Yarn Swifts are wonderful inventions for keeping those pesky skeins of yarn from tangling.
Relax and wind your yarn into usable cakes or balls while your swift keeps the unwound yarn under control.What is a Swift Yarn?
A swift thread is a neat tool to hold your thread and keep it from tangling while you wind it onto a clean, usable ball or cake with a ball winder. Think of it as a chair back, but much, much better!
An effective tool used in combination with a yarn ball winder, which makes clean yarn cakes, both machines complement each other and make it so much easier. Read my review of The Best Yarn Winders.
Of course, getting that wound at the yarn store is big, and while doing it for yourself, many people don't realize that they make a common mistake. If you're going to use the yarn immediately for a project, excellent choice.
But if you have it wound and in your craft room closet for a rainy day, watch out! If you leave them for too long, the yarn fibers will stretch and lose elasticity. It won't look very good when you've crocheted either.
With a fast yarn, you have control of when you prepare your yarn fibers for crocheting. An excellent advantage is that you can wind balls by hand or with a yarn winder whenever you want, and it's ready to wind when you need it.
You can also take a break, and nothing will have changed when you resume.
How to set up a Swift thread
Make sure you have assembled it according to the instructions before setting it up for use.
If you have a Swift Yarn with a stand, it's very flexible as to where you place it - you might even decide to set it up in your backyard if you want!
If you have one that sits flat, there's not as much freedom. You need to find a surface with a large enough empty area to fit it.
Once you have found your ideal area, clamp it down and tighten the screw securely. If you are concerned about a fastener that feels flat damaging the area, place a cloth underneath.
Now you are ready to start winding the thread.Things to consider when choosing which one to buy.
It doesn't matter if you are just looking for a simple, inexpensive machine that will do the job right or a wonderful quality speed that will last for years. This tool is so much fun!
Here are details to consider as you make the buying decision of which swift thread is right for you.
How does a Swift thread work? - How to use a Swift yarn for winding yarn
Prepare the skein for winding. Blanket it until it is a ring, remove the tag, and any bits of yarn binding and keep it from tangling. Do not untie the skein, though! Wait until the skein form is placed on the speedy.
If you are using a fast umbrella, place the yarn circle around the fast yarn and open it out of the stretch sections. Push the center up until it fits snugly around the thread.
Make sure it is not loose; otherwise the thread may fall out! Secure the thread quick with the screw, so that it stays in place.
If you are using a quick that sits flat, place the circumference of the thread around the pins and adjust the width as needed. Secure them, and you're ready to go.
Remove the loops of thread from the yarn.
If you are using a yarn ball winder, hold the end of the yarn in your hand from the outside, not the inside. This ensures that you do not interrupt the flow of the speedo.
Connect it to the ball winder and place it on the bobbin. Make sure everything is secure, the thread in place under tension and start putting the handle on the bobbin winder.
If you are using your fingers to wind a ball, start winding, but turn slowly, so it doesn't tangle.
Keep going until you've created your breathless yarn!
Choosing a Swift Yarn
There are several different types of Yarn Swifts. Here's a list of the comparisons, similarities and differences between these main types.
Umbrella Swift
Umbrella swifts spin horizontally, have clamps, and are suitable for up to large skeins. It stores easily, because it collapses and folds.
Amish or horizontal board
This type of fast yarn sits flat on a table and spins horizontally. An Amish-style rapid can spin most medium to medium-sized skeins. To store it, you'll need to disassemble it if you want it to take up less space.
It is easy to use.
Swift / Table Combination Umbrella
This yarn winds quickly horizontally and sits flat on a table. Swift has medium sized skeins of yarn. Pack it into shape, or take it apart.
Metal Wheel and Wood Combination
Spins vertically, but sits flat on a table. Only good for smaller skeins and skeins. You have to disassemble it if you want to keep it in a tighter space.How much room do you have?
Swifts can be quite cumbersome, and take up a lot of space: umbrella yarn swifts, especially when fully expanded.
Horizontal swifts move in a circle.Check that there is enough area around them, so they don't hit obstacles while in motion.Check that walls or furniture don't get in the way!
Larger umbrella swifts expand up to 8.5 feet wide. To avoid hitting objects or getting stuck while spinning, aim for about 1.5 feet of space around you to move freely.
If you have limited space, don't stress. There are other options, not just a huge swift umbrella!
If you have one of these, you can lay it on its side to create vertical speed. The top of a chair could work perfectly for this!
On nice days, take your swift string and place it outside. Surely there is a place in your yard/backyard/front yard you can easily put it!
Important! Remember these additional tips when choosing your Swift Twine
If you want a product that will stick, check the depth of the clamp and have a surface that will fit the clamp. No one wants to receive their new machine only to have it not fit on their tables!
Consider storage. Umbrella swifts are the easiest to store, other models, not so much.
How big are the skeins of yarn you need to wind?
The size of the swift you need depends on the size of the skein you need to wind. Skeins of yarn come in different sizes, as almost all manufacturers, dyers and suppliers choose their own.
How are you supposed to know which one to choose? Take a look at your yarn stash and compare the size, do a count to make it easier.
You should be able to see what kind of skeins or skeins you buy and use. This will help you decide on the best fast yarn for you.
If you use different sizes and weights of yarn, some large and some small, get a larger model.
If you only use smaller weights or sizes, a cheaper model with smaller gauge options should do!
Even with all this in mind, choose the fast thread that will give you the best value for your hard-earned money.
IMPORTANT! - If you also use wool winders (yarn ball winders), keep in mind how much the wool winder will hold.
It can hold anywhere from 4 oz to 16 oz, (a full pound.) If your skein of yarn is large and you have a small yarn winder, you will need to cut the skein in half and wind it onto another cake.
Additional things to remember
Make sure it is easy to set up, read customer reviews to get an idea of their experience and how well the fast works. Learn from others' mistakes or experiences as well as your own!
You don't want to spend hours trying to set it up when there is yarn to wind and crochet to do.
Another thing is that it's best if the quick is smooth and sanded, so it doesn't catch or snag the yarn.
I hope you find this resource useful! Yarn swifts are wonderful inventions, perfect for doing a laborious task and make it so much easier. Leaving much more time for the good stuff, crochet! Which style is right for you?
There are two styles, which are the most popular and common. These yarn swifts are the quick umbrella and Amish, (also known as table because it sits flat on a table.).
Perfect for home use, and are a functional piece of craft room furniture. The other styles combine the two, and a combination version with a metal wheel and wood base.
Here the basic differences, advantages and disadvantages for each.
The name is pretty self-explanatory. When it collapses, it is small, push up, so it expands outward and pull downward to close. These swifts have clamps, with screws to grip a surface.
Sometimes, they have the option to add on legs so you can place them on the ground. They collapse easily and are very easy to pack.
Word Search
It's called a table top speedo because that's exactly what it is, a speedo that sits on top of a surface. A range of sizes to fit any situation or crocheter.
Instead of expandable arms, it has adjustable pegs inserted into the different peg holes in the arms to fit the yarn. It can be packed in its configuration form or can be disassembled.
This type of fast yarn is made of wood and consists of two long, thin pieces of wood that crisscross in the middle, creating four arms.
A skein winder and its ability to adjust to accommodate different yarns, yarn types and string types is very useful.
In each of these arms is a series of holes into which pegs are inserted. The pegs can be moved to accommodate different skein sizes.
And then it all spins around, allowing you to create balls of yarn if you are hand winding or yarn muffins or yarn cakes, with the help of a yarn ball winder.
Crochet hooks that are useful with woodworking could make a quick Amish themselves.
