The house was feeling really good to me after Thanksgiving, and I was inspired to snap a few photos of some of the knitting related items that are so much a part of my life:
I love books, especially books about knitting. This is only about 1/4 of my collection. Some are upstairs in the bedroom, some are here in the living room and still more have made their way to the book shelves at Berroco.
I have amassed quite a collection of straight needles – at the ready next to the couch in the sunroom.
I prefer circular needles though, and my favorites are clear and nylon and from the ’70′s. I still search for them at yard sales.
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December 6, 2007 at 8:49 pm
gusseting
What’s the brand of the pink circulars at the bottom of the photo? I need to let santa know about those!
December 6, 2007 at 8:57 pm
tina
Wow. I suddenly feel an enormous wave of total inadequacy!
Do you use the oldie circs??????????? I have a few that are quite old and those suckers are just pains to use after their more flexible counterparts.
December 6, 2007 at 9:19 pm
norahgaughan
The pink needles are the nylon ones from the 70′s (maybe 80′s too)- I think they are/were from Susan Bates. They are just sticky enough for me, never break or split, and there is no join to catch stitches. The only time I have trouble with them is after the cat’s decided to gnaw on the cable!
…and YES I do use them.. all the time
December 6, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Lisa
I have numerous pairs of the same ones still in their packaging. I got them in the mid 70′s and then I found a few more when Woolworth’s went out of business here in Houston in the early 80′s. I have used them as well and never knew any different until I got older and bought better ones. I still use them sometimes depending on the yarn for the project in progress too.
I love the way that you photographed them as well. I feel like Tina a bit too. I wish the house was that organized. Perhaps after the Munchkin and Trouble are finally graduated from college……
December 7, 2007 at 2:33 am
Stephanie
Oh my gosh, that is so funny. My grandmother recently gave me all of her knitting supplies and she had a few of those clear nylon/plastic circular knitting needles and I LOVE them. I had never used them before, but I wish I could get more. They’re nice and soft on my fingers and they are nice and smooth for the yarn.
December 7, 2007 at 9:44 am
Marie
The clear and nylon circular needles are my favorites too! But I only have one (US7 which is a pretty good size for me) found in an old general store up in a rural part of Eastern Canada. I cherrish this lonely and unique one of mine very much.
December 7, 2007 at 4:18 pm
frugalfiber
woosh. I am feeling pretty.. um.. small!
December 8, 2007 at 2:18 pm
margaret
wow … looks suspiciously like MY apartment! ;o) I have very close to the same amount of everything, but my circs are all hiding … I feel like they should be in some kind of safe deposit box!
December 8, 2007 at 4:12 pm
norahgaughan
frugal fiber – Is that “small” or lacking an overage of knitting accoutrement? As architects like to quote: “Less is more” and sometimes too much is just too much, but these are the tools of my trade after all.
January 4, 2008 at 2:15 pm
martha
I’d like to get your input on the best way to store circular needles…I don’t want to wind them up & stuff them in a storage envelope but I don’t know how to store them so they can hang. Any suggestions?
January 4, 2008 at 2:29 pm
norahgaughan
My best suggestion is to buy or make something for them to hand from, like the circular needle holder in my photo. My Mom made that one from deer hide 30 years ago. I’ve several nice pre-made one’s. Check out your LYS!
January 4, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Gisela
after just sorting my needle stasch i don’t feel so bad ,now that i looked at yours. I still have many needles form my grandmother in germany. The metal ones are to heavy for socks but i can’t throw them out.I also use my plastic ones and love those.
January 4, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Carole Tollefson
Loved the pics of your needles….I inherited my mother’s stash of needles when she died.. always thought she was extremely frugal but found out just where she “threw caution to the wind”. She had many needles of the same size and I cherish each and every one of them…. I finally found out where she was rather obsessive…. think of her every time I use her needles.. most are old ones that are about a mile long but I keep them anyway….
January 4, 2008 at 3:12 pm
courtney
Hi, Can you please tell me what you’ve purchased or made to hold your circular needles behind the door?
