Underrated Knitting Tools Worth Trying.

Let's talk tools and notions in this episode of knit and chat and I don't mean your tapestry needles and your stitch markers I mean other tools and notions that aren't as commonly used But you might have seen mentioned or you might use and I've got a few of your recommendations as well So grab your knitting and a drink and let's settle in to have a good chat. Hey nerdy knitter Tanya here It's all about notions today in our knit and chat I'm gonna put my name down in a second But I encourage you to pull yours out and knit while we chat all about notions now I wanted to talk about like the a couple new ones that I've been using and a couple things I don't see recommended very often that I do like and I've asked for your Recommendations as well for the unusual things that you like to use that you don't see mentioned all the time So I'll be sharing a few of your comments, too You're more than welcome to leave your comments as well sharing the unusual items that you use I'm thinking beyond like the tapestry needle and the stitch markers and our knitting needles. I mean we all need all of those Unless you use something very unusual for your stitch markers and leave a comment and tell us about that But I just have a few things that I want to show So I'm gonna put my knitting down and we'll talk about those And the first one I want to recommend is actually stitch markers, but these are different I bought these last year at a fiber festival here in Quebec But I'm sure there's different companies you go to a fiber festival you go to your yarn shop You're probably gonna find these now these stitch markers I don't generally like the dangly things that hang off my knitting because they get very heavy But I have two exceptions to that and this would be one when they're made of wood They are very light so they don't they don't feel like there's like a lot of things jangling around on my knitting So I like them when they're wooden ones. So I don't know if Katrinkles has Anything like this. These are not Katrinkles. They're another brand, but I'm sure you can find something similar what these stitch markers are they have SSK knit two together make one right and make one left written on them Sometimes when I'm knitting especially if I have to do like waist shaping or sleeves or something I forget which especially if I put it down and it's been like a week and I more than a week or so and I Pick it back up and I start knitting again I'm like, okay Which direction were my my decreases supposed to go and of course you can look at your knitting and figure it out but sometimes you know you you don't want to have to keep doing that you want to like just have a quick thing you can Refer to and sometimes if I'm on a sleeve, I don't even need to keep my pattern open It's just stockinette stitch and I've got to do my decreases like every I don't know six rows Or something. I just want the markers in there to tell me when that happens. So I really like these kind of stitch markers So here's a little close-up of them and all they are just those little lobster claw markers But they have make one right knit two together SSK make one left on them So when I'm doing these particular increases and decreases I can just pop these right where they have to go in my project And I know exactly what Decrease or increase I have to do at that point. So definitely I really love those I'm not one for the jangly things that hang off your knitting all the time. But when they're at the lightweight wood, I Really really like them, but that brings me to the second thing this right here this chain row counter Again, very dangly and it is heavy. So I noticed this on my knitting, but it's my exception I don't like the things that dangle besides those stitch markers with the the stitches the increase and decreases and this for counting rows. I Love this thing and I honestly did not think I would I would never have thought to purchase this But it came in one of my yarnable boxes and I'm like, I'll give it a try I had to Google because I didn't even know how to use it, but you can find YouTube videos But basically you just like you go through like there is there's numbers on here So you can I tend to place it This way so the number of the round I'm on is beneath The ring so I know that that's the round I'm on and then you finish that round you pop it up to the next one I like this not so much to count like all the rounds, but if I have to work increases or decreases Let's say like in my sleeve example. I have to work a decrease or an increase every six rounds I always put it like I do my decrease and I put my stitch marker in so I can count, you know I've got to do ten of them and I've got ten stitch markers in there But then the number of rounds in between I'm constantly stopping and counting those and that can get tedious and annoying So I love this for that in particular. I don't use this all the time I only use it when I have some shaping to do like if I have to do an increase or decrease every six rounds or Whatever how many rounds or rows I? like this because I can just move it up every time I start a new row around and It keeps me on track without me having to stop and count every single row or round So I