On the subject of swifts

[pensnest]

My birthday is approaching, and my Beast is looking into buying me a swift, for he is a good Beast. However, he doesn't know anything about swifts, and I don't know much more, so I wonder if anyone here might have some advice?

I'm more of a dk/aran knitter than a lace knitter, so presumably I'll need something reasonably sturdy. Beyond that, we neither of us really know what to look for. Are there any recommended brands or styles? Any that we should avoid? Is having the arms tied together with string a good thing or a bad one?

We're in the UK, and it would seem sensible to order one in this country rather than on the other side of the Atlantic, but even so, examples of the ideal would at least give us something to look at!

Comments

[starfish]

I have what's commonly called an umbrella swift, mine is from here but they are available all over. I have wound all weights of yarn on it, from super-bulky to lace, with few problems. (Occasionally if the peg holding the arms up isn't tight enough, it can slide down and collapse the arms. You learn to tighten it pretty quickly.) I imagine that possibly one day the cord that ties it together might give out, but I am confident I can replace it, so that's not an issue for me. It folds up pretty small for storage, which is nice.

There are also table-top swifts, which a friend of mine has. She made hers from a lazy-susan and some scrap wood and dowels, but you can buy one, too. Here is one on Amazon. I would say to look for something that can be disassembled for storage, unless you have a large area of table you're not using.

In both cases, watch out for rough wood that can snag your yarn, and for ease of motion as it turns. Happy winding!

[laughingrat]

I'd recommend a swift like this, too. One got me through five years of running a dye biz and is still in great shape. The cords at the joints do come loose sometimes, but can just be tied back up again. :)

[pensnest]

Good to know - thanks! I've shown all these comments to Beast and left him to make a Sound Decision so that I can have a surprise on my birthday.

[pensnest]

I didn't know about table-top swifts, so Beast and I had a look for some of those, too. I'm leaving the final decision to him, but at least he has Useful Opinions and some interesting choices. Thank you!

[rainne]

I just bought that exact swift (the Amish-style one). It came yesterday and it's quite sturdy and works very well.