Thank you,
Courtney
January 4, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Sonya
I learned on circular needles in the early
40s making sloppy joes!!. I’ve picked up knitting again & am not sure of the latest items. Have some bamboo needles but so smooth hard to keep stitches on. Am going back to circular. give me tips on them ,please
January 4, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Lynda
I have a collection of circular needles also. I have not used them for a long time, I prefer straight ones, but got one out couple of weeks ago to use and the circular part is so curled it wouldn’t relax for me to use. Yes, I keep them in their little packages. Is there some way to get them to relax? Could I warm them and then hang them as you have yours ?
January 4, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Diane
I am going to say this straight out — I love this! I discovered Berroco yarns and your newsletter and just love this blog. AND, Wow! I thought I had a lot of needles and circys! I still keep my cicys in their original jackets. Do those hanging holders actually work? I’ve always been hesistant because I worry that I’ll get the sizes mixed. Happened once when my daughter was about 3. She pulled them all out of their jackets. It took 3 women, including a yarn shop owner to figure out what the sizes were! No problems now – she’s 22.
I do have to hide my Berroco yarns though. My one cat, Cinders, is a hoarder. If I leave a ball or hank out, she makes off with it. I just do not like having to pull it out from our box springs – her favorite stash area! HHMM?? Does this mean she is competing with me for the largest yarn stash?
January 4, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Terry
I love how you have your straight needles grouped in the containers! I’m really overly obsessive about keeping mine in their original wappers. I’d love to just let go and display them the way you have.
It’s nice to hear about other knitters who have inherited needles from family members. My mom gave me all of her needles and crochet hooks. She loved to crochet and had many tiny hooks for those wonderful doilies and table cloths that she made over the years.
Also, I was given a great stash of those old plastic circular needles from a woman at work whose mom passed away. Those are just about my favorites – so smooth and easy to use.
January 4, 2008 at 4:44 pm
norahgaughan
You guys are TOO organized! I get my circular needles mixed up all the time. I don’t put them back in any specific slot. Small ones are higher up and large ones are lower down. usually i can tell by looking whAt size a needle is anyway. I do, however have several needle gauges lying stashed in strategic places. I can’t keep needles in their original packages for more than 5 minutes. Actually, I don’t really like the original packages. I like thinks AT HAND.
January 4, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Stacia Dunham
This is cool! I am not much on ‘chatting’ but this is great even to read.
The comment about how to relax the plastic cable on the circs is a question I have too. I am using them now that I’m felting hats, the double points are not long enough.
Everyone seems to be talking about nylon needles, I’ve never tried them before, I have the aluminum ones (Garage sale, Goodwill) and I ran across bamboo ones. I must say that I prefer the bamboo. They’re light and there’s enough resistance that the stitches stay when you want them to. I don’t like bamboo for crocheting though, prefer the clover grip ones.
If you are interested in keeping the crafts alive, I found/created a new generation of girls in my Girl Scout Troop… several still crochet and most of the parents I taught as well. Call the GS counsel, they love volunteers with skills.
January 4, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Stacia
Oh, another comment, the bamboo needles all have the size branded and smoothed into them I LOVE that about them as well.
January 4, 2008 at 4:52 pm
norahgaughan
To relax your circular needles, dip them in almost boiling hot water and then straighten them out while still hot.
January 4, 2008 at 4:54 pm
norahgaughan
I was a 4-H’r myself – another great group.
January 4, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Fran
Berrocco has been my favorite for many years.Yarns,patterns,books and booklets.
I don’t do much chatting either,but as Stacie
said. this is great.
January 4, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Sandra
Thanks for the tip on how to relax circs, Norah. I just finished knitting a baby blanket for the Lionus Project (knitting blankets for sick children in hospitals) and was using a nylon circular that just about tied me up in knots while I was knitting. I was certain that I would have to get rid of them and buy myself your beautiful Harmoncy circs. Do I need an excuse or can I go ahead and buy them anyway?
