I have one - really short with a different size hook on each end - brilliant for picking up dropped stitches and fixing mistakes. I inherited mine from my mother and it might be a cream coloured plastic or possibly ivory - ew? That's a bit gross I know but she lived in Africa for a while in the 1950s and could have got it there. I get really panicked if I lose it down the side of a chair or at the bottom of my knitting bag.
Another must have - a kitchen scale! It's easy to figure out the yardage of your leftover yarn and really helps when dividing a skein for sock yarn. I'm on study abroad currently and couldn't bring my ball winder and am now doing it by hand... not fun.
oh this is a great idea, I keep designing patterns and having no idea how many yards of yarn they used! with this I could probably just weigh the parts that I've knit and compare to the weight vs yardage of the skein
Top 5 must haves: 1. Ball winder 2. Swift 3. Interchangeable needles (just started knitting so I don’t have a wonderful needle wind chime of my own 😊) 4. My husband (he loves weaving in the ends and is my #1 supporter) 5. My knitting books
I agree about the husband. Mine has never knit one stitch, but he knows a lot about it and is totally supportive even of my huge stash of yarns (and other things as I am also a weaver, sewer, etc.)
I agree with your 5 tools but I really like my two sets of interchangable needles and find that I knit more because I rarely need to go buy more needles. They also came with wonderful self-storing pouches which are ideal for a small living space. Even though they seem expensive, for me they have been more of an upfront investment that has paid off in the long run; I do understand the joy of adding needles as you have a need for them though and your needles sounded musical.
THIS. I started out thinking I would only buy needles as I needed them and an interchangeable set would be superfluous. But once I was really getting into knitting, I bought a Chiaogoo stainless steel set and I haven't looked back. Sold all of my fixed needles except for US0-US2 for sock knitting. I even bought a Lykke set while I was at Rhinebeck last year so I could have a set of metal and wood needles. Absolutely worth it IMO! 🙌
@@Ampharb I agree size 2 and 3 are great to have. For one of the interchangeable sets I just purchased these in fixed lengths and added them to my set. There is enough space to keep them in a pocket so I always know where to look for them.
I just got my first ball winder today and it’s a game changer. I’ve spent 20+ years telling myself that I don’t need a winder because I can wind a ball but the ease… the time saving… the lack of hand cramps… and most importantly cakes are so much easier to stack than balls of leftover yarn
The woman I used to buy yarn from caked her yarn on a regular winder that was hooked up to a stationary bicycle. Her wool and acrylics were on cones, maybe a 2/20 size, and you could get solids or make your own tweeds in any weight. It was not twisted together but beautiful. It was like Red heart it's a wrap rainbow, I think. Now, I don't care for yarn that splits when you use it, but having learned my craft on this yarn really helped me with keeping it on my hook or needles. The result of using it is that the garment looks very soft and romantic. The cones were moved to posts on the floor and fed through eyes on metal rods like what comes with your winder. From there to the winder and sold by weight according to the cost of the fiber. A rather ingenious gadget that had her exercising daily, and it whipped up the cakes so quickly and evenly.
Definitely with you on the ball winder and swift. My other 3 - 1. I recently bought the pop up dryer from Cocoknits and it makes blocking a lot faster as air gets underneath the item as well so it dries a lot faster. 2. A neck light as it makes knitting in the evening so much easier as well as when travelling. Sometimes hotels have very “moody” lighting that looks nice but it’s terrible for knitting. 3. A lap desk. I have a lot of back problems and the Lao desk allows me to sit in a comfortable chair with good posture and have all my supplies (including a cup of tea) within reach. Actually can I add a number 6 - my kettle. Can’t be knitting without a cup of tea ☕️
That's awesome to hear about the Cocoknits pop up dryer. That is in my cart but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. My last sweater took two days to dry. And 100% on the neck light.
I have bought several Cocoknits things and I really want to love them because they are so pretty, but I'm just "meh" about them. I find myself going back to my original plastic notions far more often because they are just functional.
I would love to know what kind of neck light is so good. I have one that’s unsatisfactory because the light is too focused in one area. I spend the whole time trying to get it adjusted to where I am knitting
I'm an advanced knitter but I go with quite minimal amount of tools - if needles, stitch markers, yarn, scissors etc are not counted, I would say my number one is stitch cords/wires for holding stitches. 😊 I actually love winding a ball by hand. 😁
Hello Annika. I understand how you could love winding a ball by hand; I love untangling yarn that was turned into a tangled mess when I hand-dyed it. Other knitters think I am nuts, but I love doing it, and it is such a portable thing to do: you can even take tangled skeins on planes, because there are no needles/hooks involved. So I get that you like hand-winding.😀
I drop the ball when hand winding constantly now that my hands are deformed with arthritis. I might invest in another ball winder. Just a better one than what I had and smashed with a hammer so I wouldn’t be tempted to try it yet again and not have anyone else fall victim to it.
I am lucky enough (blessed?) to have had a great aunt who did amazing handwork - I inherited her needles (all straight, including a Tunisian crochet hook!). I also inherited a collection of tools - and yarn - from a close friend of my mother after she suffered a stroke and was unable to knit. And then, Mom moved into assisted living 5 years ago and does little hand work - so I, again, inherited her tools and stash. If I am ever required to maintain total isolation for months and months, I will be well entertained.
A very simple and easily accesable gadget i swear by is a simple counter. The ones that keep a tally. You can get them at poundland or amazion and the like for pretty mcuh nothing. It's so great for counting rows and repeats. I used to do it on my phone but i appreciate having my phone free for youtube or video calls while i'm doing my knitting. if you want to get fancy you can also get them to go on your finger or needles
The KNITTING BELT I made to support dpns when making socks is the best tool I have. I lost it last year and simply made another from materials on hand. It supports the right needle so my right hand doesn't have to. I can knit socks and sweater sleeves like the wind on this thing. I'm using it right now, in fact. It ENABLED me to make socks.
My chiaogoo interchangeables are my pride and joy! They were an absolute game changer for me that took knitting from an occasional hobby to an outright obsession.
I have a glass front cabinet to store my yarn and I have just got a hand ball winder and its a game changer. I have a mannequin, love it to hang my knits in progress to see how its going. Pretty stich markers, I always need them. Your needle hanger is like a magical needle wind chime and I need something like this.
Oh, my gosh! I absolutely agree with you about the swift and the ball winder. The only issue I have had with the ball winder is that the yarn tended to slip out of the gash at the top. However, I found a solution to this. I now use a tiny bit of artist's tape to hold the end of the yarn to the top of the spool. Now I am ecstatic, and the winder and I are best friends! I also found a way to organize my circular needles. I keep them (Chaigoo) in their original sleeves and have them sitting in an office organizer box. They are handy, contained and easy to find.
Cube shaped wooden interchangable circular knitting needles. I had to give up knitting for a few years due to my joints and joint pain. I tried picking it up again with these new needles and haven't stopped since. Circulars seem to need less movement anyways so are better but I have tried lots of different types and these cube ones are amazing.
I agree with you about the ball winder. I pull from the center of the skein but then it gets weird after a while. I just cake up the rest of the skein and start from the center again. Also makes scrap yarn easier/prettier to store. I could not live with out my super cute stitch markers. I love my interchangeable needles. I'm kind of spontaneous so if I see a pattern or something I want to try, I have to do it right then and there. having the correct needles and cables helps with that. Just discovered I prefer bamboo so I'm going to be purchasing another set.
Where I live in Europeyou won‘t need a ball winder as yarn here is sold in cakes. Sometimes you would find a skein, mostly the handdyed yarns whichIdon‘tbuy as they are very pricey. My absolute must have is my knitting gauge where I can check the size of my needles.
