The nostepinne, also known as a nostepinde or nøstepinde, is a tool used in the fiber arts to wind yarn, often yarn that has been hand spun, into a ball for easily

knitting Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile, or fabric. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting creates stitches: loops of yarn in a row, either flat or i ...

crocheting Crochet (; ) is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials. The name is derived from the French term ''crochet'', meaning 'hook'. Hooks can be made from a variety of m ...

, or weaving from. In its simplest form, it is a

dowel A dowel is a cylindrical rod, usually made of wood, plastic, or metal. In its original manufactured form, a dowel is called a ''dowel rod''. Dowel rods are often cut into short lengths called dowel pins. Dowels are commonly used as structural ...

, generally between long and most frequently made of wood, around which yarn can be wound. Decoratively and ornately carved nostepinnes are common. The top of the nostepinne sometimes incorporates a notch or a groove which allows one end of the yarn to be held secure while the rest is wound into a ball. The ball of yarn formed by a nostepinne is a "center pull" ball, allowing the knitter to remove the working yarn from the center of the ball rather than the outside. This keeps the yarn from rolling around the surface the yarn is sitting on and provides a more consistent tension. These center-pull balls are called "cakes" because of their short, cylindrical shape.

References

{{Textile-arts-stub Knitting tools and materials Hand spinning tools