Recently I mentioned on social media that I purchased an Amish style yarn swift. This led to lots of questions about why and how and... I decided to make a video! So here's how I'm using my yarn swift and yarn winder!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.
How to Use a Yarn Swift and Winder Video Tutorial
I love my new swift, and I've been in love with my yarn winder for some time now - I think we'll make a very happy threesome. I very much recommend them both - and I ordered them both on Amazon! Here are some links to them, so you can check them out and purchase your own. I have the Stanwood models, but where they are not available, I've linked to similar products by other manufacturers:
Stanwood Needlecraft Tabletop Amish Style Yarn Swift - on Amazon US
ChiaoGoo Amish Design Yarn Swift - on Amazon UK
Stanwood Needlecraft Tabletop Amish Style Yarn Swift - on Amazon Canada
Stanwood Needlecraft Large Metal Ball Winder - on Amazon US
Lacis Yarn Ball Winder - on Amazon UK
Stanwood Needlecraft Large Metal Ball Winder - on Amazon Canada
I hope this helps answer your questions about simple swifts and ball winders. These are the kinds of items you *can* do without, and I did so for many years - but now that I have them, I find that they make taking care of and using yarn so much simpler and easier! There are lots of different ones on the market of course - fancier swifts, electric winders - but I like these because they are sturdy, easy to use, and affordable too!
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Sherika says
I definitely need each one if these! I have silk hanks I bought for tatting earrings and I've never used them because the first one I tried to use, a beautiful one the colors of peacock feathers, got all twisted and tangle to the point that I tossed it. I'm glad it didn't cost that much.
Tamara Kelly says
Ouch! I've definitely been there!
alessia says
I can't believe it!! It's wonderful
Tamara Kelly says
😀 I think so too! I can't believe how many tangles I dealt with in the past lol.
Penny says
Well, how cool is that??? I have a yarn winder, but never even heard of a swift before. That is really handy! Thank you for sharing it!
Tamara Kelly says
😀 Thank you Penny!
Linda D. says
Thank you sooo much for this video demo! I was debating whether to get my own. I usually go to the yarn shop and have her do it for me. Now I know how simple this is and like you said keep it simple no mechanical parts! I am sold, will be searching on Amazon right now. Hmmm where is that link on this page???
Tamara Kelly says
Thank you Linda! 😀 There are some amazon links under the video too! 😀
Linda D. says
Okay ordered! And I used the link above. Thanks again. I have quite a few left over skeins that now I can make into a small cakes and cleanup my yarn collection!
Tamara Kelly says
😀 You're very welcome - thank you!
Pia Thadani says
I had the Chiagoo swift and a normal umbrella swift both on my wish list a couple years ago for xmas with a note saying I couldn't decide which one...well mom got me one and my hubby got me the other 🙂 I gotta say, i get better results with the Chiagoo one every time. Something about the height of the other one with relation to the ball winder seems to make the tension weird or something like that.
Charlene Gee says
I have that same problem, Pia.
Tamara Kelly says
Ah, great to know, thanks Pia!
Teresa Fredson says
Thank you for demonstrating this yarn swift. I have been looking to get one but the ones I was looking at were expensive. I did not want to spend too much money on one because I don't buy unwound yarn that often. I have seen your blog regarding this swift and I fell in love with it! It would be perfect for me and I can't wait to buy one! Thanks again for your recommendation and demonstration.
Tamara Kelly says
Thank you so much Teresa, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Karolin says
I love my amish table top swift too!! We have Spinrite Factory Outlet about 3 hours from me and they have crazy summer sales. You can pick up a hank of acrylic or cotton yarn for about $6 and when I wind it up I get close to 35-40oz of yarn!! My ball winder is a little different than yours. It's a u-mitt th7065 jumbo winder. Does up to 10 oz cakes but I've fit close to 15oz on it with some of the finer #4's that I have. I also love the workout my arms get from the manual winder!!! LOL
Karolin says
Sorry that should have said u-nitt but my computer is having a bad case of auto change today!!! 🙂
Tamara Kelly says
😀 They're more fun than they ought to be!
Carmen says
My fiance is giving me his amazon gift cards so I'm getting my ball winder with those. And since money is tight otherwise, I'm going to see if my dad can build me a swift 🙂 I unravel a lot of old sweaters and having these 2 items will make life sooo much easier. thanks so much for the demo, really shows me what I'm missing!
Lorimae says
this is a great tutorial. Thank you. I have the 2 devices but different styles. Apparently my problems were : not straightening the skein out first, and going too fast. Now that I've seen this I will try my equipment again and hope I really learned something !
Tamara Kelly says
Thank you Lorimae - and good luck! 😀
Peggy Aungst says
Thank you for the tutorial. I bought my ball winder a few months ago and just received my Amish Swift this week. Don't know how I went so long without them both. The first hank I did was a bit of a tangle. Your tips were great.
Tamara Kelly says
I'm so glad they helped! 😀
Katie says
Very nice video. You explain with demonstration, so well for hanks. I hope this isn't a dumb question but here goes. I can use this for partial skeins that I would like to make center pull skeins? To do that I would just wrap it around pegs in closer and then use ball winder? Is there a demonstration of this anywhere that you know of? I hope I'm making question clear and thank you.
Tamara Kelly says
Hi Katie! I do indeed use my yarn winder for partial skeins! It's a great way to avoid that floppy tangly mess. I just hold the skein off to the side, so it feeds onto the winder with as few tangles as possible. With skeins I don't use the swift at all, just wind it right out of the skein. 🙂
Katie says
I'm delighted with my yarn ball winder. Have not used the Amish swift yet but put it together in record time & looks like it will be perfect!
Tamara Kelly says
😀 I'm glad to hear it!
Kelly M says
Thanks for sharing how to use these wonderful Amish style tools. I got an Amish swift from etsy as a birthday gift and it works like a dream! Mine is collapsible so it takes very little space when idle, yet it isa snap to assemble and adjust for any size yarn hank in my stash. In just a minute or two, I can wind an entire skein tangle free. Best gift ever : )
Tamara Kelly says
😀 Thank you Kelly!
KellyMtoo says
I have a tabletop swift that I love, use it for winding hand-dyed sock yarn and other hanked yarn. As far as the winder, I think I'm wearing out my almost-10-year-old Lacis winder - I use it after nearly every project to wind up the extra yarn!!
I had to laugh at your reply - I started reading and thought....did I post this? LOL I got my winder off etsy too, and it came in a fabric bag for storage as it collapses easily after use.
Love the blog, Tamara!!! <3 <3 <3
Tamara Kelly says
😀 Thank you!
Gwen Walker says
Can hanks of yarn be made into balls/cakes with a yarn winder?
Tamara Kelly says
Yes! You just want to use a swift to stretch them out with first, as shown in the video. 🙂
Amy says
I know this is an older post but thank you for this! I'd been having trouble with tangles with my swift and winder but I hadn't before taken the time to untwist and spread out the hank on my swift. It made a big difference!
Tamara Kelly says
Oh I'm so glad to hear it helped Amy! Tangles are the WORST! 🙂 Thank you!
Lila Duncan says
I just love your tutorials. You are so easy to follow. I have avoided buying yarn in hanks because of the previous disasters I have experienced. I have the same yarn winder and love it but thanks to you I will purchase a Swift and feel comfortable about using hanks again. Thank you.
Tamara Kelly says
Thank you so much, Lila! ♥ I'm so happy to hear it!