Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - March 31, 1985
By Ada Hodge
Vigo County Historical Society

Tool swiftly unwound yards of yarn into skeins

This tool, used to hold skeins of yarn for unwinding, is called an umbrella swift.

When fibers are spun into yarn they are wound onto the bobbins of a spinning wheel. Then the yarn must be skeined for storage or dyeing. To unwind the skeins of yarn a pair of hands to hold them may be useful for a small amount, but for larger amounts another method was needed. A swift is the tool designed for this purpose.

The name of this type of swift comes from its resemblance to the action of an umbrella. The lower hub on the axle is raised or lowered to change the circumference to accommodate different sizes of skeins. When lowered completely, it collapses for easier storage.

The swift, dated about 1830 and donated by Betsy Ross Merrill, is crafted of hard wood. The block holding the swift was added in restoration; probably at one time there was a clamp arrangement to hold it to a table.

The swift is on display in the Vigo Room of the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St. The museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.