Make Your Own Yarn Swift this Weekend

Having a yarn swift is maybe not essential to having a happy life as a knitter, but if you buy a lot of yarn in hanks that need to be wound into balls before you can knit with them, having one can certainly save you some time and aggravation.

I love mine, which I have had for years and leave open, clamped to the side of my desk, pretty much all the time.

Admittedly this gadget is a bit of a splurge, but blogger Measured and Slow has a great idea for how to make your own yarn swift from things you might have lying around the house or be able to find at a thrift store.

The base is a lazy Susan, with an expandable coat rack on top to hold the yarn. Such a smart idea! Using some supplies she already had and thrifting others, this project ended up cost $14.

Have you ever made your own knitting supplies or do you have a tip for making knitting easier? I’d love to hear it!

[Photo via Measured and Slow.]

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The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

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