Why should I wind yarn into a centre-pull ball?

Centre-pull balls are more stable than skeins and do not roll around as you knit. They also prevent tangling. Most yarn winders create a centre-pull cake that sits flat on a surface. Winding also lets you inspect the yarn for knots or defects before starting your project.

Do I need a swift as well as a ball winder?

If your yarn comes in a hank (a twisted loop), you need a swift or a helpful pair of hands to hold the hank open while you wind it. Without a swift, hanks tangle easily. If your yarn already comes in a pull-skein or ready-wound ball, you can wind directly from that onto your ball winder.

How long does it take to wind a skein?

With a hand-cranked ball winder, expect roughly 50 metres per minute, so a 200m skein takes about 4 minutes. Electric winders are faster. The biggest time investment is setting up the hank on the swift and finding the end to start winding.

KnitCalcs

Yarn Ball Winder Calculator — Skein to Centre-Pull Ball

Estimate centre-pull ball dimensions and winding time from skein specifications.

Metres Per Skein

Check skein label for meterage

Weight Per Skein

Number of Skeins

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates the size of the centre-pull ball and the time needed to wind your skeins. Ball diameter is estimated from the yarn weight and typical yarn density.

The formula

Yarn volume = Weight / Density (wool density ~1.3 g/cm³)

Ball volume = Yarn volume / 0.4 (accounting for ~60% air in a wound ball)

Ball diameter = 2 x cube root of (3 x Ball volume / 4π)

Winding time = Total metres / 50 (at ~50m/min winding speed)

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard yarn weights and gauge. Results may vary with individual tension, yarn brand, and needle size.