The invention relates to a method for controlling a winding machine for winding a continuously fed winding material on bobbin tubes to wound packages. The winding machine comprises two driven spindles. A traversing device holds a traversing guide. The traversing guide is driven for a traversing movement, whereas the traversing device is driven for a changing movement in a changing direction transverse to the traversing movement. A control device controls both the traversing movement and the changing movement. The movement of said traversing device and said traversing guide is controlled for guiding the winding material from a package wound at a first spindle via a fixed transfer device to the second spindle. The winding material is caught by a catching device associated with the second spindle. The winding material is cut by a cutting device wherein the cutting movement is caused by a rotation of the second spindle.