January 4, 2008 at 5:26 pm
AbracaDebra
How many Knitting Needles does one woman need?……. All of them!
I have several Brittany Black Walnuts that are my treasures. Only wish I could afford eBay prices to complete the set!
Then there’s the Clover Knit Lites for my tacky side! I have every size and must say they work well. They also generate lots of comments and interest on airplanes when traveling for business!
Various bamboo and birch with a few plastic in mega sizes fill my menagerie.
I do have a personal aversion to metal and have given all those away via Freecycle to a group that teaches knitting to youngsters in the community.
Another 4-H’er, I’ve never quit knitting and certainly haven’t quit collecting patterns and yarn for my ‘next’ project!
Thanks for sharing your time, talent and webspace!
January 4, 2008 at 6:04 pm
ginny
This is my first blog message ever!!! I can not really see/understand how your circular needles are being held. could you give more information. I read about the deer hide and if I had a gun I could shoot one of the 8 I am looking at right now in the back yard. But, alas, shooting Bambi is not allowed in the nieghborhood even though we live pretety far apart. so what other suggestions do you have for my dear circular needles?
January 4, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Dawn M. Bailey
Love your blog. I, too, love to keep my stuff at hand. I have my circulars hanging from a handle on one of my yarn baskets beside my couch, while my straight needles are in vases here and there. dpn’s reside in a handy desk drawer.
January 4, 2008 at 6:38 pm
patti
Oh my god, friends! Sometimes I think I am an island unto myself. My dear husband certainly thinks I am. He doesn’t understand the stash of wool, the stash of needles, the stash of books, the stash of patterns. He just rolls his eyes but drops me off at the wool store whenever I ask! I got my mother-in-laws stash of needles. I love them! I keep the straight needles in a draw in my “knitting” table (next to my chair!) I think I will make a holder for the circular ones, that looked really neat. I love to knit socks, mitts and hats for the grandbabies. And sweaters for them. My hubby loves his knit socks, he’d prefer plain black but that is so boring! Some guys have wild ties, he has interesting socks! Later,
January 4, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Nancy
I started with circular needles when I read about them in an Elizabeth Zimmerman book (when it was _new_!). Have never looked back.
But – alas – my beloved Clover “Ivory” went out of production. I only had a few, being cheap, uh, frugal, about personal expenditures in my housewife days (what a mistake!) and some of those have now cracked. Metal is too cold and wood and metal are too stiff for my now arthritic hands.
Do any of you good people know where to find old Clover needles?
On needle holders: doing socks on two circulars I discovered that even in mm sizes different brands are different. I measured all mine and found, for example, some 2.25s that slip loosely throught the hole, some that are just too tight for the 2.5 hole! So I sorted them all and put each size into its own plastic baggie. Boasted of my great idea at my LYS and waddya know, the assistant not only had done that but put the baggies into a looseleaf binder!
on socks: Does anyone know of plastic needles in the tiny sizes? 2, 2.25, 2.5 mm? (1s and 2s)
January 4, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Ann Edwards
I loved the knitting needles all together in containers. I actually have mine in a vase with a ceramic “frog” at the top. The only problem is that I have more needles than will comfortably fit through the holes. I’m going to stop pretending I don’t have an obsession and put the frog away, just using the vase.
I found a needle storage cylinder at a yard sale. Metal cap has sizes written and needles guaged holes. A clear top covers that. It is full of someone’s plastic and metal needles. the whole cylinder is covered in really hideous harvest gold burlap. It cost me $2. I love it. My long needles live there and in a fancy gift box for a bottle of wine that I bought for 75% off after Christmas last year
The circluars are my challenge. They have their own storage box. But I love the hanging one. Maybe I’ll felt myself a hanging storage system. Surely that is an acceptable excuse to buy more wool and more needles.
January 4, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Monica
I keep my straight needles in a man’s shoe box – big feet and the circular ones in their original pouches. I use the circs exclusively – the bamboos are the best. Thanks for reminding me how to straighten them out.
