Nostepinnes are used to wind centre-pull balls which allow access to both ends of the ball of yarn at the same time. Spinners use centre-pull balls when plying two single yarns together. Knitters use a nostepinne to wind balls of yarn. You can knit from both ends at the same time.

The nostepinne hails from the Scandinavian countries. It’s name, very roughly translated, means “a little stick for winding balls of yarn”( noste…ball of yarn pinde…little stick). You will find your Nostepinne easy and fast to use. As with everything the key is practice . Perhaps winding will seem awkward at first, but your hands will soon develop a feel for it! You will be winding balls in no time. Attach your yarn to the groove by wrapping it a few times around. This is the end of your yarn and will allow you to pull your yarn from the centre of the ball. Start wrapping the "core" of your ball bywinding the yarn around the middle of the shaft of the nostepinne. This is the foundation for your ball.Do this with only a little tension, so that the finished ball can still be slideof the shaft. Wind the yarn,laying each strand next to the other creatinga foundation of about 1-2". Most people like to position the nostepinne parallel to their body whiledoing this, holding it with their left hand and wrapping with the right. You can use either hand though.Now begin wrapping the yarn in a "figure eight type pattern" right on top of the base you have just wound. To do that wrap the yarn diagonally from the top back down to the otherend of your base. Then come up and around toward the top again. You are back at the starting point. Each time you do this your yarn ball willgrow slightly in length.Keep warping the yarn in the figure eight pattern, while at the same time rotating the nostepinne. Your yarn will make a sort of ball shapeas it grows.This ball is now fully functional. Slide ball off the nostepinne (nostepinde)and presto: you are done.

                                                            You can even use a nostepinne on the go!