cuteDIY Yarn Swift | Premium Plastic Umbrella Holder for Knitting & Crochet | Lightweight Portable | Smooth Operation | Sturdy Durable | Ideal for Wool Ball Winding

So I've been knitting for over ten years and finally decided maybe it would be easier to get a swift instead of using my knees to hold the yarn while I wind. But also, I didn't want to drop a ton of cash if I ended up not being into using one. So I decided to get this to try it out before getting a more expensive one. I don't need a more expensive one. This one is perfect. Easy to set up, easy to break down, quiet, light, and winds yarn just as well as a swift that costs three times as much. Also if you buy enough yarn it pays for itself in the money you save by not having to have your yarn store wind it for you. I will say it does look cheap. But it operates well, the clamp stays strong, it winds smoothly, and it doesn't take up a whole lot of space when you break it down. Don't let the appearance fool you.

It's not the strongest it could be, but for the price, I wasn't expecting that. That being said, it's not let me down yet and has been plenty sturdy for my needs. I didn't think I would have used it until I got a hank of yarn I needed to ball, but although I haven't had a hank to use on it yet, I've found it an invaluable companion to my yarn winder as it's much easier to correct issues with a skein while loading it on this swift than while I'm trying to wind it into a cake. So far, the most I've put on it at one time was 10.3 ounces, and it handled that without issue. It spins smoothly and flawlessly, and while the plastic handle on top isn't super strong, it's more than sturdy enough for the use it will get. (note: the handle has a bend in it. That is not a flaw as another reviewer seemed to think, and it doesn't make it weaker; just be aware that it's there) The only problem I've had with it so far is that the rings that connect the holder rods to the center rods sometimes fall out of the hooks, but I think that's something I can correct myself by tightening the clamps with some pliers. This is something the maker might considering improving on, though it's a minor issue and only happens when expanding or contracting the swift, and does not have any impact during use. Just a minor nuisance. Additionally, due to the thinness of the center post and the clamping mechanism, it does wobble just a bit during use, but nothing that causes problems with use, and again, for the price, "works as described" means an awful lot. I don't know if this will give me years of heavy use, but at the price, if I have to replace it every year or two to wear, I'd say it's still a bargain, and I'd buy it again.

I'm very pleased with my purchase. This is my first yarn swift. It was budget friendly, set up was easy, I like the rubber grips. It spins freely and it's quiet. I like that it has a storage case too. UPDATE: Subtracted a star. It works great when you're using a winder to cake up yarn. When you're using it to create a hank of yarn, you'll need to go slow cuz it wobbles. Also, if you're using wool to create a hank, be prepared for little static shocks.

Works well, opens nicely, size is good and it's great to wind yarn with.

Bought it as a gift for my wife who crochets a lot. She absolutely loves it. Has made it far easier for her to unwind skeins from the stores and then use her ball winder. She recommended a couple friends get this model. It has a clamp that fits on her desk, and she can have it horizontal or vertical. Was super to get up and running within a couple of minutes of her opening it.

Thank goodness for this affordable swift! I thought I had an ancient generational curse upon me. Every time I tried to wind a hank of yarn, I would end up in a tangled mess for hours. I was able to wind two hanks in no time at all. While it looks flimsy, with a gentle hand it worked perfectly.

Huge time saver! I have been using my knees instead of a yarn swift and I had enough of tangled Hank frustration after just two hanks of yarn. I think having a yarn swift even if you're only planning to wind 3-4 hanks a year is still absolutely worth the purchase. Seeing it spin freely is also very satisfying. This is not as aesthetic as a wooden swift, but it serves its purpose very well, lightweight, and is easy to store.

I've used this swift to both unwind and wind hanks of yarn and although I'm not really satisfied with the quality, the swift does its job. The areas where low quality showed: - Several of the blue plastic bands came detached from the hooks of the metal frame while in use. Due to the way the bands are positioned, they didn't fall out or cause any issues with using the swift. I just put them back in when they slip out. - Winding using the handle on the top I was afraid the pole would either break out of the plastic mount or the pole would bend. I went slower and gentler than I felt I should have to just to be on the safe side. - The clamp on the pole that holds the swift at the desired width slips if extended to the max. There's nothing that shows where max is... you just know when you see the wires start to arch, so go just under that. I've unwound several hanks and found that if you start out at max and it slips during the unwinding the hank can get a little sloppy. You don't see it happening until it's too late. The hank doesn't fall off, it just gets a little loose and strands start to droop. Those loose strands can get floppy when spinning around and get caught up on the yarn coming off the hank. Not sure if this is only mine doing that or it's in the design. Either way, the clamp isn't all that strong so don't apply too much pressure. Maybe getting a set of mini vise grip pliers and clamping that on as a remedy? Overall, for the price it's an okay swift. It's very portable and can be stored with a very small footprint. If you don't buy a lot of hanks of yarn then this is an economical option and I'd get it. Or just let the LYS ball it up for you. If you get mostly hanks then you've probably learned already that this isn't the best option and will have invested in a better unit. I buy the occasional hank and will be investing in a better swift in the near future.

Good quality & price, & service from this seller.

I like the way this one tightens to my table compared to another slightly cheaper one I have. This one seems better and smoother to use and the case is a nice touch for easy storage.

Only used about four times. Set up is easy. Better than winding by hand. It does seem flimsy with the plastic pieces, but it's working and hasn't broken or given me any issues.

Great

Just got a yarn roller and a swift. I'm a brand new knitter, less than 6 weeks since I started knitting, and I was finding rolling balls of yarn by hand to be time consuming and boring. (15-20 minutes to roll a 200 yard ball of yarn from a skein.) I bought this swift and and yarn winder and it made it really easy. My wife and I bought 12 skeins of yarn today and it took me about 45 minutes from start to finish to roll all 12! (Instead of 2 1/2 - 3 hours!!) I wasn't sure about the swift when I was looking online - I thought it was a little flimsy looking but the reviews seemed pretty good and I took a chance on one. It arrived quickly from Amazon and it was very easy to set up. (Basically just pop the top off the container, attach it to a table with an adjustable screw, and the raise it like an umbrella.) When I was rolling the yarn I noticed that different skeins had different diameters. Unlike an umbrella, you can adjust the width of the swift without any problems and it spins very freely. I am very happy with my purchase. The only slight drawback to this swift is that it's just a little tight to get it back into it's blue plastic carry case. If the case was about an inch longer and a 1/2 inch wider it would be a little nicer - but that's just me being picky. I'm very happy with it and I would recommend it to anyone.