Love ALL of this! I have been knitting for over 55 years and my Stanwood ball winder is THE BEST ball winder I have ever used, and I have used a lot of different ones 😊. Oh! I love that “Gladys” is holding your gorgeous sweater… that was my Mom’s name 💗
LOL this was a very fun video! I learned how to ball yarn by hand from my grandmother, so never had a ball winder until last year when I bought a $20 one on amazon last year... It's so fun and relaxing to ball wind! The $20 chinese ones on amazon work fine, and now i'll re-wind a ball 2x just to loosen the thread. Fun stuff. Also, I love the needle collection and totally agree. it's way more fun to collect needles than use the interchangable. Love it! My favorite item... this may be a weird one, but I have this orange, size 4.5 Boyd crochet hook I carry around to use for everything. Fixing dropped stitches, knitting in ends etc. Yeah - my favorite knitting tool is an orange crochet hook. I don't crochet - it's an old tool that fixes everything.
I love my Nancy’s Knitnacks wooden (manual) ball winder. Seen your video, I’m glad I did not spring for the electric version which was at the time I got my ball wonder about 10 years ago. I’ve tried many swifts and now I have the same swift that you have i.e. the Knitpicks wooden umbrella swift and it is the best one I have tried. Although I’ve never had a moth problem, the climate in Toronto Which makes me fear them so I keep my yarn in open Ikea containers stored with cedar pieces on shelves in a cupboard. I can open the cupboard doors and admire my yarn which is organized by color.
I purchased a ball winder years ago for my MIL who is a wonderful woman and crochets. I am a simple crafter but find myself owning a basket full of yarn skeins. I finally purchased my own winder and love it.
I love my Prym Ergonomic needles. I have arthritis and I find them easier to hold on to plus I drop fewer stitches. I also don't accidentally knit 2 stitches together if I am in poor lighting. The other thing I love is my neck light! That thing has been a game changer when knitting with dark colors!
As a beginner knitter my absolute must-have knitting tool is a stitch wire! Being uncertain about how the project is turning out and being able to try it on without having to put all stitches on hold on a separate string of yarn is such a lifesaver. Or mindsaver.
On your recommendation I purchased the Stanwood Needlecraft Ball Winder. I LOVE it SO much!! It is truly wonderful to use, smooth, sturdy and makes wonderful cakes!!
So agree with all! After struggling with a floor swift thing and ending in many yarn tangle tragedies, I got a knit picks wooden swift and it was amazing with my ball winder. I also laughed and thought “yeah she’s right” at you preferring individual rather than interchangeable sets….I own three expensive interchangeable sets and somehow I never have the right combo of needle size and cord length hahahaha.
My husband got me that exact ball winder as a surprise gift a few years ago. I had no idea, he did all the research on best ball winders himself and I just love that thing. Certainly one of the best gifts I've ever received!
It's astonishing that two people could have the same hobby and have so little equipment in common! My needles are all straight (there's a virgin circular needle lurking in the collection somewhere) - although, like you, I do have some duplicates. Some duplicates were purchased when I was on holiday and didn't have the right sizes with me, others were purchased because I wasn't sure whether I had that size or not. One pair of really fine ones was purchased because they can be quite hard to obtain but I use them a lot, so I wanted spares. My needles live in a robust bag. If I want more needles, I've inherited my mother's collection, hers are in a box that had a roll of scented paper in it. I live in a part of the world where moths eat anything and everything, so my stash has to be kept airtight. If I have a hank I drape it over my knees and get a lot of exercise physically winding it into a ball. Nothing like doing a decent quantity of a fine two ply where you're winding the best part of a mile of wool. (See comment above about the fine needles - that's what they get used for!) I try to be disciplined and only do one project at a time to prevent the problem of multiple projects languishing. So, my must-have knitting kit items: * crochet hooks - great for fixing mistakes * wool needles - a back, a front and two sleeves don't become a jumper until they are all assembled. Wool needles can double as cable needles in an emergency * gauge - for converting between sizes or working out what size a pair of needles is if the numbers have worn off them. All right, some of my needles are old. * lamp with a magnifying glass. My eyesight is crap, so I need the light and magnification for those crochet-hook moments - see above.
I finish one project before moving on to another, too. Mainly it's because I'm afraid that if I put one project down to start a second, the original one will never be finished.
I've seen a couple people fit a handheld power drill in place of the handle on their manual ballwinder and I think its genius. Gives you more control over the speed of the winder and is inexpensive if you already have a drill
Thanks so much for another wonderful video! 🌸 Just some helpful thoughts… Maybe you could sell your expensive ball winder to try and recoup some of your investment(?) Or, since your husband and dad work with wood, maybe they could lightly sand or roughen up the post a little so that yarn will grab onto it better(?) 😃 Henderson is a really beautiful area! My daughter and grandsons moved there a year ago (her husband works at the Dam) and we’re visiting them again soon! (So excited!)
Definitely agree with the ball winder and swift, but I use an Amish swift because I have had bad luck with umbrella swifts and the slats breaking. I also cannot be deprived of my interchangeable needle set, I always have what I need (most of the time lol)!
Im so with you Tonja! I have the Stanwood ball winder and an Amish swift. I also love my Chiagoo interchangeable set. I would add to that my Chiagoo rubber grippers so I can ensure the join is tight enough and also my needle stoppers and stitch markers - they both save me a lot of headaches.
Yes, I have an umbrella swift and one of my slats broke. As a Canuck, my first go-to is duck tape! That was years ago now and the repair job has held up just fine.
Loved the list; part of the reason I went to go get a winder and swift. I've just hand wound everything but I guess it's time to save myself some time and effort. However, after knitting (and crocheting) for a while, my sets of interchangeable and DPNS were major game changers (especially if you get them in the material you most like)! It gives you a lot more flexibility if you need to adjust your gauge or you want more or less wire length. It also removes the question of whether or not you have the right equipment to start a project. Slight underrated tools I'd suggest is pen/pencil and a notebook or a copy of the pattern you can write notes on.
I recently bought a spinning yarn holder (a wooden one) and it is quickly becoming one of my favourite tools, especially because I live in a tiny house and don’t have any space for baskets to hold my yarn while I’m knitting it. It even holds two yarns at a time so it’s great when I’m knitting with mohair and wool.
After years of frustration with the classic cheap plastic ball winder, I got the ball winder you have (from another brand) and am very very happy with it. I've had an umbrella swift attached to my counter for years that has been working great. A knitting "tool" that I can't live without is an Excel speeadsheet that has formulas for all kinds of knitting related numbers. It just told me that the sweater I'm knitting is going to be smaller than I want based on my gauge so to the frog pond it went.
My No. 1 thing would be my interchangeable needles. I love them especially when it comes to knitting sleeves because they give me so many choices. I can use a longer needle to knit with that rests in my knitting hand better and gives me more control but I can choose to knit off a shorter maybe even smaller needle which especially towards the end of the sleeve makes it easier for me to “get around the curve” because it makes the “needle + cord set” shorter. Hard to explain but maybe you’ll understand what I mean.