January 4, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Jo Bond
I too have a stash of needles: I love to organize them periodically (and add to them with lovely new ones occasionally. If you don’t mind uncurling your stash of circular ones before you use them; store them in a photo album with clear segmented pages. Then add the dimensions to the section on a label. I too love to look at them in vases (or large Mason jars) lined up on top of a book shelf.
Enjoyed reading the comments: but who are all these knitters who are wasting precious time blogging rather than knitting? I guess we all need a rest every so often.
January 4, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Patti Frisch
I have never “blogged” before, but I want to share my idea (thanks to my favorite Mpls. yarn shop, Christine at Depth of Field) for storing circular needles: Use a zipper 3 ring binder and fill it with 3 ring plastic “sheer protectors” which you can buy at office supply stores (such as Office Max). Then put as many needles as you want in each individual plastic 3 ring holder and mark the protector with the size and length of the needles inside. For example, I might have a protector with #6 needles length 16″ and a 24″. Hope that helps solve some scrambling issues for you knitters.
January 5, 2008 at 12:57 am
connie
I think we just might have about the same number of needles…or close to it. I still have all of the needles from years ago when I first learned to knit (right at 50 years ago!) and I also was gifted with boxes of old needles when an older woman I’d known as a child died about 25 years ago. Some of them are baleen…and not the manufactured kind either. Of course, like everyone else I have circs out the wazoo, straights that don’t get used all that often and dps here there and everywhere. The Susanne Redwoods are my all time favorite and I use them whenever possible. If I’m concerned about losing one because I know I’ll be walking, talking and knitting all at the same time, I use Crystal Palace bamboos. If I’m really worried about losing one I use my Clovers. I developed that piece of logic after losing needles in the tall grass at an Easter Egg hunt in 2002…and also at the RennFaire…knitting on socks, tucked extra dp behind my ear…sigh.
Most of my straight needles are in a big brass pot acquired from a good friend who’s now in her late 80s. Circs for the most part are stored in one of the hanging thing-a-ma-jiggies on the market. Most of my dps are either in a metal rectangular candy box (Russell Stover from 2001), in the bag I’m carrying with the current WIP, or stored in a drawer in one of my storage towers in the yarn room.
I’m really looking forward to following threads on this blog and all I can say is…way to go and thank you big time for all of your creativity
connie in kannapolis, nc
January 5, 2008 at 1:06 am
connie
re: needles and what I just posted…my LYS has closed, bye-bye hangout supreme. Lenore had a mega-sale on the Saturday before Christmas, 50% off of everything in the shop, loose patterns were free. I bought up every pair of Susanne redwood DPNs she had, and quite a few of the 14″ straight ones too. Had to pull money from my IRA (I’m old enough to do that without penalty) to pay for the haul, but it gave me the push to get the yarn room cleaned up enough to be able to walk from corner to corner.
Lenore bought out the entire stock of the business formerly known as Needles! several years ago when the previous owner decided she’d had enough. Jean carried every needle available here in the States, plus needles from Austrailia, Germany, etc., etc. Lenore has what is probably the largest inventory of Swallow needles, as well as lots of handmade birch by Twin Birches. And of course, the usual Crystal Palace, Pony Pearls and on and on. I’m not affiliated in any way shape or form to this sweet little shop that is no more, but boy am I glad I know Lenore personally and can still get her to dig stuff out of storage. A gal can’t have enough needles…or yarn…motto of mine
connie, a funky knitter in Kannapolis, NC
January 5, 2008 at 1:10 am
Leslie
I still use all of my grandmother’s needles–including the pink ones! I am still on the constant lookout for original Balene needles, any size or style. I can’t afford to pay $25 for one pair of size 3s though! I even keep needles at work (school) to make me feel at home!
January 5, 2008 at 1:31 am
Donna T
I love the pictures of all your needles and books. I too have knitting books everywhere.. my son just bought a house so when he finally gets everything out, I am going to have a knitting room in his old bedroom. Yeah for me!
