Crochet – Page 7 – Sew Homey

I went a little crazy during the holiday season and bought several hanks of yarn. Now it is time to wind the yarn into cakes so I can use it for upcoming projects. And I was thinking about how there was a time when I had no idea what a swift was or its purpose. A yarn swift is a device that holds an untwisted hank of yarn and rotates in a circle while the yarn unwinds into a ball. Hanks of all sizes can fit due to the adjustable center that expands or detracts the diameter. A swift works well with the assistance of a ball winder. Such a simple contraption can make the biggest difference. Keep reading to find out how swifts prevent yarn from tangling and how they make rolling balls of yarn a smooth process, even if they are not a necessity. The Purpose of a Swift When I was first introduced to yarn swifts, I didn’t understand the purpose fully. The contraption I saw had a lot of wood, opened like an umbrella, and confused me. "How could a swift be an efficient tool for me," I wondered. A quick search and a few tutorials later, I discovered the purpose. The purpose of a swift is to prevent yarn from tangling when you wind yarn into a ball. Swifts are mainly used to wind hanks of yarn into balls that unravel from the center. In case you are unfamiliar with what a hank of yarn is, I've got you covered! A hank of yarn is essentially one long piece of yarn looped together to form one big circle. The ring of yarn is twisted together to make a neat skein ready for packaging. Indie dyed or other higher end yarn will generally be packaged as a hank. You don't want to start knitting or crocheting off of a hank though. The fibers will rub together and just become a tangled mess. It would make knitting or crocheting a long and difficult process. That is why a swift is a great knitting and/or crochet tool to have in your craft room, or closet if you don't have space like me. It will assist you in winding hanks or skeins into center pull balls. A swift is best used in conjunction with a ball winder. The two work together to wind giant loops of yarn into compact center pull cakes in a matter of minutes. The process is simple and easy from start to finish. How does a swift work? While swifts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the basic mechanics are still the same. So if you are wondering how a swift works, I have laid out the simple process from beginning to finish below. The process begins with setting up the swift. Some clamp to the tabletop and others will sit on top of the table or on the floor. It just depends on the type of swift. When the swift is upright and sturdy, expand the swift to a circumference a little smaller than you think the hank will be. Not opening the swift fully will make it easier to put the hank around. Once the swift is assembled, open up the hank by untwisting the giant loop of yarn. Gently place the ring of yarn onto the swift. You will need to expand the swift more to fit the circumference of your hank and lock it into place. There will be a few pieces of yarn tied to the hank in various sections to keep it from tangling. Cut or untie the loops after the hank is situated on the swift. Now the swift is ready for use. Take the end of the yarn hank and begin winding it into a ball. You can hand wind a ball or use a ball winder. The swift will rotate in a circle as the yarn unwinds and turns into a ball. The process is finished when no more yarn remains on the swift. If you want a little more insight into how a yarn swift works, Knit Picks made a video about an umbrella swift that I have linked below. I hope this helps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs5WfHE1FCY Types of Yarn Swifts As far as looks go, yarn swifts can take many forms. But the general idea on how they work is still the same. The most common material that swifts are made from is wood. But there are also metal and plastic yarn swifts available. Often, swifts made from wood will be reinforced with metal hardware pieces to help with the wear and tear over time. There are three major types of yarn swifts that I have come across: Umbrella swiftAmish swiftVertical swift Umbrella Swift The most common type of swift I have come across is the umbrella swift. This type of swift can clamp onto a table or have a base that sits on the floor or table. After it is secure, the swift opens by moving the bottom upward and the swift will expand, like an umbrella. There is a tightening screw that will secure the piece in place for use. The swift is used in the same manner as described previously. The umbrella swift can open to a range of circumferences, which is important because not all hanks are the same size. Be sure to check the space you have available because some swifts can open to fit a hank that is eight and a half feet in circumference. They are also easy to store since they collapse in the same manner as an umbrella. The video from the previous section has a great visual for what an umbrella swift looks like. Amish Swift Another popular type of swift is called the Amish swift or tabletop swift. The device sits on its base on top of the table or floor. The base is attached to a couple of thin wood pieces that criss-cross in the middle that form an "X" and create four arms. There is a connecting piece in the middle of the arms and base that allows the contraption to rotate. The four long arms have a series of holes that extend to the end. There are pegs that fit inside the holes. The pegs can be moved to different holes to accommodate the size of hank. The swift will rotate and unwind the yarn into a ball in the same way as an umbrella swift. For a good illustration, watch the video I have linked below of an Amish style swift. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu_xIpwEqkY Storage for an Amish swift will require more room. Some of them are manufactured to disassemble for storage and won't require much space. But others remain intact and will require enough space to fit the long arms. Vertical Swift The final type of swift I want to cover is considered a vertical swift. Vertical swifts work the same way as an umbrella or Amish swift, only sideways. An umbrella swift can actually be clamped to the back of a chair or something similar and be used vertically. Or there are also others that look like Ferris wheels. The swift has a base that sits on the floor or table with two arms that extend upward. The spinning mechanism that holds the yarn fits inside the arms and is removable. The hank of yarn fits around the swift in the same manner as an umbrella or Amish swift, only you flip it vertically for use. Vertical swifts are less adjustable and require a space as big as the swift for storage. Please enjoy the video below to get an idea of how one works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Emaa_JQflk Can You Use a Swift Without a Ball Winder? A yarn swift can be used without a ball winder. However, if your goal is to wind hanks of yarn into balls without the yarn getting tangled, a yarn swift will compliment a ball winder. The process will move faster and smoother than hand winding yarn off of a swift. The swift can also be used to wind yarn into hanks. This is common of dyers that purchase yarn that is not already pre-measured into hanks. Before they can begin the dyeing process, they have to wind the yarn into smaller pieces to dye. A swift is the device that does that easily for them. Using a swift for this purpose does not require a ball winder at all.