Method and apparatus for winding a continuously advancing yarn

A method and apparatus for winding a continuously advancing yarn, wherein the yarn is wound on a driven tube to a cross wound package. The yarn is reciprocated by means of a traversing yarn guide within a traverse stroke which is variable in its length within the package width of the cross wound package. During the winding cycle, the traverse stroke is varied between a maximum length at the beginning of the winding cycle and an end length at the end of the winding cycle by a predetermined stroke function in such a manner that in the course of the winding cycle, a certain length is associated to each traverse stroke, with the lengths of the traverse strokes being smaller than the respective wound package widths then being formed.