Red Padauk Yarn Swift

This is Knit Picks' yarn swift in padauk, a responsibly sourced hardwood known for its deep, reddish-orange color. It's the same swift Knit Picks offers in other woods, so it does the same job, just in a striking color that looks good left out on a shelf.

A swift holds a hank of yarn open as you wind it. Instead of draping a hank over a chair or someone's hands, you open the swift, slip the hank on, and turn it as the yarn feeds off. Paired with a ball winder, it turns a hank into a neat, center-pull cake in a few minutes.

It suits knitters and crocheters who buy hand-dyed yarn and other yarns sold in hanks, and anyone who'd like their tools to look like good furniture.

Good for

• Winding hand-dyed hanks
• Use with a ball winder
• Rewinding yarn after frogging
• A gift for a hand-dyed-yarn lover

Using it

Before you open a hank, untwist it and find the ties holding it together; don't cut them until the hank is on the swift. Open the swift until the hank is snug but not stretched, then cut the ties and find the end. Wind slowly at first. Our skein vs. hank guide explains why hanks need winding.

Looking after it

Wipe the wood with a dry cloth, keep it away from heat and damp, and fold it closed when not in use to protect the joints.