can make sure I'm spacing my increases or decreases properly I don't use it to just count rows in general Like if I know I'm knitting a rectangle and it's going to be 25 rows. I don't love this for that I will just like put a stitch marker every 10 or so rows But when I have to do increases and decreases this this I love love love So definitely highly recommend that you get I don't know what they're called like a chain row counter I think that's what they're called. I've heard them called that before so highly recommend I will put a link if I can find I think it's twice sheared sheep that makes these but I'm sure there are other places As well, you could probably even make your own You just need these numbers in there, and that's what you use to keep track next would be these cable needles right here I like both of them. I like them. I use them both I actually like the flocks. This is called the flocks I like this for small amounts of stitches like if I have to do a thumb gusset or just have a few stitches I have to leave on hold somewhere This is the perfect size you put your stitches on and then you can like clip it close it right up And they're not going to go anywhere, but I will use it also if the yarn is very slippery, and I'm doing a cable It's really nice for slippery yarns like it really holds it well for this one is another cable needle I really prefer this over the other types of cable needles. I've tried. I really like a spiral it hangs really well The only thing I don't love is it's kind of thick I wish it were a little on the thinner side for those finer yarns like it's a little thick But for most you know worsted DK sport. It's fine I'm just not sure I would use this for like a Fingering weight cable because it's it's pretty thick this kind of this wire or whatever this is But for everything else I've used the u-shaped ones though the like straight DPN style, and this is definitely my preference So when it comes to cable needles these are the two that I really really like and this the spiral one was a recommendation From somebody one of you one of your viewers who a couple years ago I think I was talking about Like the notions I used and somebody mentioned the spiral cable needle and I was like I don't even know what that is and I Looked it up, and I bought one. This is my second one this one has like the cat ears I have to I have another one's just a spiral, but really really like them, so thank you for recommending that I really like this kind of cable needle next would be a couple of very small things Finishing needles and wool needles like I use the bent tip tapestry needles quite a lot But sometimes if you're playing yarn chicken, or you didn't leave a long enough tail to weave in It's really hard to weave in that really short tail with a tapestry needle I really like these kinds of needles when that happens, so this one is called a wool needle It's got it's just got a little loop on the end So if you have a very short tail You can feed the needle through where you want it to go then put your yarn in there and pull it right through so that Works really well for really short tails, but I also really like these needles these are Susan Bates Finishing needles and as you can see they're just like little Plastic and they've just got a big hole in the middle if you have trouble like threading a tapestry needle with your yarn Or it just keeps splitting these are a really great option. They actually have two more sizes I don't use them as much these are the two I use most often because they're they're just a good size They've got some larger ones, but I don't knit with large yarn very much so these two sizes work really well So those are Susan Bates finishing needles another thing I really like is a fix-it tool, and I've got a couple of these actually this is just one This is a Susan Bates one So it's got a knitting needle tip on one end and a crochet hook on the other end so really nice and handy It's not super big, but it's great for like fixing a small mistake They also have Clover has a version of this in bamboo And I really like that one as well that one is just packed away in my teaching supply kit So I don't have it handy to show I'd have to pull out all my teaching stuff And I don't really want to do that, but it basically looks the same But it's a bamboo version instead, but really nice a crochet Hook is always handy when you have to fix a drop stitch or something so definitely I always have this in my knitting notions another thing. I really love are these Double-ended stitch holders I like these because you can knit directly from them It's basically a DPN is up as all it is But it's got this sort of thing that holds the stitches on there So I love to use these if I have underarm stitches in a sweater I'm usually using something like this and putting them on there, and then when I have to like knit my sleeve I don't have to like try to transfer stitches from waste yarn or bamboo or barbicord or anything like that They are already on a needle. I just have to take the end off and I can knit directly from this So highly recommend these as well like I love stitch holders and that brings me to the next one actually Barbicord things to hold stitches you have to put like your underarm