To provide a method for rewinding an ink ribbon at high speed even if the capacity of a motor is low by varying the rotational speed of a feed reel depending on the variation in the diameter of an ink ribbon rewound around a feed reel when an ink ribbon comprising a multi-time ribbon is rewound around the feed reel.

When printing is performed by thermally transferring ink of an ink ribbon 5 to a recording medium (not shown) by means of a thermal transfer printer (not shown), printing is performed while winding the ink ribbon 5 from a feed reel 4 around a winding reel 3. At the time of rewinding the ink ribbon 5 from the winding reel 3 around the feed reel 4, rotational speed of the feed reel 4 is increased when the diametral dimension B of the ink ribbon 5 rewound around the feed reel 4 is small and the rotational speed of the feed reel 4 is decreased as the diameter of rewound ink ribbon increases.