Tools of the Trade (2) - posted by Eleanor

This is our umbrella swift. It is a beautiful wooden contraption that we use when we are winding washed hanks of yarn back onto cones. It has a very pleasing Heath Robinson feel - specially fixed onto one of our many little 'government surplus' step-stools.

The cone winder itself comes with it's own build in wire hank holders, but the circumference is too big for our hanks - like broad and narrow gauge tracks... We have left the wire winders on the machine though as they are so beautiful. They look like a mad machine for making coat hangers.