The traditional Swedish swift is made of unfinished wood and tied with linen cord. It is sometimes referred to as an "umbrella" swift because the arms expand as you push them up, like the ribs of an umbrella. This makes it possible to hold a variety of skein sizes--for a small skein, the arms go out only a little; for a large skein, they may expand all the way. Once the skein is supported under tension, you can wind it into a ball on a ball winder. The swift turns as you pull, keeping the skein under control as you wind.

The base is attached to a table or counter with the built-in clamp. The position of the arms is held by a wooden tension screw. Two sizes are available: one with a maximum of 72" circumference and the other with a maximum of 100". At our store, we use the 72" model for winding most skeins. The wood is well sanded and does not require a finish.

This swift is made in Sweden.