How to Wind Yarn VERY QUICKLY with a Yarn Winder and Swift | Yay For Yarn

Got a hank of yarn in your stash? Don't wind it by hand! Learn how to wind yarn into a ball super quickly with a yarn winder and yarn swift.
See my blog post about yarn swifts and winders here:
yayforyarn.com/yarn-winder-an...
Click Here to shop the yarn winders and swifts I showed in this video:
www.amazon.com/shop/yayforyar...
The KnitPicks winder shrsl.com/2i2i8 and KnitPicks swift shrsl.com/2i2ie are also available directly from KnitPicks.
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00:00 Introduction
01:56 Yarn Winder And Swift
15:23 How To Use Yarn Winder And Swift

[@MaisieStirfry]

What a nice, calm video, and very instructive. Thanks so much!

[@theastewart6721]

Great video. I have a blue swift like you have but it has cushioning for the table and it works fine. I also have a Stanwood umbrella swift and an Amish swift. I use the Stanwood ball winder. These tips are very helpful. Thanks so much.😊

[@barbbrandon4634]

Just use an old umbrella frame that no longer has the fabric part...no cost. Before that it was always fun to hold the yarn while grandma rolled the ball. Had a great many talks during those winding days. Miss them.

[@iwantmy_sk844]

????????How do you get it to STAY at whatever circ. you need? ('sounds good : l )

[@lacyhorton890]

This is so funny. I am literally sitting here playing with my brand new yarn swift and wonder for the first time and you released this video!! Are you watching me??? Lolll

[@Desaundrea]

Thank you so much for this video! I was gifted the Knit Picks winder, it will be coming tomorrow. I hand NO CLUE how to use it. Your video came a the perfect time 👏🏽👏🏽🥰🧶

[@Yarnasasecondlanguage]

Mary Ann’s Crochet Hands yep! For me too!

[@AngelaKBAR]

Great description! I clip the end tail to the outside of the cake with a hair clip, the kind that clicks shut. That keeps it on the outside out of the way when I use it from the center. Thanks!

[@Angie_978]

Hey that's an awesome tip! Thanks!

[@pamelajoy3495]

I use a yarn winder, now that I've seen your video, I definitely will get a swift. Thank you for this, hugs from Arizona, Pamela

[@liyanamusa7164]

Just had the 'Aha!' moment. Should have been doing this on my clumps of yarn at the corner 😢. I'm doing it now. Thanks for this video.

[@fairydustbunnies]

So true about it being more time efficient. Many evenings I've sat there with the hank rapped around my knees only to end up in a knot because it slipped off. I finally bought one off of ebay. I found a nice wood one for $20 and got $5 off due to xmas. I got it within a week or two. Thank you for your videos I really enjoy them!

[@sagittarian1955]

Thanks for such a useful video! I recently bought a yarn winder and swift, but haven't used them yet. Now, I know I can do so with confidence that I am doing it correctly.

[@christinejones7070]

Thanks, I have both yarn winder and yarn swift, from knit picks, love them both. Thank you for this video very informative.

[@annwithaplan9766]

I have the cream colored winder. Sometimes I put a larger piece of plastic (with a hole cut in the middle) on it to get a larger skein. For that metal thing that doesn't stay up all the time, I just place a bent paperclip in there and it stays put. I have a wooden swift, too, which I really like : )

[@marali1411]

I always loved the yarn winder and swift, I hope someday could buy one!!!Thanks for sharing this video

[@leeannstearns9923]

Great tutorial on how to use. My hank yarn has been piling up, just looking pretty. 😁🤗. Thank you

[@bonniecrowe1531]

Very informative.

[@samagnetfisher8405]

Great vlog mate thanks for the taking the time to get it to us viewers.

[@lynnestpierre4928]

Thank you for this. I have both of these products and use my yarn winder all the time. I love it except for very fine yarn. It's easier to wind those into balls. I had absolutely no idea how to use the swift. Now I can wind my good Hanks of yarn into cakes. Thanks so much.🧶👍🙃

[@kathybuechel8076]

Great tutorial... thorough and informative. Thank you! 🧶

[@sujayanarula3913]

Thank you, good to know about it😊still haven’t gotten into full time Crocheting that I have to pick up a yarn winder 😊

[@clairevioletshen9350]

Thanks so much, this is so very helpful.

[@nellekekost8735]

Great description! Thank you.

[@jenniferg1051]

Excellent video. Thank you so much :)

[@candacel3305]

If you get the one from Knitpicks, get the kit because for about the same price as the swift and winder you also get a nice wooden yarn bowl. You can get it in birch or for a little more money they have a nice looking onyx set. I received the birch set for Christmas last year and I love it.

[@YayForYarn]

Yes! That is what I did. I got the birch yarn winding set with the matching yarn bowl, and I love it!

[@iwantmy_sk844]

wow! SO helpful! : )

[@Defined4hispurpose]

Great job!

[@shellykearney7821]

Thank you 😄 for sharing this wonderful information, I always wanted to know about winders.

[@mariehernandez861]

Thank you for showing me i just bought the winder. Now i know.

[@dawnemccraw1303]

Thank you for the information

[@Yarnasasecondlanguage]

Great info!

[@louisagrubb1131]

I think this is an excellent tutorial except for one thing. When you remove your yarn cake from the winder, hold on to the yarn end that you secured on top when you first started winding. If it gets pulled inside, it’s hard to find. I’m sure any yarn crafter has dealt with pulling out a wad of yarn trying to find the end.

[@TwistedStitchesShow]

I have a gifted wooden Swift (soo grateful) and my last years Christmas present of a Stanwood ball winder that I use all the time, (I cake up all my yarn I’m going to use in a project.). It’s frustrating when even after making sure the yarn is coming from the outside, it still will be tangled a bit... (mainly yarn that is usually difficult to frog or tink) is there any better tips or secret for that situation, I feel like I always get a couple here and there.

