DIY Yarn Swift Roundup – The Best Plans & Methods To Make One

Sick of winding your yarn hanks on the back of chairs? There’s a solution, DIY Yarn Swifts!

No need to buy one at the local craft store.

These are great to make if you have a stash of unwound skeins and need to make your yarn winding easier.

Below is a roundup of articles and videos of easy tutorials.

Note: If you have trouble finding materials needed, look in Home Depot, a hardware store, Ikea, or Etsy.

I reviewed and updated this post on September 1, 2022.

Table Of Contents

• Wood-Worked Yarn Swift
• Tabletop Portable Yarn Swift
• DIY Swift & Yarn Ball Winder
• DIY Yarn Swift With A Coat Rack
• DIY Knitting Yarn Swift

Wood-Worked Yarn Swift

This is a five-minute tutorial that’s relatively easy to follow and is mainly made of wood.

To watch this video by Steve Ramsey from Woodworking For Mere Mortals, click here.

How Easy Is It To Make?

Measuring, cutting, gluing is needed to make this yarn swift. The gluing takes quite a while to set.

What’s The Best Thing About This Yarn Swift?

This yarn swift is great if you travel.

Pros

• The finished swift collapses for storage
• Has holes for pegs to adjust to make the yarn hank fit
• Has a hose coupling to make it spin

Cons

• The epoxy takes around 1 hour to set
• Doesn’t give a size for the notches
• Though you can store it, it’s bulky

Want me to recommend the best place to buy yarn for knitting? Let’s find out.

Tabletop Portable Yarn Swift

This tutorial uses varnish to make it a nice color.

Unlike Steve’s yarn swift, this article has instructions for assembly without feet.

To read the full tutorial, by Crafty Diversions on Instructables, click here.

How Easy Is It To Make?

This process takes 2-3 hours. The tutorial requires a few materials and tools, but not special ones.

The hard parts include chiseling out the notches, and cutting with the handsaw. The rest is straightforward.

What’s The Best Thing About This Yarn Swift?

Set it on a flat surface and wind yarn easily.

Pros

• You don’t need fancy tools
• Has instructions for assembly with no feet
• Gives a size for the notches
• Has clear pictures which make assembly easier

Cons

• It uses much material
• Takes hours

Want to find the best yarn bowls for sale? See my review of them.

DIY Swift & Yarn Ball Winder

This is a quick, simple tutorial that uses four materials. This tutorial has written and pictured instructions.

A winder is also referred to as a yarn spooler.

To read the full tutorial by Sarah Rudder from Make | Hack | Learn, click here.

How Easy Is It To Make?

This is quick, and cheap to make, no gluing, cutting, or sawing.

What’s The Best Thing About This Yarn Swift?

The part you put the hank on is a collapsible wine rack, which makes it look nice.

Pros

• Four materials needed
• Costs around $10
• Uses a turkey baster for this yarn winder diy

Cons

• The duct tape securing the dish rack is visible
• It’s bulky
• Only the top is collapsible

These tools are excellent when winding yarn for knit socks.

DIY Yarn Swift With A Coat Rack

This is like the one above, but it uses a coat rack instead.

Read the instructions Alyssa by from Measured and Slow.

How Easy Is It To Make?

This tutorial has great pictures and instructions which are easy to understand.

What’s The Best Thing About This Yarn Swift?

It looks lovely when you’re finished.

Pros

• Find the materials at Goodwill and Home Depot

Cons

• Making pilot holes on the end of the pegs is fiddly

Would you rather buy one? Read my guide to the best yarn swift and ball winder combo.

DIY Knitting Yarn Swift

This swift is coat hangers, clothes pegs, a box, and a lazy Susan.

Click here for the full tutorial by Dara from Not In Jersey.

How Easy Is It To Make?

It’s easy to make, the materials aren’t hard to get, and it doesn’t take long to assemble.

What’s The Best Thing About This Yarn Swift?

Find the coat hangers in your closet, pegs on your washing line, a box from your garage.

Also, a lazy Susan from your local shop.

Pros

• Simple materials

Cons

• Coat hanger may not stay on the pegs

There you have it, a list of great yarn swift tutorials. Good luck with your yarn swift making.