It's a Wind Up - Nostepinne Hints

 I'd made a huge boo-boo and had to unravel my three metre cardigan - honest, my gauge was way off.  As I'd already russian-joined at least twice, that was a lot of yarn.
I'm using a seed dibber (from Wilko's in the UK) with the end taken off, and smoothed over with Sugru.  As you can see, it's not all that big.

Making the foundation layer

 There are three things which help to keep yarn cakes from looking like olives... the first is to start with a wide base.  This is done by twirling the nosty and wrapping the yarn in such a way as to make a foundation layer.

Wrap the yarn 'wood to wood', twirling the nostepinne towards you as you work.

OK, so one hand is holding the camera, but placing a hand either side of the cake and squishing them towards each other will round it up.

It's getting big. Notice the yarn tail is tucked out of the way under an elastic band on the handle.

Now, instead of working 'wood to wood', change the angle a bit,  to something more upright. This creates a 'shoulder' and stops the yarn from slipping.

 

Nearly done. For the last few wraps, place your thumb on the yarn and work at right angles to the nostepinne.

Grab the tail...

... and tuck it under the final wraps...

Remember to remove the starter tail of the yarn from the elastic band...

... and slide the cake from the nosty. Ta daaaaaa! One centre-pull ball.