So called "Center Pull" Ball rant...

[crazykntter83]

lol that's funny. Maybe the machine does just get dizzy.

[KatzKnitter]

My first 4 Lion Wool-Ease skeins pulled beautifully using the 4-finger method. I even taught the technique to a little girl in the yarn dept of the store. Working on my fifth skein of Lion Wool-Ease this month, and this one pulled out half the skein. Grrrr!@#$%^#!?(%$@ IT'S THE SAME YARN!!

What's the fastest way to ball your yarn without spending on a mechanical winder?

[OffJumpsJack]

My first 4 Lion Wool-Ease skeins pulled beautifully using the 4-finger method. I even taught the technique to a little girl in the yarn dept of the store. Working on my fifth skein of Lion Wool-Ease this month, and this one pulled out half the skein. Grrrr!@#$%^#!?(%$@ IT'S THE SAME YARN!!

What's the fastest way to ball your yarn without spending on a mechanical winder?

Amy of KH has this video right here in the Knitting Help free Video section under the Tips heading.

On YouTube by FiberFool, you can find

"How to Use a Nostepinne" via YouTube

Another on YouTube from ShielaDixon

"Winding a centre-pull ball of handspun yarn using a nostepinne " via YouTube

And yet another YouTube vid.
This one by NoreenCroneFindley

"How to Wind a ball of yarn on the nostepinne" via YouTube

Now that last one has an entirely to cheerful voice! But much preferable if compared with a Marshwiggle (as portrayer by Tom Baker).

Use anything for a nostepinne:

• cardboard tube (from paper towels, or similar)
• fat marker (I tape the cap on with paper/masking tape)
• bundle of pens or pencils (also taped)
• two or three fingers held together
• or anything that is about 12 inches (30 cm) long and near one inch (2.5 cm) across the diameter.

I read one suggestion to get a round leg as for a wooden chair from you home improvement or hardware store to make your own Nostepinne.

Remember to enjoy the process. With practice you become quite good at winding your yarn up as you wind down.

[anniewill]

I LOVE the prescription bottle suggestion. Makes it so easy. thanks to whomever thought that one up. I'm a novice knitter and it's all mysterious, but not center pull any longer.

[KatzKnitter]

Re: the videos--Some people have too much time on their hands.

[KatzKnitter]

It would be a big help it the label had a mark of some sort to alert us which end of the skein to search for the yarn tail.

But, I too have a lot of trouble finding the end at times and usually end with 30-50% of the inside content coming out with the tail end.

Exactly. If I can't find the outside tail, how can I find the inside tail? If I had the kind of patience and time shown in those videos, I would just ball from the outside, BUT I DON'T! And I'm not giving up my day job.

I use medium-priced yarns. I suspect that expensive yarns have a more obvious outside tail or some kind of label.

[Little Audrey]

Too true! I recall (many years ago) seeing instructions on skeins on how to start the center pull - they showed pulling the yarn tucked in at one end of the skein first, then the yarn tucked in at the other end second - presto, the second yarn made a lovely center pull every time. I have not seen these in years .... sniffle,sob,weep!

[KatzKnitter]

Maybe they save a hundredth of a penny on each skein by not having the first end dangling. Then again, some of the most expensive yarns are not skeins at all, but hanks.

Made my first yarn cake today around a bathroom tissue holder. Not exactly like the videos, but not bad.

[Lighting57]

Thanks for the videos.

I can make a center pull ball by just using my hands, but I really like them by using the nostepinne.

I have several things around the house that would work great for that: small diameter handle of my lambskin duster, large dowel, and a left over thread cone just to name a few.

They look so much nicer to. Good enough to make all leftover yarn into balls to display in a nice bowl as a centerpiece until needed to knit with.

[Breezed]

Ugh, I had this frustration just 3 days ago. Picked up a new project to start and could not get the center pull. The middle of the skein was so tangled it drove me crazy. I gave up even trying and just started with the outside strand.