Yarn swift and ball winder guides
Everything we know about turning a twisted hank into yarn you can knit from, written by the person who tests the tools we sell.
Start with what a yarn swift is if the whole category is new to you, or go straight to how to use one if your swift has just arrived. When you are ready to buy, the umbrella swift, the ball winder and the set all ship free, and the reviews page collects what buyers actually said.
· Marguerite Aubin
Squirrel Cage Swift vs Umbrella Swift: What the Cage Does Differently
Two turning drums on an upright post against ribs on a clamped shaft: loading, skein length, tension, footprint and storage, compared frame against frame.
· Marguerite Aubin
Amish vs Umbrella Yarn Swift: Two Designs, Two Ways to Wind
A flat cross on pegs against ribs on a vertical shaft: footprint, skein capacity, speed, stability and storage, compared design against design.
· Marguerite Aubin
Why a Yarn Cake Collapses, and What Holds a Good One Together
What supplies the grip inside a cake, the four ways it is lost, and how to read a finished cake before you knit from it.
· Marguerite Aubin
How to Use a Yarn Swift, Step by Step
Clamp it down, open the umbrella, load the skein and wind without a single tangle, including what to do when the clamp will not hold.
· Marguerite Aubin
What Is a Yarn Swift, and Do You Need One?
A plain answer, the four types you will meet, and the difference between a swift, a ball winder and a yarn holder.
· Marguerite Aubin
How to Wind a Skein of Yarn Into a Ball
Three methods, with and without tools, plus the four habits that cause almost every tangle and how to handle difficult fibers.
· Marguerite Aubin
Yarn Swift vs the Alternatives: A Comparison
Chair backs, two chairs, a patient friend or a real swift. What each one costs you, and what the best yarn swift actually needs.
· Marguerite Aubin
Wooden vs Metal Yarn Swift: A Comparison
Amish style hardwood frames against folding iron swifts, compared on price, storage, feel and lifespan, with no spin either way.
· Marguerite Aubin
Ball Winder for Yarn: A Buying Guide
Hand crank or electric, the six parts that decide whether you like it, and what a skein winder really means in a listing.