I bought a knitpicks ball winder years ago and didn't really use it as I found I didn't get good winding with anyone holding the yarn for me. Last year I purchased a very cheap swift and also actually watched a tutorial of how to wind a ball. Let me tell you..... total game changer! I now run the yarn just over my finger as it comes off the swift to as a bit of tension and it works great! My only problem is that if I want to wind bigger balls with more yardage, ie laceweight or Wollmeise 4ply then I definitely need to get a jumbo winder. I'll probably get another knitpicks one if they have jumbo ones (I haven't looked yet) as the one I have atm works well. With your Ashford electric winder, would putting wax or some masking tape on the stick/pole of your winder help do you think? You didn't mention any other issues so I don't know if you've t tried other things or not and they still don't work. You could also sand the polish or varnish off to make it bare wood.... that might increase the grip better as well. Good luck and happy winding 😀
Oh man. This episode was so useful and unexpectedly, hilarious! First off, I’ve been on the fence about a swift and ball winder, and your recommendation definitely swayed me… especially the reminder that if you forgo a few skeins of yarn one month you can use that money towards the Swift and ball winder. Seems simple enough, but sometimes we need that reminder. 🤣 I laughed out loud when I saw the contraption that you had all of your circular needles on…. And man the way it kept chiming, and moving around as you tried to explain. It felt like it had a life of its own. Just hysterical. Points for creativity and a definite practical use of one of those pant/skirt hangers! I have a box that I got as a gift but I haven’t actually organized everything in there yet. We’ll see how it goes. I might end up using a hanger too. The labeled Ziploc bags I was using were driving me nuts….😂 Loved the Ashford review. Could feel that buyer’s remorse! You can tell it still hits a nerve. It would me too! $550 is absolutely obscene for it not to work seamlessly every single time. A marvelous video as usual. Thank you for the knitty rambles. You are one of my favorite YT knitters. I always walk away with having learned something new and inspired to pick up my needles. 💚🧶😁
I don't have a yarn winder, because I don't want it to clutter my space. But it is on my buy-list for when I move and have more space. Also, I don't often use hand-dyed yarn, so for the few times legs and arms suffice 😂
I absolutely 120% with you on my Stanwood ball winder! It has been with me since 2014 and still going strong. It makes the most perfect/beautiful looking cake. I love my ball winder.
This video was very informative for me as a beginner knitter. I had been debating about the swift and ball winder as well as the mannequin. Now I will be getting them! Thank you for the links as well! 😀🧶👍
I would urge you to get the ballwinder mentioned in this video, I have one by Knitpro and it wounds reasonably well fingering-dk weight yarn but it's not so good on bulkier weights. Of course the price of these items playes a big part with these purhases so think carefully.
Thank you for the video! I just got a winder and swift and was worried I shouldnt have! Happier now that I’ve seen this. Also my one thing I couldn’t do without is my binder with zipped plastic pouches that I like to keep my needles in 😂, I can just flick through and see what sizes I have haha.
I put all my needles inside see-through plastic "envelopes" inside two binders (one for circs, the other for DPNs) when Kevin (Needles at the Ready) showed us his system. Then he and Ray went and got all fancy with some expensive leather cases, but I'm sticking with my binders. I think Tayler's circ collection is multipurpose, though, because she could hang it out on her front porch as a wind chime. 🙂
I just subscribed, I love knitting I have been knitting has been since about 1965.. No I am not good it has been hit am miss for me. I enjoy it but I feel I am a beginning knitter most times. I love making socks and do the toe up, two at a time. I hate the lonely sock thing. I do have a winder and a swift. I have fought with yarns way too much. I got mine about 6 years ago for an anniversary gift from my Mr. Cho GUI? (Spelling?). The red cable needles. I adore… they are the best in my mind. WOW!! $550…. Eegads!! Ashford spinning wheels are lovely. Thank you for sharing your fun…. I love the swift and winder for certain. And the cabled needles.. those are my favorites.
Mine is definitely my hyiahyia sharp interchangeable set of needles, my yarn swift and ball winder. My other favourite things that I love are my sock ruler and my bulb stitch markers, which I use for progress keepers, regular stitch markers to mark out pattern repeats in my needles, also to mark my decreases on anything! 😁
Hi I would love to have a yarn swift one day. But currently one of my valuable knitting tools is a little tin with stitch markers, darning needles, small foldable ✂ and measuring tape. It is 3 inches and goes everywhere with projects.
One more comment. Although not essential, I'm thinking of getting one of those small scales people use to weigh their yarn. It is a great idea for wanting to know if there is enough left on the ball for another row. Weighing before and after knitting a row. Also for knowing how much yarn is left in stash.
I seldom knit with anything other than interchangeables. My first (& still used) set was Knitters Pride wooden and then several years ago I purchased a ChiaoGoo metal set. Love them! I couldn't be without my scale, winder & swift.
I'd say my Susan Bates vintage nylon circulars are my necessary tool. Over the years previous to them, I collected various metal, wood and plastic needles, and interchangeable sets but find the old time nylon circs work the best for me as far as being easier on joints, muscles and needle grip. I may not be the fastest knitter, but I'm going for longevity 😄 Your dress form has given me the idea to get one. I am doing top-down sweaters and it would be useful to see how a neckline and shoulders are fitting during the crucial yoke stage. I have a glass hat form which is not my head size but gives an aesthetically pleasing way to display my hats both in progress and finished.
Lived without a swift for waaayy too long and now cannot live without the chiaogoo "amish style" swift. It breaks down to almost nothing which with little to no space is a life saver!
I feel the same way about my collection of crochet hooks/knitting needles. I have the ones I prefer to use the most but good luck prying them from my cold dead hands. I would also have to add my craft bags. I have to have them so I can take my project(s) and necessary crafting supplies with me on the go
We have the exact same ball winder. ❤ agree on the swift. I think the cheap umbrella one is just okay if you don’t use that many hanks but they do tend get spinning too fast sometimes so the nicer swift would be a good investment long term. Stitch markers are another one I had to buy recently. I didn’t really like the idea of the little paper clip bulbs until I started a sock and my crochet stitch markers were too thick. I have all the sizes of crochet hooks lurking about but those are helpful for fixing dropped stitches. Maybe another thing is cables for the interchangeable set that freely swivel.
I actually gave away all of my Addi needles (I had many - they were my first foray into needles). I loathed the cables and I didn't much love the tips either. And they were so expensive.
Hey, This was great. For me the essential tools are: my interchangeables and some sets of DPN's, various crochet hooks, my Tapestry Needles and a pair of scissors. The swift and a ball winder are on my list, because I think they really make a difference, although I like winding the balls by hand for the extra time with my yarn. Happy knitting and crafting, Uschi
My must haves: stanwood swift (their ball winder is on my wish list, I just have a cheap one right now), my knitpicks interchangeables, and my (very large) stash of pretty stitch markers. Are the stitch markers necessary? No. Do they bring me joy and will I fight to the death for them? Yes.
They'll have to pry my Nancy's Knit Knacks wooden ball winder from my cold dead hands. So solid! No unsightly plastic and components are certainly much thicker than the metal body winder you showed. I have the hand operated version but it also comes in electric. Smooth and silent. Expensive, but I got it second hand from an ebay estate sale; no regrets. I certainly wouldn't keep it in a dye area, but it is swanky enough to display full time in my living room/knit area.
Hmmm…I’m not sure if I have favorite knitting “tools” per se, but I do have special items from my knitting life. My notions pouch, about 16 years old from when I began knitting. A beautiful felted interchangeable needle holder from Rhinebeck, almost as old. My project bags…so many that I adore, especially my Joji ones and Tannei Casei, and especially a GORGEOUS ice dyed one from Chelsea Yarns/Salty Purls! I’d grab some patiently waiting, precious yarns, for sure. And last, but absolutely not least, I have a stunning stained glass jar in pinky-violet colors that was gifted to me from a knitting friend. It lives on the cubby unit next to my bed and holds my very special collection of Furls crochet hooks. THAT would be the thing I’d grab if I could only pick one! Maybe I’ll send you a photo on Insta…it’s so very pretty.💖💜💖
Hi. Just going through your videos randomly. I am so new to knitting but I love my knitters pride needles and Tunisian hooks cables are interchangeable. As I’m getting into hand dyed yarns, I’m considering the standwood winder and a swift but that’s probably a ways off. I have so much acrylic that needs used first and I’m ok winding the few hanks and minis by hand. I love your content. I learn something from every video.
