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.
Building the Ultimate Knitting Kit
One of the things we love most about the Swift is how easily it can be customized. Over the years, knitters have discovered that pairing it with a few small organizers turns it into the ultimate knitting setup.
The Tool Wrap is a natural companion, keeping needles, crochet hooks, and other small tools neatly organized and easy to grab. No more digging around the bottom of your bag for that one tiny cable needle.
For yarn and projects, many knitters may like an additional Medium Yarn Stuff Sack to hold skeins and keep everything from tangling together. It’s a simple way to separate projects or keep delicate yarn protected while you’re on the move.
The Maker’s Bag/Swift Freudian Slip adds five additional pockets for even more organization — patterns, notebooks, stitch markers, and all the little things that tend to accumulate in a well-loved knitting bag now have a place to call home.
Together, these pieces transform the Swift into a fully dialed-in knitting kit — everything in its place, ready to grab whenever inspiration strikes.
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.
What’s in your Swift today?
I still have my original swift made of cork, although it’s the worse for wear. It was a beautiful and elegant bag. I regret not buying the next iteration, which was a textured sort of tapestry bag and beige, which went well with the black trim. Well, I would like to replace my swift, I will not degrade my knitting. By carrying it in one of your current swifts which are consistently ugly. The orange one is I believably ugly now. What were you thinking?
I bought a Swift when it first made its debut. An outstanding knitting bag, but it became so much more. During the pandemic, it took over as my primary handbag, hauling books, lunch, iPad, and knitting or spindles and fibre. When you brought it back a couple of years ago, I bought another. I actually use that one for knitting. Go figure.
I just started knitting around the time the Swift was being designed, but it didn’t fit in my budget. Eventually, I bought one, and carried it every day with a knitting project (or two) and let it double as my purse. Amazing how much it can hold!! After carrying it daily for over 10 years and only having to wash it twice, it still looks brand new. I recently purchased a Synapse 26, and am loving it just as much, for different reasons. Love Tom Bihn!!!
I came here specifically looking for the Swift (saw a review by a knitter on social media), only to find out that it is sold out. Is there an ETA for its return?
I recently saw a review of the Swift and fell in love with this bag, only to discover it’s sold out! My heart is crushed! I purchased the Little Swift (still waiting for delivery) in the meantime. Can’t wait to get my hands on the OG Swift! Hopefully, soon!
