Yarn bowl

Do I Need a Yarn Swift and Winder?

Recently I bought several hanks of hand dyed yarns and I quickly realized how challenging it was to wind them by hand.  I tried to wind the first hank by hand but it got really tangled. It  took me a couple of hours just to untangle the yarn.  Needless to say, by that time, I was too tired to crochet with my beautiful new yarn!  The second hank was a little easier because I wrapped it around the back of a chair and carefully wound the yarn into a ball.  Not bad – BUT I found a yarn swift and ball winder on line!  Let me just say – it is AMAZING and made winding my beautiful yarn so much easier!!!

If you’ve never seen a yarn swift and winder in action, here’s how it works!

Twisted yarn hank before the label has been removed.
Step 1 – Grab your yarn!
A hank of yarn untwisted and on the yarn swift just before winding.
Step 2 – Untwist your hank and drape the open hank over the closed Yarn Swift. Open the yarn swift slowly like an umbrella and lock it in place once the yarn is snug.  Make sure your yarn isn’t twisted anywhere around the swift.  Cut the ties around the hank.
Yarn winders should be attached to a flat surface with an edge to clip onto. This keeps the winder from moving around while turning the handle.
Step 3 – Mount the Yarn Winder on the edge of a counter or table.  Unwind the yarn skein carefully. Lay the yarn end in the notches located at the top of the center column of the winder.  Turn the handle slowly while gently holding the yarn end. Continue turning the handle at a steady pace to avoid tangling.
Yarn bowns hold a cake of yarn snuggly and secure for use.
Step 4 – Remove the yarn cake from the winder and place it in your beautiful Yarn Bowl. Now you’re ready to create!

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