In the first Stitch and Bitch book there is a pattern for a needle holder. It hold at least twenty pair of straight needles. It is easy to make for non-sewers and experienced ones alike. I have made many for gifts for my friends in my knitting groups. Also, Patternwork’s sells a canvas case (almost like a CD case. ) It comes with plastic pockets to put your circular needles. I purchased three and extra pockets and then wrote the needle size and length on the pocket with permanent marker.
I love Berocco yarn also – I live in the Berocco area and can’t get enough yarn.
January 5, 2008 at 2:05 am
connie
one of my biggest frustrations lately has been books that offer patterns for hats, mittens, gloves and other small things I would ordinarily knit on either circs or dpns. the designs are cute and look great, but when I check out needle size and all that I find that they’re using straight needles!!! I have no issue with seaming up sweaters, etc., but hats, gloves, mittens??? I could take the time to change the patterns to dpns, but if I wanted to do that I wouldn’t have bought the book in the first place. Two books purchased in the last year now grace the shelves of my library of choice. Learned my lesson, read the materials list before I buy the book…if everything is done on straights & seamed, leave the book on the shelf and go back to The Handy Book of Patterns, Knitters Template and so forth.
connie in Kannapolis, NC
January 5, 2008 at 3:31 am
Lisa
Nancy — Plastic needles in tiny sizes (0 and up) are made by Pony; purchased mine at Webs (www.yarn.com).
January 5, 2008 at 5:09 am
Sharon
Okay…I just finished sewing a sweater together…I am taking a break. I keep my needles in funky vases or pitchers in my great room. I drape my circular needles over the top of one the vases. My favorites are Lantern Moon. I also have begun collecting unique, hand made needles. I found some beautiful wood ones at a street fair last summer. They are fantastic. Next, I want a pair of leopard print ones. Why not?
January 5, 2008 at 1:10 pm
babyface
I store my circular needles in a little pouch that I got at a sports store.
It’s for fishing bait, but it’s realy reasonable (cheap) and it already has
the plastic little pouches in it on little rings which you can label. You can also buy more
plastic pouches whenever you need them. Also for the lady with arthritis,
bryspun needles warm and mold to the the touch of your hand and are easy to use for people with impaired mobility in their hands and fingers.
January 5, 2008 at 1:49 pm
JoNana
I have all my knitting needles in a large pottery vase next to my basket of new (some old) small projects. As for the circular needles I used to keep them in their original packaging but of course that didn’t work. I somehow would return them to the wrong package. Now I don’t care. Why spend time orgainizing needles when you could just be knitting. You always seem to find the right size!! Knit already!!
January 5, 2008 at 1:51 pm
JoNana
As for the plastic circular ones, I guess I should rethink them. I inherited them from my mother.
January 5, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Becky
Love the way you have your straight needles displayed! Just beautiful. Two years ago my Mom’s neighbor was having a garage sale. They knew that I was a knitter and before they opened the sale, they brought my Mom a box of “old knitting needles” that I might like. There were 48 pair of needles ranging from size 1 through size 13, some old German steel needles and lots of colorful aluminum needles. I was like a kid at Christmas looking through the box and putting the pairs together. I have my needles in clear glass POM tea glasses and it looks like a knitter’s candy store.
January 5, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Toni Nevicosi
Yes, the last comment is the best.
I have the smallest circulars in a nice inexpensive (zip closure) ringed binder. (from Joanne Fabrics !) less than $10 . . But, it is too small for all. It has nice pockets for stitch markers and needle size-ers, tip-caps, all the little gadgets and always a small thread clipper. . .
The rest are going into a extra wide three ring binder, but I am looking for one that is zip closure. (I had a photo album like that when young (1950′s) (like the above smaller zip closure binder. . . this zip-shut feature condenses it, to fit on a book shelf better. (We all know, anything for needles is ‘over filled’ quickly .)
