Some bags start with a sketch, a concept, an image. The Swift started with community.
Back in 2005, we teamed up with Knitty® magazine and did something a little bit different: we asked their readers to tell us everything they wanted in the ultimate knitting bag. Not a polite “suggestions welcome,” but a full-on invitation to be part of the design team. Colors, materials, pockets, structure, size, accessories – the whole wish list was unloaded, and we got to work.
Tom did what Tom does best: read every word, made prototypes, sent them to Knitty® editors, got back notes that were equal parts thoughtful and delightfully blunt, iterated, refined, and rebuilt. When the final design was ready, the editors at Knitty® threw a naming party (the best kind of party in our opinion!). Dozens of names were suggested, but ‘Swift’ was chosen for its significance to knitters – a swift is a tool used to hold a hank of yarn while it is being wound – while still keeping the bag versatile enough for more than just knitting. Crafters of all kinds claimed it. Then teachers. Then travelers. Then the everyday you-and-me crowd that just wanted a tote that wasn’t a floppy black hole.
So the Swift was born: not from a lightning bolt idea, but from a community of people who care deeply about the tools they use and the things they make. We owe a huge thanks to Amy and all the editors and readers of Knitty® magazine—we couldn’t have done it without you.
Knitty® is a registered trademark of Knitty magazine, used with permission.
Recently, one of you reminded us why this bag still has such a hold on so many people. Grace left a comment on our last blog that made us smile, nod, and immediately say, “Okay… we have to write about the Swift again.” She wrote:
“I am a Swiftie, Tom Bihn style. What’s in my Swift? Probably a knitting project (or two). Maybe an ipad with keyboard and charger. Maybe just an assortment of accumulated odds and ends, or a smooshed up halcyon shop bag just-in-case. Always a smaller bag for keys/wallet/etc. tucked inside; currently it’s a side kick but sometimes I use a side effect or everyday cubelet.
And sometimes I have to size up and become a Nomad (16 of course). Or size with the Medium Cafe bag. The one constant is that my bag is made by Tom Bihn.
Like a ten year old said this summer on our bus tour in France: you sure do have a lot of that [Tom Bihn] stuff.” Yes, I sure do.”
And Grace isn’t alone. Your reviews over the years read like dispatches from real lives lived with the Swift—practical, funny, occasionally sentimental, always honest.
Here are some of our favorites.
★★★★★ Quality quality!
“I almost didn’t get this, and then almost didn’t keep it.
But turns out I **love** this bag. Not only is it high quality in construction and planning, it is easy to carry and holds way more than I expected. It has become my new personal item bag when flying- which is not a small thing! … I was so skeptical when I took it out of the package- oh, no, I thought, it’s going to be insane in there. Nope. Perfect.” - Maggie B.
★★★★★ Great teacher bag!!
“I bought a Swift and wasn't sure what to do with it. I store my papers to grade, as an elementary teacher, in large organizer pouches. They fit perfectly in the Swift! I decided to use the clear pockets to store stickers, pens, and other grading tools inside too. It's also perfect for carrying my grade book.” - Jim R.
★★★★★ Crocheter's delight
“I love that it sits up by itself. The clear pockets hold a ton and help me see what's what. The stuff sack holds several skeins of yarn. I love, love, love it.” - Ashley R.
★★★★★ Dear Tom Bihn, Bring Back the Little Swift!
“I finally bought the SWIFT after debating it for so long!
Until now, I was using the SIZE 2 HANDY LITTLE THING to store my knitting accessories, but it was hard to open when I didn’t have a table, and finding my tools was a hassle.
But with the SWIFT, it’s so much easier to access all the little things I need!
If there’s one downside to this bag, it’s that it feels a bit big for me to carry everywhere.
Tom Bihn team, please bring back the LITTLE SWIFT!!” - Miki
★★★★★ Swift is the BEST!!!
“I’ve been using my Swift for knitting. I carry 1-3 projects and tools and my wallet and everything you’d carry in a purse for a trip and I still have room for a library book and a few groceries. It holds lots without complaining - my shoulder’s crying but not my Swift.
It sits on the ground without falling over, looks tidy and clean - My Best Knitting Bag Ever!!” - EstherGrace
★★★★★ Worth the Wait!
“I’ve been eyeing the Swift for quite sometime while it was being reproduced. I love the size, weight, organization features… everything about it… definitely worth the wait!” - Kristie W.
★★★★★ Loved it so much…I bought a second one!
“I loved this bag so much that I bought a second one within two weeks. The design is perfect for my knitting!” - Laura W.
★★★★★ Didn’t know I needed this bag
“I bought the Swift after my daughter got one - hers was stuffed with art supplies for her Italian crepe paper flower making. Mine has been used for a day of sketching out in the field, an afternoon lunch at the beach, latest knitting project, an overnight, toting books to donate for a good cause, and even pressed into picking up a few small grocery items in a pinch. Love it!” - Mitzie M.
Thank you for the reviews, the photos, the packed-to-the-gills Swifts, the “you sure do have a lot of that Tom Bihn stuff” moments from ten-year-olds on French buses. If you’ve got more Swift stories, we’re always listening. Always curious. And, of course, always grateful.
Oh, and before you go—because knitters and makers deserve a little fun—we’ve put together a knitting-themed crossword below. Solve it, and you’ll uncover a hint about our 2025 holiday debut. Consider it a small thank-you (and a gentle nudge to sharpen those puzzle skills).
What’s in your Swift today?
Karen Rohan - November 15, 2025
I love the Swift! I have two large ones and recently discovered that I have a small one, too. I would love to see more of the Little Swift!