How To Use A Yarn Swift + Ball Winder: Video Tutorial

Lots of yarn comes in the form of a skein (also known as a hank). A skein is a big loop of yarn twisted into a coil. It’s critical to know that before you can knit with yarn that’s in a skein, you have to wind it into a ball, otherwise, it will end up in a very tangled mess! There are two common ways to do this: by hand or with a swift and ball winder. Here we’ll show you how to use a yarn swift and ball winder, and to learn how to do it by hand, please check out our Winding Yarn Into A Ball By Hand Tutorial.

Winding Yarn Into A Ball With A Swift + Yarn Winder | Purl Soho

Why does yarn come in a skein in the first place? Mostly it’s so you can really get to know the yarn before you knit it. In a skein, you can feel the yarn’s drape and softness, its weight and texture. Also, storing yarn in a ball over a long period of time can stretch out its natural fibers, which is not good!

Follow along with our video, below, to learn how to wind your yarn into a quick and tidy ball using a swift and ball winder.

Click To See Video Transcript

Hi, we’re going to show you how to use a swift and ball winder. Often times when you purchase yarn, it comes in a skein or hank and needs to be wound into a ball or cake before you can knit from it. You can wind your skein into a ball by hand or speed up the process by using an umbrella swift and ball winder like we’re going to do today.

To get started, set up your swift and ball winder. All swifts are constructed similarly, with expandable arms that resemble an umbrella, and a stand or bracket at the bottom, which you secure to a tabletop. Secure the base of your swift to a sturdy table, and keep the arms loose for now. Then secure your ball winder to the same surface, at least a foot and a half away from the swift.

Now you’re ready for the yarn. Here we have a fresh skein of yarn. We’re using Pearl Soho’s Plenty in the color Plumeria Pink. Remove the label and set it aside. It contains tons of helpful information, like the name of the yarn, color, recommended gauge, yardage, weight, and dye lot, so you’ll want to hang on to it.

Next, open the skein by pulling the ends apart and letting it untwist. You’ll end up with a loop of yarn that is secured in a few places by scrap yarn. Place the loop of the yarn around the arms of the swift, then loosen the screw under the arms and lift up to expand them like an umbrella. Lift until the skein is taut, then tighten the screw to secure.

Now carefully clip the scrap yarn tie that’s securing the skein. Be careful not to cut your yarn.

Then locate the ends of the skein. Try to find one that’s coming from the outside of the skein rather than the one buried on the inside. If necessary, you may need to flip the skein around a bit to make sure the end you’re using can move freely. Take this end and thread it through the tensioner on your winder.

This metal loop ensures that the yarn stays in place and maintains a bit of tension as you’re winding your ball. Next, place the yarn snugly into the notches on the top of the ball winder. You’re ready to wind. Begin winding gently at first so the yarn doesn’t become loose from the notches. Once the tail is secured, you can wind with confidence.

Try to maintain a steady pace, not too fast, not too slow. This will yield the best results.

Once you reach the end of your skein, take the yarn label, fold or roll it up, and hold it over the center of the winder as you pull the ball off the winder. The label will slide into the center of the ball for safekeeping. Close the arms of your swift, and you’re done!

Explore our selection of yarn swifts and ball winders… These are the one we like the best!