I’m adding the beautiful Harmony circular, multicolored wood needles from Knit Picks (I love them, I saw these trees growing in the Cook Islands and one in Hawaii. . . ) They are a dream to use. . . and need more organized room to store . . . I bought the ones with the changeable cables. . . so lots of items to keep organized. Also bought the screw-on, needle markers for showing the size the cables were on. . . when changing a project around and then needing to reattach the tips later after using them on another project or sweater part. . .
Note. If storing in plastic page protectors – open at top. . they fall out. . .
I prefer using a zip lock bag as the pages/bags. . . is best.(opening at the top/or side, Zip-Lock brand bags. . Has a white space to write the sizes and cable length on it. . . Then just use a paper punch to make the holes, reinforce with the paper circle reinforcers and put the bags in order of needle size. . . in the 3-ring binder. . . ((If you’re really (neat-nick type – use double stick tape to make the hole-edge stiffer. . . the two hole punched sides together.))
Quart size Zip-lock bags. .. is for smaller circular needles ( 16 inch or less.)
as the front pages. . .
Gallon size Zip-Lock bags. . .for the larger circular needles and your favorites fit nice in one 3 ring ,2or 3″ thickness, Binder . . . .
a nail clipper is a nice thread clipper. . .closes to be stored in a small space I keep things in firmer,Clear Plastic zipper bags now. nail clipper is small & safe.
Also a mini – Swiss Army knife with the scissors blade. . .
great as a key chain, and handy whenever a scissors is needed while knitting in the car, at a meeting, at knitting club, anywhere. ..
PLUS.. . no dangerous scissors to become a projectile -missle – to fly at someone – when coming to a sudden stop(in a moving vehicle), and accidentally knocking out someones’ eye. . . or, cause of skin tissue injury. . .
I love knitting and reading. . .the quieter the needles the more the companions like it. . . some click, click sounds are still heard by younger ears and it irratates them. . .especially if I’m knitting something for someone other than them !
Be sure to read the book The THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNTTING CLUB. . .Julia Roberts will start in it in a movie coming out soon. I could tell easily, that The author used Julia’s voice for the main character . . . I can see Julia acting out the lines while I read it. . .the upcoming movie is easily visualized for me while I’m reading. . .I love the characters. I think every knitting club can identify.. . (well, with some of the plots ). . . With Julia as a Knitting shop owner I think Knitting will be in the mind and focus of the general public. . . it will be a real run on yarn and supplies. . .and new friendships with knitters who’ll appreciate all of us showing them how to knit The more who knit, the more quality yarns, clever, new inventive,supplies, will be available at reasonable prices for all of us.
January 5, 2008 at 8:48 pm
lorelee sheeter
I thought I was the only one out there that had to many needles according to my family I am. Now I have all the proff that I,am not alone. One day I needed a smaller circular ,my son came up with an ideal and it worked. he cut off what I did’nt want and used shrink tubing from the hardware store to put the 2 ends back together, the trick is to get the soft tubes and as close to the size you need. He also cut the ends of my needles off with just a little beyound and surnk 2 inches of shrink tubing on them so I have a 3 inch circular kneele for my hats. No more switching to doubled pointed needles. The larger sized oones you have to crimple in the cut ends of the needles just enough so the tubing and needle meet for a smooth end that meet perfect. When I need a circular I don’t have and I have extra straights why not save money. Just thought you’ve like to know sons do come in handy.
January 6, 2008 at 12:17 am
Sherry
I also have never blogged. So many of my knitting friends have that I decided this is the year for me to start. I love addi turbos. the wire isn’t stiff and I have been slowly changing over to them. I have 30 years or more of needles but for now they are by far my favorite. I use them as straights. The only time I use straights is for my intarsia work.
January 6, 2008 at 2:51 am
Diane
I have never blogged before, but seeing the pictures of the fast amount of knitting needles just deserved a comment. I am so envious of your circular needle storage holder. I must figure out how to make one.
I also have inherited my grandmother’s (Omi) knitting needles. They are all straight needles, some are from Germany and some are pink in color. They are so precious to me that I will never use them. Seeing how you store your straight needles has given me the best way to display them so I may see them every day and remember the time when she taught me how to knit.
