When I first started crocheting, I only used yarn found in places like Michaels and WalMart, so it was always in skeins or balls...something to take the label off of and start using. But once I started designing I discovered hanks of yarn, which is a tied circle of yarn twisted to keep it intact. Before using, it has to be untwisted and wound. So I would bribe a brother or sister to hold it while I wound it into a ball, or if nobody was available, tried other ways. I've used Mason jars to hold it on a table or floor, draped it over my knees or chair backs. These didn't get tired of holding yarn, but were certainly not ideal, as anyone who has experienced it knows! So finally I bit the bullet and decided it was high time to get a yarn swift.
There are several types of yarn swifts, but most of them clamp to a table, which I didn't want for the obvious reason that sometimes I may need to wind yarn when there's nothing to clamp the swift to. There are also umbrella swifts, that collapse. I like how these look, but they are much more expensive and have more parts to malfunction. Besides, I disliked the raw wood look of most of them and dreaded how it would feel to my fingers.
So I settled on a table-top swift (sometimes called Amish style swift) for the style I wanted - very basic style of 2 crossing arms with adjustable pegs for holding different size hanks - but most of the ones I found were so ugly and plain! I was about to settle for an ugly one when I found Scotts Mountain Crafts and their swifts, among other spinning/fiber tools. Solid wood, nice craftsmanship, lots of options in stain, woods, and sizes. Plus, if I had a question, I could ask it and get an answer. (I found them on eBay, but the prices were better on their website.) I knew instantly that the black walnut swift was the one I wanted, because of the pretty stain. These are no clamp, portable, and they have a pretty base - not just a utilitarian tool! Plus, I always like to support artists by buying handmade.
So now that I got my swift, I can use it - and just in time! I had these hanks of Filatura di Crosa Centolavaggi yarn, which is a lovely laceweight, but has a whopping 1531 yards per hank! Even with a swift it took a long time, but I can't imagine trying to wind it without one!
These swifts are easy to put together and come already assembled. Mine folds as shown above. To get it ready to wind, just turn the arms at right angles. The top one settles into the bottom one, and all I have to do is lightly tighten the screw.
It should spin easily with a touch.
It comes with 6 dowels cut to size - 4 for the swift and 2 extra. The next step is to insert the dowels into holes and adjust until the skein fits not too tightly around them.
First you have to cut the threads that bind the yarn together, and lay it so an end is on the outside toward you so it starts coming off the outside of the hank when you wind. Then start winding.
As you wind, the swift turns easily, releasing the next stretch of yarn. Laceweight is harder to wind than some others because the yarn is pulled too tight since it is so thin, so for this one I had to pull a stretch and then wind it to keep the strands nice and loose in the ball. I did not have this difficulty with other weights of yarn I wound from this swift.
One thing I love about swifts is you can wind for a while, then let it sit while you do something else - or even carry it elsewhere to finish later - and the yarn won't get tangled. If there is a tangle, it's easier to unknot it with the yarn nicely laid out and out of your way.
Wood detail:
Occasionally if the pegs are too full or if the hank is a little too loose, a strand can pop off. You want to watch for this, because if you don't catch it, it will start winding around the center screw and can cause problems after a few turns.
I would still love a vintage or antique wall-mounted umbrella swift someday! But until then, this is a perfect addition to my tool collection; I'm happy with the $30 spent on it and use it often to lighten my work.
(Note: This is a personal review, not sponsored in any way.)
