The Best Yarn Winders for Crafting

A yarn winder is a super convenient tool to convert your hanks or skeins of yarn into neat, easy-to-pull-from yarn balls. Often used with yarn swifts, yarn winders will spin your yarn neatly into balls to keep it from getting tangled while you work on your project. Stay organized and save time and frustration while crocheting or knitting by using a yarn winder! Here are some great ones we recommend for you.

What to Consider in a Yarn Winder

Here’s what to know before you buy:

• Yarn Swifts: As mentioned, yarn winders are often used with yarn swifts. Yarn swifts resemble the underside structure of umbrellas and hold the wider-wrapped yarn as it is fed into the yarn winder to then be incorporated into the yarn ball. For the most efficient process, consider buying a yarn swift with your yarn winder.
• Manual or Electric: You can choose from yarn winders that you control by hand or ones where the winder does it all for you.
• Hank or Skein: Consider if you will be winding from a hank or skein and if you will unwind the yarn onto a swift or not before using the yarn winder.

Best Overall: Knit Picks Yarn Ball Winder

This yarn ball winder lets you transform your yarn hanks and skeins into compact center-pull cakes that help streamline your knitting process. This winder is easy to assemble and simple to use by mounting it to a table, inserting the yarn end, and turning it. When you are finished using it, the spindle is removable, and the yarn guide arm folds for compact storage.

Best for Large Yarn Balls: Large Yarn Ball Winder

This large yarn ball winder is made with heavy-duty construction, including a cast iron electrostatic painted body and unique metal material for the cogwheels. The bobbin winder is easy to assemble, and the edges are smooth and won’t leave a scratch on the table. The yarn swift makes 10-ounce center-pull yarn balls, two times the size of ones from a typical winder.

Best Value: BUTUZE Yarn Ball Winder

This knitting set comes with a ball winder to organize loose yarn and includes four knitting needles. The yarn ball winder is lightweight and creates very little noise. It is ideal for winding loose yarn into immaculate balls in just a matter of minutes.

Best Yarn Swift: cuteDIY Yarn Swift

This yarn swift has thick metal parts that are sturdy and can be set up horizontally or vertically. This shape is light and can easily be mounted on a table. The clamp holds the swift in place and spins freely to wind skeins. The mental construction is easy to work with and is designed to go at any angle.

Also Great: Stanwood Needlecraft Tabletop Amish Style Wooden Yarn Swift

This wooden, Amish style yarn swift is large and made of wood. It is easy to assemble and will be compact once disassembled for storage. It’s in a tabletop style and can easily be adjusted by moving the pegs to hold various skeins sizes. The bottom has four nonslip pads, so it won’t move around on the table while in use.