Question about swifts

General Knitting
1

Hi everyone,

I order this yarn swift from JoAnn’s and just received it today and I am IMPRESSED - it is much nicer than the picture leads you to believe and I used a coupon for 50% off so it was only $30.

Now I need help … hehe … I understand how it works for big skeins but what about when you have a ball of yarn, but not a center pull ball, and want to get it onto the swift to use with a ball winder (my next purchase). Can I used the swift to wind the ball into a skein? Does anyone have experience with this?

I ordered this swift

2

if you can do it, i don’t know how. i put mine in a 2 cup measuring cup that happens to be sitting on the table next to my winder. i was using it as a form for a baby hat and it just stayed there…lol.

3

A swift is really only meant to hold a hank of yarn so you can wind it into a ball. If you want to re-wind a ball, you could just hook the end to the ball winder and turn the handle. I find that the balls I’ve gotten can be used as-is, though. I don’t think it would be necessary to unwind the ball into a hank in order to rewind it into a center pull ball.

4

oh so you put the ball in the measuring cup and then use the ball winder that way? which yarn end do you use? the one that is on the outside of the ball or the one stuffed in the middle of the ball?

5

I think you’re right Ingrid but then I won’t get to use my new swift! (and sometimes those balls get tangled anyway … )

I love justification

6

yeah it just happened to be there to hold the yarn but you are still going to want to kind of hold it yourself so there is some tension to it…otherwise it becomes a really loose kinda mess of a ball.

7

The whole time I was thinking that my answer would mean you wouldn’t get to play with your new toy and I felt kind of bad. :roflhard:

8

your answers were helpful none the less ingrid - thanks! :thumbsup:

and thanks brenda! I’ll try that once I get the ball winder - another 50% off-er but I think I’m going to see if they have it in the store before I order it online

9

yup i found in the end that the winder was only a couple of dollars more to get at the store than online even with the discounts.

10

I rewind ALL my balls into ball-windre balls. I like them better. I just let the ball bop around on a CLEAN floor while Im winding.

11

Kelly,

I vaguely remember you searching for swifts - did you ever get one? I’m really impressed with this one - maybe because the picture makes it look so chintzy and it is really nicely constructed