I got this gorgeous yarn for my next sweater, and I have a winder but no swift. I have in my head that my office chair would be a perfect swift, but I also have in my head I'll be cranking away with my winder, and the office chair will just fall right over, because I unscrewed it all the way or something. Has anyone done this before? Does anyone know if office chairs can spin indefinitely or if they will unscrew themselves?
You know I was thinking mainly about the spinability of an office chair and not at all about tension that makes a lot of sense!
I used to use a lamp shade with the finial loosened so it spun freely before my husband made me one
I tried to use a spinning office chair as a swift once and ended up with a tangled mess as the yarn hank spun around the chair and got tangled. Tension when winding from a hank is key. You can also use your knees for tensioning the hank, but it can get a bit undignified if the hank has a circumference greater than a yard / meter.
This is what I did when I first bought hanks, I also have friends who have used a significant other as their stand in swift (holding the skein stretched between both arms - with their consent of course) or put the skein their bent legs while sitting if that makes sense?
Two kitchen chairs is my tried and true method. I just double wind my cakes since the tension is inconsistent on the first wind-through!
I've been known to use my feet while winding on sofa.
I’ve used an office chair as a swift… It’s doable, but likely not the best method cause you’re yanking on the yarn the whole time. But it kept it from tangling! I would pull out a bunch out to wind it onto my toilet paper roll, and then I would pull out some more, twirling the chair to make it easier.
Edit: just realized you have a winder. I think it would work.
Ok I'm glad it worked out for you! I was afraid it would be like that you can unscrew an excavator if you spin it around ten times.
lol no office chairs do not unscrew
It didn’t really work well for me. I found sitting awkwardly and wrapping around my knees worked better.
This is how I wind mine. Awkward but I can easily watch tv while I do it!
That’s how I do it, too!
I made a swift with a lazy Susan type of tray that I had. If the yarn is really precious to you I suggest making the ball by hand, you’ll have a lot more control. I don’t like the wonder that much because I’ve had some heart thumping moments when the yarn tangled around the winder parts.
I use the arms of my office chair as a swift all the time, they're the perfect distance apart for most hanks
oooo I was just going to throw it over the back I didn't think about using the arms ooooooooh
I have done this. I stuffed a pillow in between the yarn and the back of the chair to keep it from slipping everywhere. I used my foot to push the chair so I wasn't tugging the yarn. It worked and I'd do it again if pressed but honestly the knee trick was more comfortable and preferable once I learned it.
I do, too. I have a swift and ballwinder, but sometimes need to keep my hands busy during zoom meetings.
I hang the hank over both arms of the chair as I'm sitting in it, with the hank in front of me, and wind by hand.
It can be quite relaxing
I used to use my office chair as a swift. It takes your full attention and you have to spin the chair instead of yanking the yarn, but it works.
To use a winder works a lot better with a swift. I would not recommend using it otherwise. The winder needs a smooth tension and pulling at the same angle to function properly. But if you do use a chair - which is a perfectly good method - I would wind by hand. I know hand winding gets a bad reputation, but with a bit of practice it gets done quickly. But like everything else it is better with company, so the best replacement for a swift is a friendly person holding your skein while you wind - or winding while you hold.
Ive done the chair thing multiple times with both dining room chairs and bar stools. If possible put 2 chairs upside down and side by side, drape the yarn over the front or back legs so it’s a relatively straight line. Move the chairs so you have good tension and plan to move side to side to reduce the tension on the yarn.
2 kids can work too with the yarn wrapped around adjacent forearms. With patience and instruction you can get them to work together and it can go quickly. Bribery also helps.
I use two upside down pint glasses. Set them however far apart as necessary on a surface lower than the ball winder. They have a slight taper and smooth surface so the yarn slides off nicely.
I used a kitchen chair. I laid it down; the hank fit nicely over the legs.
