Abstract: Package winding of textile strands uninterrupted by transfer from a full to an empty package is accomplished by delaying lateral transfer of the winding strand from a full to an empty package and by picking up a resulting transfer tail of the laterally transferring strand adjacent the end of the empty package. The transfer delay step utilizes a bistable inertial device located to intercept the laterally transferring strand and to be repositioned thereby and to release the strand after momentary inertia-induced delay during which the strand begins to wind onto the empty package. The pickup step utilizes rotary devices located at the spaced adjacent ends of spindles for the respective packages, such device on the spindle of the package to which the strand is transferring being adapted to engage and grip it. The strand is broken or otherwise severed between the pickup device and the full package, thereby enabling the strand to be traversed onto the empty package.