I got a swift and ball winder for Christmas, and I finally found the oomph to try it out.

I decided to film the process, and while the production values are shocking I had fun doing it.

The highlights are:

• I forgot the word ‘swift’ until about half way through
• I had to look up how to use it while I was filming (not before, like a sensible person would)
• It wouldn’t fit on my table so I had to wander off and find a solution to that
• I was visibly stunned by how quick and easy it was

I used it to wind the yarns I bought at Alterknit Universe. They came out in lovely cakes despite my complete lack of expertise.

That red one… the yarn end was wrapped around another strand and pulled really tight. Should really have stopped and sorted it out, but I didn’t and so it’s a different size and shape to the others.

I wasn’t feeling my best the day I made the video. I was recovering from a sinus situation, I hadn’t washed my hair, and I was wearing leggings. Until very recent times, I hadn’t worn leggings since childhood and would NEVER have been confident enough to wear them when anyone could see me. Let people see the shape of my actual legs? Horrors!

I did it anyway, and I am proud of that. It is, to use something of a buzzword, completely authentic. We must leave our comfort zones, at least sometimes.