There is a right way to wind a yarn ball, and it begins with a pencil. Hold the pencil in one paw, wrap the yarn around it a dozen times to form a core, then turn it a quarter, and wrap again. Each layer must go in a different direction, like a conversation between old friends. Never pull. The ball should be firm but not tense, as a good cat is.
A well wound ball will keep its shape for years. It can be rolled across a floor, batted by a kitten, or placed in the window as a decoration. It can also, I am sorry to say, be undone in a minute by anyone who finds the end. This is the thing about a ball: it contains its own unravelling. Every one of us does, I suppose. I keep the end tucked in, very tight.
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