Thanks
January 6, 2008 at 6:53 am
NancySu
I to have been collecting old needles, I have them in vases, it makes for a good conversation. I do perfer clover circ’s for most all projects, and 5″ bamboo for socks, if I could finf 4″ dbp for socks I would be in hevan. Also thanks for all the cool ideas, I just love this blog.
January 7, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Jeanne
I can go one on one with your stash of knitting needles and I can add just as many crochet hooks. Massed together as you have them, they make a great visual! Here’s how I use mine: I keep each of my on-going and unfinished projects in an appropriately sized shopping bag with handles. I have a picture of the project clipped to the front of the bag, and full instructions within. And of course, all the needles and hooks that are needed for that project. When I pick up a project bag it is ready to go. So, of course I need many duplicates of the most popular sizes. I buy needles with discount coupons and get a lot from thrift shops.
I have some vintage needles that I would love to turn into bracelets. Would anyone happen to know how to heat them to successfully bend them?
January 7, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Diane Stiebel
I am just starting to get back into knitting. I am basically a crocheter since I am left handed no one could teach me to crochet. I learned to knit when I was in girl scouts when I was twelve at a local department store. I learned to do most things includeing cables except for one very important thing, how to cast on. Hard to knit if you don’t know how to cast on. I finally taught myself but have never been a confidant knitter. I don’t do much garage saling but when I do, I look for needles, hooks, pattern books and yarn. Consequently, I have amassed upwards of 200 pairs of knitting needles not including my own, my mother’s and what friends and other people have given me. I like the Denise interchangeable knitting needles because they are easier to put together than the old NeedleMaster (I have two sets of those) and also they are more convenient to take to the national conferences or other conventions where you need multiple sizes. I bought the original Denise and was so excited when they were reintroduced that I ordered a second set and even got to talk with the new owners. I really want to learn how to make socks but am having an awful time with the dps. I go to a LYS and they are helpful but are too far away to visit very often especially in bad weather. The owner has a shawl ministry at her church and has agreed to find a home for the overflow of needles although I still have way too many. Any comments on the new silicone (I think) needles? They are the ones that are in clear coloredones. I know that most crocheters don’t seem to like the hooks made out the same materials
‘
January 7, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Frani Marshall
I had to chuckle at the pix–I have over 6 linear feet of knit books on my shelves (and a wish list for a couple more feet)–and finally put some of my straight needles in a 16″ toolbox–it was my intent to put ‘em all in but guess what–they don’t begin to fit. And I haven’t even pulled out my old aluminum needles, now I mostly use bamboo. I’ve been knitting 50 years and have gotten needles a couple times at 90% markdowns and some at garage sales (and a set of Clovers in a neat case from an overstock store for $10 some years back) and I probably have double to triple what I could see of your supply–I’m a knitting junkie (my car is even full of yarn, plus a supply at a friend’s house I’m afraid to bring home for fear of giving my husband a coronary). I’m so glad to hear that others have a similar problem. I knit like a fiend and can’t keep up with what I buy. I’ve made needle cases out of placemats–it’ll hold a full set size 2-10 1/2.
January 16, 2008 at 12:25 am
Jessica-Jean
I NEED to get my husband to look at your pictures, Nora! And to read all the comments before mine! He is convinced I need to see a psychotherapist to curb my needle/pattern/yarn acquisition habits. Until eBay (and a boring job), I only had a few too many needles. Since eBay and too many visits to second-hand shops, I have a gazillion too many needles as well as more yarn than I’ll live long enough to knit. But it’s fun to reorganize it from time to time and rediscover some old treasures. I began knitting and crocheting at age 8 in 1954, and have never been without something in progress. Thanks to all the comments, I now have new ideas of how to organize my needle collection! Thank you all!
April 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm
boodely
Yes me too – I love those plastic circulars. I have some pink ones and one dark blue, they just make me happy.