Yes, ball winder, swift and yarn storage. Love my interchangeable needles in addition to fixed circulars. I'm a magic looper so like the versatility of cord length options and stoppers to hold a project on the cord while I use the needles for something else. Barber cords have been a game changer and timesaver. Stitches slip on and off for sleeve stitches and trying on top-down sweaters are great!
I love my scale too. Bought it at a marijuana dispensary. No one believed I was going to use it to weigh wool. Now if I‘m making booties or mittens from yarn scraps, I know for sure after knitting the first if I‘ll have enough wool for the second of the pair.
I've only recently discovered you, and I'm enjoying the midweek rants hugely. Have yet to locate the podcast, but will.... I was so happy to be able to sell my collection of many needles and exchange them for my interchangeable sets. I don't have the space you do and my storage options are far smaller, so finding the right needle each time was annoying, and sometimes so unsuccessful that I bought a new needle only to discover later that I already had that size. Grrr. So I like my neat little pouches. The other thing I value, probably out of all proportion, is my collection of bags. Having the right size bag for the project(s) I'm taking with me is such a luxury. I wonder if you have a favorite neck light. They seem to come in such a wide spread of prices that I'm a little at a loss. Thanks!
For another show could you demonstrate how to be sure you have skein on swift correctly. I’m long ,long time knitter but recently had 4 different skeins get hopelessly tangled, one skein I worked on for 20 hours and still threw away.
(consider roughing teh surface of the wood for the posh yarnwinder? like with a very fine sand paper, OR, even just tak eof the "finish" of the wood on that part?)
I have a ball winder and swift, which I will not part with. I would like to have all 3 the others you talked about - especially Gladys made a huge impression on me. When looking at your Amazon list, I really covet the portable spin dryer and the little knitting mill for making i-cord (something that I need TODAY!
You can pry my Chiaogoo interchangeables from my crusty dead hands. I struggle with magic loop and DPN and having a large variety of cable lengths makes me excited to knit. 😅
If I am remembering correctly, Natalie of Knitty Natty suggested a rubber band around the ball winder for slippery yarn. I have an Amish style swift that works very well, too. I love my Stanwood! Thanks, great podcast!
@@cortneyrobinson1019 Funny. I was thinking exactly the same thing. Or it could be some kind of flat rubber material, cut to fit just around the shaft.
I have to say my Chiagoo interchangeable needle set is my best purchase. I have been knitting since i was 7 and now at 60 it is a life changer. Having travelled everywhere with my bulky needle roll with all my long needles and dpns this just seems magical! I am going to purchase the ball winder you suggest though as mine makes yarn barf constantly.
As I am working my way through the TKGA Master's Program, I have come to appreciate a rigid, clear lucite ruler, straight pins with ball heads on a magnetic holder, and blocking matts with grid lines. Swatching and blocking are essential, and having the proper tools for blocking and measuring allows you to get the most out of the added effort it takes. :)
I have considered (the)TKGA master knitter program. I hear it can be frustrating to knit what you think is a perfect swatch, and get it back with all of the notes. Still, I’m looking to learn, so I would probably appreciate it. Good Luck to you!
@@KimClinger The program is rigorous for sure, but I have learned so much. I would say it is not for everyone because it entails research and knitting things you may not be interested in (to demonstrate mastery of a concept or skill). I do feel I have become a much better knitter. It is humbling but rewarding!
Great video! I love my ball winder from Knit Picks; it was a gift from my non-knitting daughter. And I don't know how I managed without my swift! But gosh, picking out just a couple more things? I'll try... My interchangeable needles from Knit Picks, with the square-shaped needles are my favorite set. Sadly, the 6 and the 7 have both broken: one should not sit on one's knitting. I keep all of my dpns in a lovely fabric roll from Etsy; best storage buy ever. Finally, stitch markers: my short-term memory is now so short that if a snail crawled over it, it would not even be a speed bump. I need my stitch markers, and my favorite set are these little gold-tone loops, probably jewelry findings, with a tiny glass bead over the join. I use these markers all the time, and I must have a dozen different sets, and probably over a hundred markers, total. Your yarn storage shelving unit is just lovely, btw!
I would need my Lantern Moon swivel cords, knit picks shortie wood needles and Karbonz needles (because of the pointy end for lace weight yarn/snug knitting) chia goo metal interchangeable/corded needles, notions bag and stitch markers.
I have my yarn stash in a china hutch that I repurposed. All glass front so I can see it all the time. It inspires me. What I noticed about your yarn stash is that you love solid and tonal colors. I didn't see much in speckled or multi-color yarns. I'm the same way. I couldn't knit without my swift and ball winder. Mine are manual. I've knit my whole life, but it wasn't until about 10 years ago that I found out through the internet that there was really nice yarn out there. I had knit and crochet blankets all with acrylic yarns. And I had those cheap plastic knitting needles. Chiao Goo needles are my very favorite. I can't believe the difference in knitting after I got my first set. I'm hoping to some day own the interchangeable sets too. I could not knit with out those needles. Another thing is a needle gage, because we all have loose needles and have to gage them to find out what they are. A good pair of scissor nips. A good darning needle. And don't forget the chocolate! Gotta have chocolate for those days you get to set and knit all day. I have my tea and some chocolate and I'm good. Again, your podcasts are very inspiring and you teach a lot of things that is common sense. Thank you.
Hi. This is the first time i watch your video. I really liked it! Especially, i loved that you named your mannequin Gladys. My name is Gladys, and i don't see it used often. Thanks for the video! I will keep watching. I have been knitting and crocheting for most of my life, since I was 6, and now I'm 60. I also teach both, and any new ideas are always welcome. Great job with the video!
Pry out of my cold dead hands: 1) My Knitters Pride Karbonz interchangeable needles, and all the fixed ones; 2) my OG Knit Picks interchangeable laminated birch interchangeable needles and fixed ones (not the 2.0 version that happened when Knitters Pride bought the factory or whatever, take those…please.) 3) My sock yarn stash…I need lots of socks…need (not a notion, but you can’t have it, regardless. 4) My ‘go to’ reference on how to do everything books…one is small and portable and 20 years old and I can’t remember the title, other is a 20 year old Vogue Knitting Bible book. 5) Yarn winder and swift…even tho they’re really cheap and dinky, and they need upgraded…okay, take them…force me to knuckle down and get a decent one of each, at least the swift. (Checking Knit Picks right now to see if they have a sale…) 6) My Knit Kit little ‘travels with you and has a counter, yarn cutter, tape measure, crochet hook, needle gauge measure, and under that holds knit markers. It was about $20 when it came out…I got two…and they go with every traveling project. All of this is put into an oval ½ in deep, 3 in diameter little engineering marvel. They stopped making them for some unknown reason. These two will be pried out of my cold dead hands!
My puffy coat tote bag. It holds my looms, my yarn, and it's a conversation piece. A few years ago, I decorated a mini wood coffin with the words "knit survival kit," and I love bringing that out in the fall. Those are my 2 favorites.
I am not the same as you as far as the knitting knee does. I love my interchangeable set. I think I might have to get that ball winder, looks very nicely designed with metal parts.
