I searched the web for some ideas on a yarn winder and combined some different things that I saw and came up with the swift in the photos. From this swift I wind the yarn to the yarn winder that makes the cakes from which you crochet from. The winder above is made with PCV pipe. I cut the pieces and my husband glued everything together. My original plan did not have the round thing in the middle. When my husband handed me my swift it was there. When I asked him why it was there he told me that there needed to be a sturdy separation between my PVC "legs" or it wouldn't work. So, I guess you could say that my husband and I both came up with this swift. And it does work very well.
The puppy "helping" is Kiwi, my chiweenie. She loves to steal away my natural fibers and really has no time at all for acrylics. She's a smart girl although annoying when I'm spending time winding and must chase down what she has stolen.
Look at this fab crochet pattern book I found at the Goodwill. I rarely look at the magazine rounder by the front door, but I saw a couple of mags when I was walking out that interested me and this is what I found under a stack. Oh, my goodness my heart started beating faster. I would love to crochet one of the shrugs you know they are back in style anyway. I photographed some of the inside pages for you.
The caption for the "Party Girl" blue and white sweater says, "Short - quick - and easy to make...and just "deevine" to be seen in. Teenagers everywhere just love, love, love stoles and shrugs." I'm pretty sure that's not true in today's time but in 1953 it was probably peachy keen! The original price for this mag was a whole ten cents.
I would usually pass up an acrylic sweater, but the combination of acrylic, poly and wool made the sweater so soft I just had to have the fiber.
Once off the yarn winder reminds me of oatmeal warm and yummy. I can't wait to crochet something soft and lovely with this fiber. The yield from this sweater was four full size cakes enough to create a vest, scarf and gloves...that'll be in another post.