[@YayForYarn]

Hi! If a yarn is difficult to unravel after knitting or crocheting with it, that is usually because the fibers tend to stick to each other. With a yarn like that, no matter how you wind it, it will still tangle sometimes because it sticks to itself. So unfortunately, I don't know of any tips that can keep a yarn like that from tangling.

[@sueshires8686]

Thank you for this instructional video. I got a cheaper version of a winder for Christmas a few years ago and have never used it because I dont have a surface to attach it to. I only have one table and one coffee table and both or too wide/thick yo attach it to. Do you have any ideas on how I can use it? Very good video! Thanks :)

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Sue! If you don't have a table to attach the clamps to, here's something you could try. If you have a large, thick book that would fit into the clamp, you could clamp the winder to the book, and set the book on the table so only the edge with the clamp is hanging off the table. You'll probably need to set something heavy on the part of the book that is on the table, or hold it down with your hand, but that might work if your table is too thick for the clamps. I hope this helps!

[@sueshires8686]

@@YayForYarn thanks! I'll try that!

[@charlieandzoelawsonshawn2241]

Do you have to use a swift if you have the nicer yarn winder to wind a Hank? Could you lay the Hank on table beside winder? I’d like to buy the nicer winder but can’t get both right now.

[@YayForYarn]

Hi. Unfortunately, you cannot lay the hank on the table. It will get tangled and messy very quickly. You can have someone hold the hank, stretched across the two forearms, and that will usually work just fine. I hope this helps!

[@clairemckinstray5175]

I have the cheaper version of the yarn winder and it does have its faults, it’s really bad for winding the yarn underneath itself and tangling the yarn, I have actually been looking for a new winder and a swift but I can’t seem to settle on which one to purchase ! , I’m in the U.K. so it’s not really budget friendly for me to purchase the knitpicks ones but I really need to decide soon as I need to free up the space all my knitcrate hanks are taking up lol

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Claire! Have you tried looking on Amazon U.K.? There might be some other options for yarn swifts that are more readily available in your area. (The KnitPicks swift is available on Amazon US, but I'm not sure if it is available in the U.K.) If you have a local yarn shop or know of a U.K. based online yarn shop, you may be able to find one there. I hope this helps!

[@clairemckinstray5175]

Yay For Yarn hi thanks for the reply , I have already ordered from Amazon U.K. it’s not knit picks brand but it looks very similar and sounds good so hopefully it will work well 💞

[@k9drwho1970]

Please can u help I got the same ball winder but no screw for the winding arm, but a plastic small pole, is this supposed to the screw for the arm, but doesn’t fit the arm

[@YayForYarn]

Hi. I am not sure what piece you are describing. The handle that you turn to wind the yarn should be attached to the winder. There are only two detachable pieces - the part that clamps to the table, and a small screw with a clear plastic top that you use to screw the clamp to the winder before attaching it to the table. The yarn guide folds out, but does not detach. If you have any more questions about using the yarn winder, please see this how-to article on the Knit Picks site: www.knitpicks.com/learning-center/how-to-wind-yarn-home I hope this helps!

[@mjperfume7907]

Is there an easy way of winding up a ball of yarn a large ball of yarn without the ball becoming tied up inside the ball. Every single ball of wool, turns into a knot inside the ball and I end up cutting the wool as am so sick and tired of my ball a wool becoming a knots inside of the ball!!!!!!!

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Brenda! Are you referring to a center-pull cake like the yarn winder makes? The center-pull cakes made by the yarn winder are similar to yarns like Bernat Pop, Caron Cakes, and other cake yarns. If you're having an issue with yarn on the yarn winder, it may be that you're winding too much yarn onto the machine. The yarn winders I showed are ideal for hanks or skeins that are about 100 grams / 3.5 ounces, but larger amounts of yarn can get wound all around the base of the winder and get into a tangled mess. Are you referring to a different method of hand-winding that is getting tangled inside your ball of yarn? If you could let me know a bit more about the issue you are having, I would be better able to help you out. Thanks!

[@mjperfume7907]

Yay For Yarn yes the brand names u mentioned, I don’t own a wiindet

[@mjperfume7907]

Yes. That’s what I’m referring too, a Center pull

[@user-ee1yl2by4f]

I am still getting knots in the yarn from my swift making winding yarn very frustrating ! Hie can I avoid these knots ?

[@YayForYarn]

Sometimes that happens. It is helpful, to keep the yarn flowing smoothly off of the swift, to place the hank of yarn around the swift, making sure it is untwisted as much as possible. If the hank is not flat all the way around, the yarn could get slightly caught on itself as the swift spins. Regulating the speed that the swift turns at can also help. Going too fast can also increase the chance of knots happening while you wind. I hope this helps!

[@christinevoss6993]

So unless you are doing yarn from a hank you really don't need a swift right?

[@YayForYarn]

Hi Christine! Yes, that is correct. A yarn swift's job is to hold the hank of yarn open as you wind the yarn. If you're not winding from a hank, you would not need a yarn swift. I hope this helps!

[@goldengirl65]

Why do you say use the yarn from the inside? Why not use it from the outside?

[@YayForYarn]

You can use the yarn from the outside if you like. It is a personal preference thing. However, I think the yarn feeds more smoothly from the center of a center-pull skein or cake. When using the yarn from the outside, it encourages the yarn to twist as it comes around and around off the skein. That can cause the yarn to have either too much or not enough twist. Also, for skeins that are not flat on the bottom like a cake of yarn from a yarn winder, pulling the yarn from the outside can cause the skein to roll around a lot, which can have an effect on the consistency of your tension. I hope this helps!