1. Swift; I have one of the cheap plastic and wire ones from Amazon. I paid $20 about 10 years ago. It's probably almost time to replace it, but I do use it quite often, so I definitely got my money's worth. 2. Ball winder - I recently got the same one you have, and I have the ubiquitous white and orange plastic one. I mostly prefer the larger winder, but for small amounts of yarn the core is too big. The small winder is better for minis and leftovers. 3. My ChiaoGoo interchangeables, they're almost the only needles I use except when I need dpns for small items. (I struggle with magic loop.) 4. Sticky notes and a pencil for marking which line of the pattern or chart I'm on. 5. A ruler for checking gauge. I actually enjoy swatching to see how the pattern works up, and I save the swatches for reference. My ruler has markings for 32nds of an inch on the first 4 inches, and 16ths the rest. Plus cm/mm. It's a metal ruler and the markings begin and end exactly at the edge for accuracy. Bonus item: stitch stoppers. I finally gave in and bought them a few days ago. Game changer. No more lost stitches in my project bag (which goes everywhere with me, even physical therapy for when I need ice.) I have instructions to make a custom Gladys using duct tape and an old t-shirt, after seeing this video I need to get an assistant and make it. And name it. 😃
I love the midweek rambles. And I agree with you about the ball winder. When I have some time (or am procrastinating), I pull a skein out of the stash and get to work. I love having cakes: the look, the center pull, the uniformity of them. I don't have a swift (yes, I use a chairback), but maybe one day I'll get one. For now, I'm happy with my process. I just got a set of ChiaoGoo interchangeables, and I am thrilled. I don't know what I couldn't live without.... probably my books, I have a wonderful library of knitting/crocheting/weaving books, and they provide all kinds of help and inspiration as I learn.
I have one particular project bag I can't do without. It is large (holds the yarn, project and tools) and has a draw string so the yarn can remain inside but not be married to the bag through a grommet and it has a single wide short strap that allows me to drape it on my arm and knit while standing (such as while waiting in line or something). I've even done sewing repair on it because it's no longer on the market. Love that bag. Also my neck or head lamps, love love love the extra targeted light while knitting.
Must have swift and ball winder. I have Knit Picks swift and similar ball winder to hers. I could not live without them. Just an FYI, I was taught to wind twice as the first one may be tight which changes the length of the fibers and could cause shaping issues. So the second wind will be looser. Not sure how true that is, but I do wind twice.
I love, love, love my Amish swift and my yarn winder. Neither were very expensive, but after a few years of hand winding my yarn, this made such a difference! I also love my Katrinkles yarn gauge tools. I have a two inch and four inch one, and it just makes reading my gauge so easy! I would not spend money on a yarn bowl. I received one (I really wanted one!) but now it just holds tools and extra bits and pieces. I never use it the way it was intended.
Like you I am a Chaigoo needle lover! I also get so excited when I can buy a new needle for a project. I have 3 storage cases for my needles. One is inherited from my mother who I think received it from my grandmother. The case contains their straight needles and tools. The other two are roll cases I sewed myself about 20 years ago. One is very tall for straight needles and the other is short and is where I store my circulars. I also have the Stanwood ball winder💗.
i (genuinely) appreciate your respectful honesty. interchangeable needle sets appeal to my occasional bouts of OCD, so i mostly go that route. that plus a ball-winder, swift, and a steady supply of bulb-shaped safety pins are my 'must haves'. i also keep a few crochet hooks (tiny, med, and jumbo) with my needles. they are lifesavers! oh... and i prefer to work with a sleepy cat keeping me company.
I am happy I started my knitting adventure with interchangeable Chiagoo right away when I decided to learn knitting again. It is very convenient and really help to economise space. :) Just learned the magic loop technique together with learning how to knit socks, and it was fun! Did not knit two together because I used 3 different yarns for the socks, and it would be too much to manage on one knit (6 yarns), but the result is great. Always were terrified of the 5-needles socks knitting arrangement, tried it many years ago when I was 14ish, and thought I will never touch any knitting. And here I am. So, the right tools are important.
You're absolutely right! The right tools are so important for keeping the craft together and workable for us. I'm a firm believer in that. Thank you so much for watching. ❤️
I waited for years to invest in an automatic ball winder, and purchased the Fiber Artist Supply co one last year. Every time I use it it feel a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. Best investment ever.
I suggest adding texture to the shaft of the Ashford winder. there are self stick strips that are used to add texture to steps for safety. I would temporarily tape them in place and see if you can find the best solution. They are sort of like sand permanently stuck to a tape backing. Then it might be worth the money.
My favorite knitting accessory is a crochet hook.
I have one - really short with a different size hook on each end - brilliant for picking up dropped stitches and fixing mistakes. I inherited mine from my mother and it might be a cream coloured plastic or possibly ivory - ew? That's a bit gross I know but she lived in Africa for a while in the 1950s and could have got it there. I get really panicked if I lose it down the side of a chair or at the bottom of my knitting bag.
🤣🤣🤣
😂
Sometimes I'll purposefully drop a stitch so I can fix it with my crochet hook 😭
Omg haha😂😂
Another must have - a kitchen scale! It's easy to figure out the yardage of your leftover yarn and really helps when dividing a skein for sock yarn. I'm on study abroad currently and couldn't bring my ball winder and am now doing it by hand... not fun.
I agree! I use a scale all the time.
I have been on the fence about the kitchen scale, but this is the push I needed. Thank you!
100% agree! And you can also use it for cooking and baking 😆
oh this is a great idea, I keep designing patterns and having no idea how many yards of yarn they used! with this I could probably just weigh the parts that I've knit and compare to the weight vs yardage of the skein
Top 5 must haves:
1. Ball winder
2. Swift
3. Interchangeable needles (just started knitting so I don’t have a wonderful needle wind chime of my own 😊)
4. My husband (he loves weaving in the ends and is my #1 supporter)
5. My knitting books
Ok number 4 is husband goals. I will be communicating these new expectations to my husband tonight.
That’s adorable. A keeper for sure.
Yes to interchangeable needles, my most expensive, yet greatest money saving buy.
I agree about the husband. Mine has never knit one stitch, but he knows a lot about it and is totally supportive even of my huge stash of yarns (and other things as I am also a weaver, sewer, etc.)
That’s an amazing husband
I agree with your 5 tools but I really like my two sets of interchangable needles and find that I knit more because I rarely need to go buy more needles. They also came with wonderful self-storing pouches which are ideal for a small living space. Even though they seem expensive, for me they have been more of an upfront investment that has paid off in the long run; I do understand the joy of adding needles as you have a need for them though and your needles sounded musical.
This just confirmed that i have to buy myself some interchangeables, i absolutely cannot deal with magic loops, it just takes me right out of the flow
THIS. I started out thinking I would only buy needles as I needed them and an interchangeable set would be superfluous. But once I was really getting into knitting, I bought a Chiaogoo stainless steel set and I haven't looked back. Sold all of my fixed needles except for US0-US2 for sock knitting. I even bought a Lykke set while I was at Rhinebeck last year so I could have a set of metal and wood needles. Absolutely worth it IMO! 🙌
I love my set of addiclic interchangeable needles for all the reasons you stated. Just wish they came sizes smaller than 4.
@@Ampharb I agree size 2 and 3 are great to have. For one of the interchangeable sets I just purchased these in fixed lengths and added them to my set. There is enough space to keep them in a pocket so I always know where to look for them.
What sets do you have?
I just got my first ball winder today and it’s a game changer. I’ve spent 20+ years telling myself that I don’t need a winder because I can wind a ball but the ease… the time saving… the lack of hand cramps… and most importantly cakes are so much easier to stack than balls of leftover yarn
My big sizes that I collect are 8 32in cables and size one dpns lol.
OMG....me too!! I just got a beautiful set after knitting for 50 yrs!!!!
The woman I used to buy yarn from caked her yarn on a regular winder that was hooked up to a stationary bicycle. Her wool and acrylics were on cones, maybe a 2/20 size, and you could get solids or make your own tweeds in any weight. It was not twisted together but beautiful. It was like Red heart it's a wrap rainbow, I think. Now, I don't care for yarn that splits when you use it, but having learned my craft on this yarn really helped me with keeping it on my hook or needles. The result of using it is that the garment looks very soft and romantic. The cones were moved to posts on the floor and fed through eyes on metal rods like what comes with your winder. From there to the winder and sold by weight according to the cost of the fiber. A rather ingenious gadget that had her exercising daily, and it whipped up the cakes so quickly and evenly.
