The Power Outage Yarn Swift is cheap and fast to make. It's glued, not drilled, so no power tools are needed. You have the option of making the portable, storable two-piece Parts-is-Parts version (using Original Step 5), or the one-piece Space Hog version (using Alternate Step 5). You can make it in an evening, power outage or no, and use it the next day.
The Power Outage Yarn Swift is adjustable for skein sizes of 23” (with doll pins at 14” and 22”) up to about 68” (with doll pins at 6” and 30”). If you regularly use skeins outside these dimensions, you might want to customize the location of the doll pin stands in Step 2.
I bought my glue and wooden materials at Michael's (a crafts store), and the gripper pad at the dollar store. I had the Lazy Susan, C-clamp and pencil already. (Ace Hardware has the Rubbermaid Lazy Susan for $7 and the C-clamp for $1.25. Target has a beautiful bamboo Lazy Susan for $10.) If you have to buy everything, it's about $25 plus tax. (I already had the Lazy Susan and C-Clamp, so my cost was about $20 including tax.)
Materials
2 heavy duty yardsticks, $3 each
1 wooden circle plaque, $1
1 package doll pins, $4
1 package doll pin stands, $4
1 gripper pad, $1 (not needed if you make the Space Hog version using Alternate Step 5)
1 Lazy Susan, $7
You might already have this stuff
craft glue, about $1.25
1” C-clamp, $1.25
pencil...priceless.
Step 1: Make alignment marks on the wooden circle plaque. Using the pencil and a yardstick, mark a centered cross on the top of the wooden circle plaque, the width of the yardstick. Glue the gripper pad to the back of the wooden circle plaque (not needed if you use Alternate Step 5).
Step 2: Glue the doll pin stands to the yardsticks. Glue the doll pin stands at 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30 inches. Neatness counts, so glue without getting glue slop in the middle of the doll pin stands. Let dry.
Step 3: Glue the two yardsticks together at a right angle. Put glue on the 18” position on the first yardstick, and place the 18” position of the second yardstick directly on top. The two yardsticks are centered and at right angles, and the doll pin stands all face up. Clamp with the C-clamp, and let dry.
Step 4: Glue the wooden circle plaque to the yardsticks. Put glue on the wooden circle plaque from edge to edge inside the penciled cross marking, but only in one direction. (Only one yardstick touches the wooden circle plaque, so don't glue all over the place.) Press the yardsticks into the glue, using the markings to center both yardsticks. Place some small, heavy object on the middle of the yardstick assembly, without shifting the position, and let dry.
Original Step 5: Assemble with ease. For the Parts-is-Parts version, place the Lazy Susan on your table, allowing for 18” swing. Place the yardstick assembly on top of the Lazy Susan. (The gripper pad and gravity keep the yardstick assembly in place.)
Alternate Step 5: Assemble with attitude. For the Space Hog version, skip the gripper pad, and just glue the yardstick assembly to the top center of the Lazy Susan. Let dry.
Step 6: Pin. Place four doll pins in doll pin stands, to match the size of your skein of yarn. The first picture shows a 60” skein, with doll pins at 8” and 28”.
The second picture shows a 46” skein, with doll pins at 10” and 26”.
Overachievers Step 7 (Optional): Take four of the leftover doll pins, and paint/bead/bling/decorate as desired. (I think I'll knit little scarves for mine.)
You can store the two-piece Parts-is-Parts version by hanging up the yardstick assembly using the hole that's already in the end of the yardstick. Add the decorated doll pins from Optional Step 7, and call it Aht, Dahling.
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