A method for controlling a piecing process for piecing a yarn at a working station of a textile machine, in particular a piecing process for re-piecing a yarn at a spinning unit of a spinning machine, by means of a piecing device, in which a number of working steps which prepare the actual piecing process are carried out successively in a chronological sequence, wherein the working steps are each assigned a predefined time period within which the respective working step is carried out, wherein the predefined time period can be changed for at least one of the working steps, characterized in that the time period can be changed for the working step of searching for a yarn end (G') which has run onto a bobbin and/or for the working step of returning the yarn end (G') to the working station of the textile machine, wherein the current time period of the at least one working step is defined as a function of a yarn characteristic of the currently produced yarn, wherein the current time period is defined by defining a value of a rewinding speed as a function of the yarn characteristic of the currently produced yarn, wherein different yarn characteristics are stored in a knowledge memory, each of which is assigned at least one suitable value of the rewinding speed for the working step of searching for a yarn end (G') which has run onto a bobbin and/or for the working step of returning the yarn end (G') to the working station of the textile machine, and in that a value of the rewinding speed which corresponds to its yarn characteristic is selected from the knowledge memory for the currently produced yarn, wherein the current time period of the at least one working step is determined independently by a control unit of the textile machine. in which a number of working steps which prepare the actual piecing process are carried out successively in a chronological sequence, wherein the working steps are each assigned a predefined time period within which the respective working step is carried out, wherein the predefined time period can be changed for at least one of the working steps, characterized in that the time period can be changed for the working step of searching for a yarn end (G') which has run onto a bobbin and/or for the working step of returning the yarn end (G') to the working station of the textile machine, wherein the current time period of the at least one working step is defined as a function of a yarn characteristic of the currently produced yarn, wherein the current time period is defined by defining a value of a rewinding speed as a function of the yarn characteristic of the currently produced yarn, wherein different yarn characteristics are stored in a knowledge memory, each of which is assigned at least one suitable value of the rewinding speed for the working step of searching for a yarn end (G') which has run onto a bobbin and/or for the working step of returning the yarn end (G') to the working station of the textile machine, and in that a value of the rewinding speed which corresponds to its yarn characteristic is selected from the knowledge memory for the currently produced yarn, wherein the current time period of the at least one working step is determined independently by a control unit of the textile machine.