This is something I would love to see. How ingenious!
Definitely with you on the ball winder and swift. My other 3 - 1. I recently bought the pop up dryer from Cocoknits and it makes blocking a lot faster as air gets underneath the item as well so it dries a lot faster. 2. A neck light as it makes knitting in the evening so much easier as well as when travelling. Sometimes hotels have very “moody” lighting that looks nice but it’s terrible for knitting. 3. A lap desk. I have a lot of back problems and the Lao desk allows me to sit in a comfortable chair with good posture and have all my supplies (including a cup of tea) within reach.
Actually can I add a number 6 - my kettle. Can’t be knitting without a cup of tea ☕️
That's awesome to hear about the Cocoknits pop up dryer. That is in my cart but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. My last sweater took two days to dry. And 100% on the neck light.
I have bought several Cocoknits things and I really want to love them because they are so pretty, but I'm just "meh" about them. I find myself going back to my original plastic notions far more often because they are just functional.
100% on the neck light!
I just thought of one more - a crochet hook! Essential for fixing dropped stitches and picking up stitches on a bound off edge if it’s a bit tight.
I would love to know what kind of neck light is so good. I have one that’s unsatisfactory because the light is too focused in one area. I spend the whole time trying to get it adjusted to where I am knitting
My fav is my mini iPad, it is priceless for keeping on track of multiple projects and storing all the patterns.
I'm an advanced knitter but I go with quite minimal amount of tools - if needles, stitch markers, yarn, scissors etc are not counted, I would say my number one is stitch cords/wires for holding stitches. 😊 I actually love winding a ball by hand. 😁
Hello Annika. I understand how you could love winding a ball by hand; I love untangling yarn that was turned into a tangled mess when I hand-dyed it. Other knitters think I am nuts, but I love doing it, and it is such a portable thing to do: you can even take tangled skeins on planes, because there are no needles/hooks involved. So I get that you like hand-winding.😀
I drop the ball when hand winding constantly now that my hands are deformed with arthritis. I might invest in another ball winder. Just a better one than what I had and smashed with a hammer so I wouldn’t be tempted to try it yet again and not have anyone else fall victim to it.
I am lucky enough (blessed?) to have had a great aunt who did amazing handwork - I inherited her needles (all straight, including a Tunisian crochet hook!). I also inherited a collection of tools - and yarn - from a close friend of my mother after she suffered a stroke and was unable to knit. And then, Mom moved into assisted living 5 years ago and does little hand work - so I, again, inherited her tools and stash. If I am ever required to maintain total isolation for months and months, I will be well entertained.
A very simple and easily accesable gadget i swear by is a simple counter. The ones that keep a tally. You can get them at poundland or amazion and the like for pretty mcuh nothing. It's so great for counting rows and repeats. I used to do it on my phone but i appreciate having my phone free for youtube or video calls while i'm doing my knitting.
if you want to get fancy you can also get them to go on your finger or needles
The KNITTING BELT I made to support dpns when making socks is the best tool I have. I lost it last year and simply made another from materials on hand. It supports the right needle so my right hand doesn't have to. I can knit socks and sweater sleeves like the wind on this thing. I'm using it right now, in fact. It ENABLED me to make socks.
My chiaogoo interchangeables are my pride and joy! They were an absolute game changer for me that took knitting from an occasional hobby to an outright obsession.
Haha, you made me laugh so much when you were getting upset about the ball winder and you said " I need to burn sage" 😂
I have a glass front cabinet to store my yarn and I have just got a hand ball winder and its a game changer. I have a mannequin, love it to hang my knits in progress to see how its going. Pretty stich markers, I always need them. Your needle hanger is like a magical needle wind chime and I need something like this.
Oh, my gosh! I absolutely agree with you about the swift and the ball winder. The only issue I have had with the ball winder is that the yarn tended to slip out of the gash at the top. However, I found a solution to this. I now use a tiny bit of artist's tape to hold the end of the yarn to the top of the spool. Now I am ecstatic, and the winder and I are best friends! I also found a way to organize my circular needles. I keep them (Chaigoo) in their original sleeves and have them sitting in an office organizer box. They are handy, contained and easy to find.
Cube shaped wooden interchangable circular knitting needles. I had to give up knitting for a few years due to my joints and joint pain. I tried picking it up again with these new needles and haven't stopped since. Circulars seem to need less movement anyways so are better but I have tried lots of different types and these cube ones are amazing.
I have had my Knit Pics Swift for 20 yrs. It's still in great shape. I use their ball winder, too.
I agree with you about the ball winder. I pull from the center of the skein but then it gets weird after a while. I just cake up the rest of the skein and start from the center again. Also makes scrap yarn easier/prettier to store. I could not live with out my super cute stitch markers. I love my interchangeable needles. I'm kind of spontaneous so if I see a pattern or something I want to try, I have to do it right then and there. having the correct needles and cables helps with that. Just discovered I prefer bamboo so I'm going to be purchasing another set.
Where I live in Europeyou won‘t need a ball winder as yarn here is sold in cakes. Sometimes you would find a skein, mostly the handdyed yarns whichIdon‘tbuy as they are very pricey.
My absolute must have is my knitting gauge where I can check the size of my needles.
I have been knitting and crocheting over 30 years. I just got a ball winder and swift today. I feel like a REAL knitter now. thanks for you videos
Love ALL of this! I have been knitting for over 55 years and my Stanwood ball winder is THE BEST ball winder I have ever used, and I have used a lot of different ones 😊. Oh! I love that “Gladys” is holding your gorgeous sweater… that was my Mom’s name 💗
*I* Love the fact that you *named* your model! What a creative mind you have.
LOL this was a very fun video! I learned how to ball yarn by hand from my grandmother, so never had a ball winder until last year when I bought a $20 one on amazon last year... It's so fun and relaxing to ball wind! The $20 chinese ones on amazon work fine, and now i'll re-wind a ball 2x just to loosen the thread. Fun stuff. Also, I love the needle collection and totally agree. it's way more fun to collect needles than use the interchangable. Love it! My favorite item... this may be a weird one, but I have this orange, size 4.5 Boyd crochet hook I carry around to use for everything. Fixing dropped stitches, knitting in ends etc. Yeah - my favorite knitting tool is an orange crochet hook. I don't crochet - it's an old tool that fixes everything.
I love my Nancy’s Knitnacks wooden (manual) ball winder. Seen your video, I’m glad I did not spring for the electric version which was at the time I got my ball wonder about 10 years ago. I’ve tried many swifts and now I have the same swift that you have i.e. the Knitpicks wooden umbrella swift and it is the best one I have tried. Although I’ve never had a moth problem, the climate in Toronto Which makes me fear them so I keep my yarn in open Ikea containers stored with cedar pieces on shelves in a cupboard. I can open the cupboard doors and admire my yarn which is organized by color.
I have knitted for 60 years and just recently purchased a ball winder-which I use very occasionally. I have never had a swift.
I purchased a ball winder years ago for my MIL who is a wonderful woman and crochets. I am a simple crafter but find myself owning a basket full of yarn skeins. I finally purchased my own winder and love it.
I love my Prym Ergonomic needles. I have arthritis and I find them easier to hold on to plus I drop fewer stitches. I also don't accidentally knit 2 stitches together if I am in poor lighting. The other thing I love is my neck light! That thing has been a game changer when knitting with dark colors!
