Inspired by
Ev's tutorial on making your own circular knitting needles, I decided to try making my own. DH had the car so I couldn't go bopping down to the hardward store so I had to think outside the box. My grandma had given me a bunch of old knitting needles. Some of them were useable, others not so much. I took two of the old (maybe size 10 or 11) wooden knitting needles and chopped them in half:
Then I drilled holes in the flat ends of the DPNs, sharpened them, sanded them with 150 and 400 grit sandpaper, rubbed them with olive oil & wax paper (what I had on hand), cut a length of 50 pound fishing line (100 pound would be better if they make such a thing) folded the fishing line over at the end so it would be snug inside the hole (as the smallest drill bit I found was still too large for my cord), and glued them in. My 5 yo promptly pulled out the line, but that was before it had time to set. I'm hopeful that they will actually stay in once they've had enough time to dry and harden. I also made a set out of some bamboo chopsticks that will be in the range of 8's or 9's. I want to make a market bag with the larger set. I've been needing a set that size for awhile now and can't wait to try them out.Here's the finished product:
Then I drilled holes in the flat ends of the DPNs, sharpened them, sanded them with 150 and 400 grit sandpaper, rubbed them with olive oil & wax paper (what I had on hand), cut a length of 50 pound fishing line (100 pound would be better if they make such a thing) folded the fishing line over at the end so it would be snug inside the hole (as the smallest drill bit I found was still too large for my cord), and glued them in. My 5 yo promptly pulled out the line, but that was before it had time to set. I'm hopeful that they will actually stay in once they've had enough time to dry and harden. I also made a set out of some bamboo chopsticks that will be in the range of 8's or 9's. I want to make a market bag with the larger set. I've been needing a set that size for awhile now and can't wait to try them out.Here's the finished product:
2 comments:
Very cool! I've never heard of making your own circs! Hope they work well for you.
Well, I used them and here are the modifications I might try: I will be keeping my eyes open for heavier cord and will try making the rise from the cord to the full size of the needle more gradual. I also only tried the larger ones in Turkish stitch which is really open and lacy. I would like to see how it works on a closer knit. But they definitely work and I bet you could probably make really short ones that would most likely pass security so that knitting would be possible on a plane or for knitting small things where looooong needles wouldn't work so well.
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