What Is It?

The Reporter week of December 11 "What Is It?" answer: Squirrel Cage Swift

Called a squirrel cage swift for obvious reasons, this tool was used primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries to unwind skeins of yarn. The skein was stretched across both cages, then the cages would be adjusted to give just the right amount of tension. The operator would then either use a ball winder, a bobbin or their hands to turn the skein into a ball. The swift can also be used as a yarn blocker (stretcher) and for plying fibers.

Squirrel cage swifts are still manufactured today, mainly for people who spin their own fibers. The modern version has not changed much from that used 200 years ago.

Acton-Shapleigh Historical Society has one of these, though the manufacturer and age are unknown.