, begin to wrap the yarn around the folded loops, wrapping about 6 -8 times before turning the forming yarn ball clockwise and keeping your thumb over the tail.  Make sure you do not lose hold of the spot where the tail comes out.

 

6.  Evenly wrap the yarn around the ball, turning the ball as needed to distribute the yarn around it.  Your thumb will be creating a small hole in the yarn ball and the tail should be dangling down from the ball - do not accidentally wrap yarn over the tail.  Do not wrap the yarn too tightly or it will be hard to pull out from the center.

7.  Tuck the end once the yarn is all wound under some of the layers to secure it.

8.  Voila center pull ball!  Never chase after a rolling hand wound ball again.

Comments

[Marina]

Ugh! Where were the instructions when I used to wrap it around pieces of cardboard?! That's really clever.

[Mary-Kay Tilden]

Ok, that is a great tutorial. Simple. Necessary. Nifty. Thanks!

[Inky]

are you trying to do penance for buying that 'spensive Noro? LoL -- great tutorial!!

[jillian]

That's really cool! Where was this when I first started knitting :)

[Becky]

I love this way of winding balls. I learned this same method from Debbie Stoller's Stitch n Bitch book.

[Veronica]

Very simple, Thanks!!!

[Ali]

I'm so pleased with my new found trick! Thanks for a great tutorial.