Before I got a swift, I used two kitchen side chairs with finials. The finials are smooth stick up just the right amount. Separating the chairs to the right distance is easy.
I bought my chairs at an old furniture factory in my state, from the old blind owner. They have rush seats and are very comfortable, too. It was an adventure.
I have done this. It was not my favorite ever improvised swift, but it did work and didn't ruin either the chair or the yarn. The main drawback is that my chair was pretty heavy and put a decent amount of resistance on the yarn. It's also easy to accidentally let the yarn fall down to somewhere it can get tangled, so add some throw pillows or something to support the yarn. Advantage: not much time lost to set up.
If you own a rotating spice rack, or a lazy susan, I'd recommend the spice rack + clothes hangers + tape method. Example here: https://www.notinjersey.com/2013/01/diy-knitting-yarn-swift.html (I don't think that was the article I based mine on, but the idea was generally the same). Advantages: lighter, spins more easily, no risk of tangling yarn in office chair mechanisms. Disadvantage: I lost knitting time to reorganizing my spice cupboard once I had to put the spice rack away again.
Or, you know, get the one from Amazon that's only $16. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B097H3SMQL/ But I haven't actually done that yet :P
Oh, forgot to add: my experiences were with a ball winder. I bet winding by hand would be different.
My husband is my begrudging swift. I have him hold the big circle of yarn out in front of him while I crank the winder. He pretends he hates it but we usually end up having a good laugh while we ball a few hanks. I could buy a swift but at this point it’s our tradition.
Nothing to add to the main topic, I just wanted to comment what a nice colour this is!
I’ve used cardboard boxes, so I don’t see why not as long as you’re vigilant
With enough creativity anything can be a swift hahaha
I’ve used a stepladder. The biggest issue I’ve had with weird objects as swifts is that the yarn slips down and gets caught in something. Like the bit under the seat of the office chair I would be careful of.
I would think that the office chair, even if you could get it spinning for you, would put too much tension on the yarn as you wind it and stretch it.
Get a swift. They're $20ish, one time purchase. Will save you much time and swearing.
I use the arms on my office chair. It works medium- well.
I've used an upside down laundry basket.
I used husband as swift. He didn’t complain at all when i replaced him.
With a new husband? ;)
No! 🤣 with a swift. He thought it was a tremendous idea
I have used my office chair! I pop a pillow on the chair to make the back + pillow wide enough to keep the yarn from falling down and then spin + wind it up with a yarn winder. I tend to need to spin the chair by hand so I don't pull on the yarn too hard (I will often also rewind the cake if it seems tight). And yeah I find it easier with no arms on the chair bc the yarn can get stuff on that but I saw some other commenters mention that they use them!
I have done it. I have also used my feet, a chair, my sister holding the yarn and one time the door knob.
I do it whenever I have a hank.
Hell yeah, have been using one for years (just recently got a swift). If it's just a few skeins, I would stick with a chair. It's not perfect by all means, but it works. Sometimes you can also ask yarn stores to wind it for you. If you ever want to do larger quantities, then a swift is definitely worth it.
I'm sure this is not advisable (for tension purposes?) But I have found winding with the ball in a bowl works well? I do this with non-hank store bought skeins after having a nightmare with them tangling. With hanks before I had a swift I would just use my arm. Not ideal and no quick but it worked.
That being said loving the thought that the office chair spins! Genius (but not sure if it'll work lol)!
Yes, you can also lay it of the ground in a big circle. I did it for a long time, it's just slow and you have to carefully avoid disaster. There are cheap swifts on amazon, you don't have to get a fancy wooden one.
Do you have straight back chairs available? If you have two, it’s fairly easy to use the backs as a swift. You pull the chairs apart until there’s enough tension to hold the yarn. Then you can wind slowly. With just one office chair, I would think that the yarn would fall down and make a mess.
Edit: Or if the person in the background of the picture is willing to help, that’s a really good method. They hold the yarn by holding out both arms forward and you can wind it.