Craft tools: Knitting

I am very lucky that when we remodeled the house years ago, a former bedroom became a craft room. Considering I have always sewn, knitted, embroidered and painted, it is a wonder I had room to store all my supplies before the addition. We do not have a basement. I was very creative with where I would shove things before I had a room devoted to my projects and supplies.

This week I plan to write about my craft supplies. They mean as much to me as the tools in the garage mean to Bill and I am thankful he understands my need to create and the importance of good tools. I am beginning my craft story with my first love, knitting.

I did not photograph the bin of yarn that is partially buried in the closet, nor did I photograph the file drawer full of patterns taken from magazines or printed from the internet. I did take a shot of two drawers full of knitting needles, row counters, pom pom makers and crochet hooks.
The bag on the left was originally supposed to be for jewelry or lingerie. Ha! It holds packages of circular knitting needles. Not only do knitting needles come in different sizes necessary for the outcome of various projects, there are two basic lengths of straight needles, many lengths of circular ones, and also there are double pointed needles in various sizes and lengths. I can almost match Bill many different sockets to my multitude of knitting needles! The red quilted bag in the right drawer holds most of my straight needles. I have had that bag for over 30 years.

Most of my knitting books are on one shelf in the craft room. One entire wall is book shelves and I try to keep it organized but occasionally one craft encroaches on another.
My ball winder is in the box on that shelf, the swift is stored on top of the book shelf. This photo from the internet shows a swift on the right holding yarn that is being wound into a ball on the left.
One of the reasons I have always enjoyed knitting is that it is very portable. Unless the pattern requires intense concentration, I can knit in waiting rooms, while watching TV or talking to friends who are also knitting or doing a similar craft. I have a tote bag that goes with me to knitting sessions at a local yarn shop or when I visit my sister-in-law, also a knitter. This photo shows the current contents of that bag.
Starting at the upper left, the free-standing tool holder keeps my tape measure, pens, pins, stitch markers, tapestry needles, scissors and other necessities organized and easy to find in clear vinyl pockets. The yellow yarn is intended for a hat, the blue is sock yarn, the red will be socks also. The white yarn is a lace project that I will show when completed. I go back and forth between that and a few other ongoing projects. In front of the yarn is a package of DPNs. That stands for double pointed needles. I began knitting socks on them before I discovered knitting a sock on two circular needles. The sock in this photo is being done that way. It is my favorite way to make socks. Between the DPNs and the tape measure is a row counter that is made like a mini peg board. The black fabric in the lower left holds a set of Harmony knitting needles from KnitPicks. They were a Christmas gift from Bill last year. I love the feel of them in my hand and also how the yarn glides along them.

The only thing keeping me from looking like this lady is that we have cable TV and not rabbit ears.
When I first became active on message boards years ago, I chose the name KnitWit. I am still known by that name on many boards, but usually addressed by the nickname Knitty. These two graphics are the ones I use most often to identify myself. One bears a closer resemblance than the other, but I'll let you guess which one.


Thanks for visiting today. Tomorrow I will be back with jewelry making supplies.