stitches on something or your thumb gussets And I use different things for different Whatever. I am working on like I really love the flocks If it's a very small number of stitches like a thumb gusset love this because I can close it right up And it doesn't really get in the way sometimes like with a hard sided stitch holder like a safety pin style It's hard to knit around that when you're doing a little thumb gusset, so I don't love those But I love the flocks for that I love these kind for underarm stitches because usually you've got like you know a couple inches of stitches They hold really well on these But for general like those body of a sweater Barbicord is my favorite thing or this is just tubing that I got from Amazon so hollow Silicone tubing I think if you look up jewelry tubing silicone. I think is the one you want there's rubber and there's silicone I think it's the silicone rubber is too stretchy And I think this is it doesn't say on here, but I'm pretty sure it's two millimeter, and this works I have not had an issue with any sweater Trying to remember if I've used it on like a fingering weight yarn I don't know if I have but DK sport worsted. It's been totally good totally fine on all of those needles I'm just I think I've used it with a fingering weight, and I think it was okay It is a little thick for those stitches so but it does it's got a little hollow end in there I don't even know if that'll show up on the camera Well, you can kind of see it right there It's hollow inside so you kind of shove that on to your the tip of your knitting knitting needle And you'll cut off like whatever the length you need plus extra because you want to tie it so nothing comes off And you slowly slide your stitches onto this and I like to cut it at an angle I find that helps to slide things on if it's like a blunt cut it can be like it can catch a little bit So I do find it helps up go at an angle But don't pull on it because you can pull it right off your knitting needle And then you've got like live stitches You've got to try to catch so just shove it right on the needle tip slide your stitches on Take your needle out, and it works really really well for that So I really love this for like a large amount of stitches if I'm doing like a sweater body Or something that like that smaller things I might use embroidery floss That's usually what I've got like a stash of that or even really fine yarn Anything like that, but for like a sweater I really like this and it works great for like if you're working on a sweater You've got your sleeves on hold this doesn't like you you're The top of the sleeve on hold this doesn't get in the way I wouldn't like something like this because of course it's not big enough to put like the whole sleeve on hold And it's too hard like it's hard to knit around that but great for underarm stitches though But yes this for sleeves and bodies, so I guess it depends on the project I like different types of things to hold my stitches depending on what I'm working on the last thing I want to share is a yarn minder now I still put my knitting in Bags like I always have like a project back to keep you want to keep you protect your yarn protect your knitting project But I do like these I like it if I'm just around the house Or I like it for travel like keeping it in the car like having this dangle from something is very nice Because we're always we're in a knit and crochet in the car right so we want something to hold on to our yarn This works really well, I actually have two this one was a gift, but of the two this one's lemon wood I highly recommend lemon wood because it's three pieces soup before I guess very easy to put together this one I don't even it was a gift. I don't know there was no brand name. There was nothing written on it I don't like it at all it was missing a piece actually it came in pieces didn't come with instructions I had to figure out how to put it together, and I don't know what was supposed to be down here But there wasn't anything so my daughter put a zip tie on it so it would hold that in place and This part at the top it comes with two different like a wrist strap and also a really long one But it has this thing right here So I have to like get a screwdriver out and take this off Every time I want to put a ball of yarn on here or take a ball of yarn off So I don't I don't recommend this because this this is annoying I much prefer the lemon wood because all it is is just a clip like it's just like this carabiner clip You just have to figure out where is the opening oh there? It is right there slide it right off, and I can take my yarn right off there So definitely this is much easier to use it's easy to take apart Very simple to like take apart like you've got your handle and the carabiner right there Yarns right there two pieces. That's it and it all comes in like it comes in a little bag, too So you can put it all together, so definitely I like this one. Just be careful of the off-brand I don't even know what there's no name on this one, but I don't like this I don't use it. It's just kind of sitting in my stuff I don't even want to give it away because I don't like it I don't want to like it's a hassle to take it apart You need to find a little