As a beginner knitter my absolute must-have knitting tool is a stitch wire! Being uncertain about how the project is turning out and being able to try it on without having to put all stitches on hold on a separate string of yarn is such a lifesaver. Or mindsaver.
Oooo yes! I've never really considered this, but I definitely understand the value there. And "mindsaver" is right!
Thank you for watching Caroline!
The Olikraft large ball winder is AMAZING! For the swift though, I prefer the tabletop Amish-style, adjustable peg swift style.
On your recommendation I purchased the Stanwood Needlecraft Ball Winder. I LOVE it SO much!! It is truly wonderful to use, smooth, sturdy and makes wonderful cakes!!
Another item I’d wrestle to keep is my neck lamp for night knitting!
Definitely agree on the ball winder and swift. Both of mine are Knitpicks and work great. Had some giant yarn tangles prior to getting those.
So agree with all! After struggling with a floor swift thing and ending in many yarn tangle tragedies, I got a knit picks wooden swift and it was amazing with my ball winder. I also laughed and thought “yeah she’s right” at you preferring individual rather than interchangeable sets….I own three expensive interchangeable sets and somehow I never have the right combo of needle size and cord length hahahaha.
My husband got me that exact ball winder as a surprise gift a few years ago. I had no idea, he did all the research on best ball winders himself and I just love that thing. Certainly one of the best gifts I've ever received!
It's astonishing that two people could have the same hobby and have so little equipment in common!
My needles are all straight (there's a virgin circular needle lurking in the collection somewhere) - although, like you, I do have some duplicates. Some duplicates were purchased when I was on holiday and didn't have the right sizes with me, others were purchased because I wasn't sure whether I had that size or not. One pair of really fine ones was purchased because they can be quite hard to obtain but I use them a lot, so I wanted spares. My needles live in a robust bag. If I want more needles, I've inherited my mother's collection, hers are in a box that had a roll of scented paper in it.
I live in a part of the world where moths eat anything and everything, so my stash has to be kept airtight.
If I have a hank I drape it over my knees and get a lot of exercise physically winding it into a ball. Nothing like doing a decent quantity of a fine two ply where you're winding the best part of a mile of wool. (See comment above about the fine needles - that's what they get used for!)
I try to be disciplined and only do one project at a time to prevent the problem of multiple projects languishing.
So, my must-have knitting kit items:
* crochet hooks - great for fixing mistakes
* wool needles - a back, a front and two sleeves don't become a jumper until they are all assembled. Wool needles can double as cable needles in an emergency
* gauge - for converting between sizes or working out what size a pair of needles is if the numbers have worn off them. All right, some of my needles are old.
* lamp with a magnifying glass. My eyesight is crap, so I need the light and magnification for those crochet-hook moments - see above.
I finish one project before moving on to another, too. Mainly it's because I'm afraid that if I put one project down to start a second, the original one will never be finished.
I've seen a couple people fit a handheld power drill in place of the handle on their manual ballwinder and I think its genius. Gives you more control over the speed of the winder and is inexpensive if you already have a drill
Thanks so much for another wonderful video! 🌸 Just some helpful thoughts… Maybe you could sell your expensive ball winder to try and recoup some of your investment(?) Or, since your husband and dad work with wood, maybe they could lightly sand or roughen up the post a little so that yarn will grab onto it better(?) 😃 Henderson is a really beautiful area! My daughter and grandsons moved there a year ago (her husband works at the Dam) and we’re visiting them again soon! (So excited!)
Definitely agree with the ball winder and swift, but I use an Amish swift because I have had bad luck with umbrella swifts and the slats breaking. I also cannot be deprived of my interchangeable needle set, I always have what I need (most of the time lol)!
Im so with you Tonja! I have the Stanwood ball winder and an Amish swift. I also love my Chiagoo interchangeable set. I would add to that my Chiagoo rubber grippers so I can ensure the join is tight enough and also my needle stoppers and stitch markers - they both save me a lot of headaches.
I lovee my Amish swift too!
Yes, I have an umbrella swift and one of my slats broke. As a Canuck, my first go-to is duck tape! That was years ago now and the repair job has held up just fine.
Loved the list; part of the reason I went to go get a winder and swift. I've just hand wound everything but I guess it's time to save myself some time and effort.
However, after knitting (and crocheting) for a while, my sets of interchangeable and DPNS were major game changers (especially if you get them in the material you most like)! It gives you a lot more flexibility if you need to adjust your gauge or you want more or less wire length. It also removes the question of whether or not you have the right equipment to start a project.
Slight underrated tools I'd suggest is pen/pencil and a notebook or a copy of the pattern you can write notes on.
I recently bought a spinning yarn holder (a wooden one) and it is quickly becoming one of my favourite tools, especially because I live in a tiny house and don’t have any space for baskets to hold my yarn while I’m knitting it. It even holds two yarns at a time so it’s great when I’m knitting with mohair and wool.
I've been drooling over those as well.... space being an issue here and I already have 2 yarn bowls. Just haven't justified it yet....lol
After years of frustration with the classic cheap plastic ball winder, I got the ball winder you have (from another brand) and am very very happy with it. I've had an umbrella swift attached to my counter for years that has been working great. A knitting "tool" that I can't live without is an Excel speeadsheet that has formulas for all kinds of knitting related numbers. It just told me that the sweater I'm knitting is going to be smaller than I want based on my gauge so to the frog pond it went.
Spread shee??? Do fell More Please!!
My No. 1 thing would be my interchangeable needles. I love them especially when it comes to knitting sleeves because they give me so many choices. I can use a longer needle to knit with that rests in my knitting hand better and gives me more control but I can choose to knit off a shorter maybe even smaller needle which especially towards the end of the sleeve makes it easier for me to “get around the curve” because it makes the “needle + cord set” shorter. Hard to explain but maybe you’ll understand what I mean.
I bought a knitpicks ball winder years ago and didn't really use it as I found I didn't get good winding with anyone holding the yarn for me. Last year I purchased a very cheap swift and also actually watched a tutorial of how to wind a ball. Let me tell you..... total game changer! I now run the yarn just over my finger as it comes off the swift to as a bit of tension and it works great! My only problem is that if I want to wind bigger balls with more yardage, ie laceweight or Wollmeise 4ply then I definitely need to get a jumbo winder. I'll probably get another knitpicks one if they have jumbo ones (I haven't looked yet) as the one I have atm works well.
With your Ashford electric winder, would putting wax or some masking tape on the stick/pole of your winder help do you think? You didn't mention any other issues so I don't know if you've t tried other things or not and they still don't work. You could also sand the polish or varnish off to make it bare wood.... that might increase the grip better as well. Good luck and happy winding 😀
Oh man. This episode was so useful and unexpectedly, hilarious! First off, I’ve been on the fence about a swift and ball winder, and your recommendation definitely swayed me… especially the reminder that if you forgo a few skeins of yarn one month you can use that money towards the Swift and ball winder. Seems simple enough, but sometimes we need that reminder. 🤣
I laughed out loud when I saw the contraption that you had all of your circular needles on…. And man the way it kept chiming, and moving around as you tried to explain. It felt like it had a life of its own. Just hysterical. Points for creativity and a definite practical use of one of those pant/skirt hangers! I have a box that I got as a gift but I haven’t actually organized everything in there yet. We’ll see how it goes. I might end up using a hanger too. The labeled Ziploc bags I was using were driving me nuts….😂
Loved the Ashford review. Could feel that buyer’s remorse! You can tell it still hits a nerve. It would me too! $550 is absolutely obscene for it not to work seamlessly every single time.
