How do you wind yarn on a Niddy-Noddy?

I usually teach people how to wrap on a niddy-noddy by starting the wrap for them and then handing the niddy over. They quickly figure out that it's simply a matter of following the path I've begun, and once you've done it once, it's fairly straight forward.

So, although this isn't me, here's a video showing a niddy-noddy wind-on.

And if you need something to space-out your counting, here's a ditty combining Patsy Zawitowski (Spinning Wool video) and Marilyn Kluger (Joy of Spinning) for the sake of alliteration:

Niddy Noddy, Niddy Noddy
Two Heads, One Body.

'tis one, t'aint one
'twill one, soon.

'tis two, t'aint two
'twill be two, soon.

'tis three, t'aint three
'twill be three, soon.

... repeat as needed.

That first stanza is an extra wrap, or say it before you start!

And if you do get interrupted in your counting, simply count the strands on one arm of the niddy when you are done.

Why count at all? to know how much yarn you have. Roughly (since niddies are hardly scientific measuring devices) you have a length of yarn that is 4 times the length of your niddy noddy. For more details see the earlier post, How Much Yarn do I Have on my Niddy-Noddy?

Once the yarn is wound around the niddy-noddy, put a figure-8 tie around each of the 4 groups of yarn, then remove the skein from the niddy. Now you can wind-up the skein if you like -- twist the skein until it's fairly tightly twisted, keeping your hands in the ends so they remain open, and insert one end into the other -- as shown in the drawings (© The Bellwether, used with permission). Pretty!