Be the first to guess what the pictured item is by leaving a comment below. If you have your own whatsit, our editors can include it in a future post. Please send an email to editor@kovels.com and attach a clear picture, the size and any markings. Hopefully, we will be able to identify it for our readers! 

The pictured item is 20 inches high.

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Kovels Item

26 responses to “It’s #whatsitwednesday!”

  1. lauraj55 says:

    notify me of follow-up comments

  2. kovels.com says:

    The item is called a “squirrel cage” yarn swift or winder used for winding wool into skeins.

  3. skatyeight says:

    A squirrel cage swift, when you need to unwind a skein of yarn onto a warping board for weavers, or into a ball for knitters and crocheters.

  4. Babycatcher says:

    I believe its a squirrel cage sqift, for holding skeins of yarn while they are being rolled into a ball

  5. astispamanti says:

    Some kind of yarn winder

  6. cowpiezzzz says:

    Maybe it’s a needlepoint rack of some kind …

  7. suetue says:

    I think it’s a loom.

  8. rtbs says:

    Hard to tell but almost looks like a table top loom of some type

  9. goffin says:

    This looks like a squirrel cage swift. It is used to wind yarn into a skein. You can usually adjust the cages to change the size of the skein. You can also dry damp yarn and stretch it to set the twist.

  10. clcshop says:

    To loop yarn

  11. flash472002 says:

    I’m guessing it was intended to store lengths of fabric to be cut later into lengths for tailoring.

  12. dbarbagallo says:

    Old farmers yarn winder

  13. ewenadamson says:

    it’s a frame for holding long sheets for embroidery or tapestry

  14. Pomona says:

    It’s a squirrel-cage swift; yarn would be wound around the upper and lower “rollers” .

  15. sales@unusual1.com says:

    It looks like some kind of a loom.

  16. Dail says:

    It looks like an early “squirrel cage” swift, for holding skeins of yarn while winding it into a ball.

  17. EJC says:

    Looks like a winder (carder?) for spun wool or other fiber prior to weaving or other process.

  18. sluneburg says:

    Yarn winder?

  19. jbland says:

    flour dough flattener

  20. OkiePoke says:

    Looks like a scroll holder making it easier to read long scrolls.

  21. Andrian says:

    Stand for winding yarn

  22. NBWL says:

    My guess is that it’s a type of stretcher for “ironing” clothing…perhaps for sleeves or legs on garments. Since it’s only 20 inches high….seems logical.

    Thanks.

  23. risingsunantiques says:

    Yarn winder.

  24. PACindy says:

    Spindles to hold yarn or thread after spun on spinning wheel.

  25. drmom says:

    Possibly alazy Kate for plying hand spun wool

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