Using a Yarn Swift and Ball Winder

My new time saving secret is my KnitPicks Yarn Swift and Ball Winder

Yarn barf stinks. Not literally, but if you’ve ever had a skein of yarn tangle up on you, you know what I mean. Also, when you start buying yarn in hanks, winding it by hand (while totally possible) can be a very time consuming and aggravating process. I was gifted a yarn swift and ball winder for Christmas last year and it has been a game changer for my knitting.

Disclaimer – you do not need to buy a swift and ball winder, in fact I still sometimes wind mine by hand. But they are a fabulous tool to have on hand.

What Is a Yarn Swift and Ball Winder?

These are two separate tools, that used in combination, make winding your yarn into a “cake” both quick and easy. There are different types available. In this post, I’m going to reference the KnitPicks versions. No this is not a sponsored or an affiliate post. I simply love these tools and want to share them with you.

Visit my glossary for more tips, terms, and tools.

Watch the video here:

Yarn Swift:

This odd looking but super helpful tool replaces the back of a chair, or a spare pair of hands: it holds your yarn in place and keeps it from tangling while you wind your yarn. You can use it with a ball winder which we are going to talk about in a minute, but you can also use it to wind your yarn by hand.

Yarn Ball Winder:

When you thread your yarn through this tool and turn the handle, it spins a drum around which the yarn winds. As you work the handle, the yarn winds around and around, creating a center pull “cake” or ball of yarn. Like the swift, you can also use this by itself.

When do you use a Yarn Swift and Ball Winder?

Most often, these tools are used when you buy a hank of yarn or yarn that is not already wound into a skein, ball, etc. I like to use mine together, specifically when I have a hank of yarn that needs wound. Sometimes I’ll use the swift by itself to create a tight ball of yarn for my yarn bowls. But I would say that I use them together more than individually. Just because it’s so fast and easy. And depending on the size of your yarn bowl you can still use it with the cakes.

You can purchase these together here.