The Long and Winding Yarn

I promised one of my Ravelry friends I'd try to capture pictures of the way I wind my yarn. Alas that didn't work out. But hopefully I can give a word picture. This method was demonstrated to me in the early 60's at either Polsky's or O'Neills department store in Akron, OH. I start by making a figure eight between pointer and pinky. After about 12 wraps, the yarn gets wadded into a ball shape and then I start wrapping the yarn around the little wad turning it around the pivot point of my thumb. Sort of like holding a bowling ball, but lighter and softer.

The very end gets wrapped around the equator and then after extracting my thumb, I go spelunking to find the starting end that is hiding in the center. This gives me a nice center pull and even as the ball gets used up, I've not yet had a tangled mess. Call me Lucky? Maybe I should knock on wood.

Yarn: Sleeping Dragon Handpainted Mossy Frog

Sock: standard on US #1