Always wind your yarn loosely to prevent stretching (and shrinking after washing). The stick should be a least ¾ inch in diameter, better a little larger. It should be long enough to hold below the ball. Though a hand turned exotic wood nostepinna is preferred, I used an inglorious paper towel tube in the photos.
Holding the starting tail with the stick, run the yarn up to about 2-3 inches below the top end of the stick, wind around the stick 4-5 times clockwise. Continue clockwise winding while going diagonally across the previously wound on turns: from bottom to top in the front and then diagonally down going around the back. Meanwhile turn the stick slightly in the counter clockwise direction so that the new yarn is laid down beside and to the left of the previously laid yarn. The winding should go over the left shoulder, back and out at the right side of the base. Wind loosely, using only enough tension to keep the yarn where you want it. Wind the last of the yarn directly around the middle of the ball (equator if it were the earth) and tuck the tail end under to hold everything in place. Remove the ball from the stick, the starting tail will be hanging out of the base. I like to collapse the ball a bit to insure that the yarn is not under tension or being stretched. With the tail neatly wrapped and tucked in, there will be no tangling as the yarn is pulled from the center for knitting or plying.
