A method and apparatus for counting yarn splicing operations for each of the spindles in an automatic winding machine provided with a plurality of winding spindles and an automatic knotting machine and in which relative motion of said spindles and said knotting machine causes the knotting machine and successive spindles to be adjacent each other for carrying out a yarn splicing operation when necessary. A pulse signal is generated each time the knotting machine and a spindle are adjacent each other during the relative motion of the knotting machine and the spindles, the pulse being of relatively short duration when the knotting machine is adjacent a spindle for a time insufficient to carry out a splicing operation. The apparatus discriminates between the long and short duration pulses for each spindle, and the long duration pulses for each spindle are counted as an indication of the occurrances of a splicing operation for that spindle.