screwdriver and take the it's just not not worth the effort but if you're going to use one of these then definitely get the lemon wood one is very very nice and very Lightweight, and it's really nice in the car I think I don't love it for all the time But in the car where you it's hard to like find somewhere to put your knitting bag Or it's not going to fall on the floor, and then you can't get to it So you can hook this you know somewhere or even I think I've even done oh in the glove box like I'll open the glove box and then close it over the handle and So like the yarn is just hanging there in the front and that works really really well So I really like this for travel those are all my recommendations of maybe not so commonly used things But you might want to give them a try now I've got some recommendations from other knitters as well the first is from Danny and this one isn't a comment that was left It was just in one of our recent nerdy knitting society knit nights We always have a topic of discussion and one that we had recently was things that we used to keep track of like our pattern reading or our charts or whatever and She recommended this specific row counter that I had never seen before and I thought it was really neat So I'll put up I'll put the link below and I'll put a picture of it up here on the screen It almost reminds me of a little abacus. It's just a little wood piece It's got numbers in it and you just slide the bead along and it kind of clicks into place and holds itself in place So if you're concerned about like the beads sliding all over the place, it's not made to do that It's made to hold that bead in that spot. So as you move along it holds it in place So this one was a new one for me So if it's new to you, then you can check that one out below So a couple more recommendations for that chain row counter at Helena and Katie both the chain row counter has been a game-changer for me I just could never remember to use any other type and Katie says they're way better for me than the clickers I have those two the kind that go on your finger. That's another option as well But yes I really I like this one really a lot to really a lot of two and then the next comment a toothpick instead of a cable Needle for slippery or soft yarn definitely agree I think it actually work for like sock yarn because a lot of my cable needles are a little too thick for sock yarn So a toothpick would work really well an apple pencil for making notes on the PDF pattern Oh, yes, really good idea dental floss for putting stitches aside or washing and trying on really good tips there And then Rebecca says the little snappy hair clippies for keeping yarn from unraveling from a ball And I always have small nail files that come in little plastic cases in my notions I use the little stitch fixed needle hooks for a cable needle Oh I hadn't even thought of using the fix-it tool as a cable needle and That is a little finder that might work with sock yarn and then she says wood needle wood ones aren't too slippery and I slip Onto the hook end and knit off the needle end. What a great tip. Thank you for sharing that Rebecca One day I used a cheap DPN as a skewer to eat cheese puff corn I'm knitting a cream top so I could not risk orange fingers as I was out and eating knitting in the car I love that tip. Yeah, I've seen like things about that before like wasn't there a meme? We're hiring somebody to feed me Cheetos, so I wouldn't get my knitting dirty or something like that. That's not weird at all And here's the next one The shop owner at my local yarn shop told me about spiral cable needles and they are so much easier than any other kind I've used they stay out of the way better to unflavored dental floss for lifelines are checking fit It's not the rarest tack, but I like it so much better than using scrap yarn or those tube thingies Now we should do a survey on who prefers barber cord to embroidery floss to dental floss Like that would be a good good Pole, I think I'm gonna write that one down And then Kristen says I use a bamboo skewer a perfect two millimeter for a small cable needle when I knit socks Another really good idea. See I think my other cable needles I love for larger yarns, but it's the sock weight that I have a hard time with So these are some really good tips and last one from Jennifer those plasticky tiny hair ties as needle stoppers Oh, yeah. Well, I love I love my little I've got little alpacas and different little things I love my needle stoppers because they're really cute. But yes the I've got well I would say also maybe the my daughter had braces. So the little elastics for those those could work too Maybe I don't know or they're kind of on the thin side So maybe not as needle stoppers, but yeah, the the plastic the little hair ties. That would be a great idea I wonder are they big enough to even put your two needle tips together and put the stopper around both that could work really well But that's it for me Those are the things I wanted to share and some of your comments as well and I would love to hear about Your favorite notions and tools maybe things that are a little unusual that we haven't mentioned or that we have So leave a comment down below and I'll talk to you in the next video