A marvelous video as usual. Thank you for the knitty rambles. You are one of my favorite YT knitters. I always walk away with having learned something new and inspired to pick up my needles. 💚🧶😁
I don't have a yarn winder, because I don't want it to clutter my space. But it is on my buy-list for when I move and have more space. Also, I don't often use hand-dyed yarn, so for the few times legs and arms suffice 😂
I absolutely 120% with you on my Stanwood ball winder! It has been with me since 2014 and still going strong. It makes the most perfect/beautiful looking cake. I love my ball winder.
This video was very informative for me as a beginner knitter. I had been debating about the swift and ball winder as well as the mannequin. Now I will be getting them! Thank you for the links as well! 😀🧶👍
I would urge you to get the ballwinder mentioned in this video, I have one by Knitpro and it wounds reasonably well fingering-dk weight yarn but it's not so good on bulkier weights. Of course the price of these items playes a big part with these purhases so think carefully.
Love the needle organization. Do you have a link to that hanger?
Thank you for the video! I just got a winder and swift and was worried I shouldnt have! Happier now that I’ve seen this. Also my one thing I couldn’t do without is my binder with zipped plastic pouches that I like to keep my needles in 😂, I can just flick through and see what sizes I have haha.
I use a day planner! I replaced all the paper pages with the see through plastic zipper pouches, its been a great portable needle case.
I put all my needles inside see-through plastic "envelopes" inside two binders (one for circs, the other for DPNs) when Kevin (Needles at the Ready) showed us his system. Then he and Ray went and got all fancy with some expensive leather cases, but I'm sticking with my binders. I think Tayler's circ collection is multipurpose, though, because she could hang it out on her front porch as a wind chime. 🙂
Just gonna throw it out there, it’s probably been said, but the Frankensweater should be called “The Gladys Sweater”
Ooooo lala. I likeee.
I totally agree, Lindsay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I just subscribed, I love knitting I have been knitting has been since about 1965.. No I am not good it has been hit am miss for me. I enjoy it but I feel I am a beginning knitter most times. I love making socks and do the toe up, two at a time. I hate the lonely sock thing.
I do have a winder and a swift. I have fought with yarns way too much. I got mine about 6 years ago for an anniversary gift from my Mr.
Cho GUI? (Spelling?). The red cable needles. I adore… they are the best in my mind. WOW!! $550…. Eegads!! Ashford spinning wheels are lovely. Thank you for sharing your fun…. I love the swift and winder for certain. And the cabled needles.. those are my favorites.
Mine is definitely my hyiahyia sharp interchangeable set of needles, my yarn swift and ball winder. My other favourite things that I love are my sock ruler and my bulb stitch markers, which I use for progress keepers, regular stitch markers to mark out pattern repeats in my needles, also to mark my decreases on anything! 😁
Hi I would love to have a yarn swift one day. But currently one of my valuable knitting tools is a little tin with stitch markers, darning needles, small foldable ✂ and measuring tape. It is 3 inches and goes everywhere with projects.
I have a sizeable needle collection and keep them in a divided accordion file folder.
One more comment. Although not essential, I'm thinking of getting one of those small scales people use to weigh their yarn. It is a great idea for wanting to know if there is enough left on the ball for another row. Weighing before and after knitting a row. Also for knowing how much yarn is left in stash.
I seldom knit with anything other than interchangeables. My first (& still used) set was Knitters Pride wooden and then several years ago I purchased a ChiaoGoo metal set. Love them! I couldn't be without my scale, winder & swift.
I'd say my Susan Bates vintage nylon circulars are my necessary tool. Over the years previous to them, I collected various metal, wood and plastic needles, and interchangeable sets but find the old time nylon circs work the best for me as far as being easier on joints, muscles and needle grip. I may not be the fastest knitter, but I'm going for longevity 😄
Your dress form has given me the idea to get one. I am doing top-down sweaters and it would be useful to see how a neckline and shoulders are fitting during the crucial yoke stage. I have a glass hat form which is not my head size but gives an aesthetically pleasing way to display my hats both in progress and finished.
Lived without a swift for waaayy too long and now cannot live without the chiaogoo "amish style" swift. It breaks down to almost nothing which with little to no space is a life saver!
Got a yarn winder and that swift for Christmas for myself. I use mine to frog expensive thrifted sweaters! I love them!
I feel the same way about my collection of crochet hooks/knitting needles. I have the ones I prefer to use the most but good luck prying them from my cold dead hands. I would also have to add my craft bags. I have to have them so I can take my project(s) and necessary crafting supplies with me on the go
I have my grandmoms Swift. Its beautiful and works like a charm!!
We have the exact same ball winder. ❤ agree on the swift. I think the cheap umbrella one is just okay if you don’t use that many hanks but they do tend get spinning too fast sometimes so the nicer swift would be a good investment long term.
Stitch markers are another one I had to buy recently. I didn’t really like the idea of the little paper clip bulbs until I started a sock and my crochet stitch markers were too thick. I have all the sizes of crochet hooks lurking about but those are helpful for fixing dropped stitches.
Maybe another thing is cables for the interchangeable set that freely swivel.
😀 love your reaction to the electric winder. I wouldn’t ever part with my Chiaogoo collection, but I’d gladly give up the Addi needles I have.
I’m the opposite. For me Addi beats Chiaaogoo any day.
I actually gave away all of my Addi needles (I had many - they were my first foray into needles). I loathed the cables and I didn't much love the tips either. And they were so expensive.
Hey,
This was great.
For me the essential tools are: my interchangeables and some sets of DPN's, various crochet hooks, my Tapestry Needles and a pair of scissors.
The swift and a ball winder are on my list, because I think they really make a difference, although I like winding the balls by hand for the extra time with my yarn.
Happy knitting and crafting,
Uschi
My must haves: stanwood swift (their ball winder is on my wish list, I just have a cheap one right now), my knitpicks interchangeables, and my (very large) stash of pretty stitch markers. Are the stitch markers necessary? No. Do they bring me joy and will I fight to the death for them? Yes.
They'll have to pry my Nancy's Knit Knacks wooden ball winder from my cold dead hands. So solid! No unsightly plastic and components are certainly much thicker than the metal body winder you showed. I have the hand operated version but it also comes in electric. Smooth and silent. Expensive, but I got it second hand from an ebay estate sale; no regrets. I certainly wouldn't keep it in a dye area, but it is swanky enough to display full time in my living room/knit area.
Hmmm…I’m not sure if I have favorite knitting “tools” per se, but I do have special items from my knitting life. My notions pouch, about 16 years old from when I began knitting. A beautiful felted interchangeable needle holder from Rhinebeck, almost as old. My project bags…so many that I adore, especially my Joji ones and Tannei Casei, and especially a GORGEOUS ice dyed one from Chelsea Yarns/Salty Purls! I’d grab some patiently waiting, precious yarns, for sure. And last, but absolutely not least, I have a stunning stained glass jar in pinky-violet colors that was gifted to me from a knitting friend. It lives on the cubby unit next to my bed and holds my very special collection of Furls crochet hooks. THAT would be the thing I’d grab if I could only pick one! Maybe I’ll send you a photo on Insta…it’s so very pretty.💖💜💖
Hi. Just going through your videos randomly. I am so new to knitting but I love my knitters pride needles and Tunisian hooks cables are interchangeable. As I’m getting into hand dyed yarns, I’m considering the standwood winder and a swift but that’s probably a ways off. I have so much acrylic that needs used first and I’m ok winding the few hanks and minis by hand. I love your content. I learn something from every video.
Yes, ball winder, swift and yarn storage. Love my interchangeable needles in addition to fixed circulars. I'm a magic looper so like the versatility of cord length options and stoppers to hold a project on the cord while I use the needles for something else. Barber cords have been a game changer and timesaver. Stitches slip on and off for sleeve stitches and trying on top-down sweaters are great!
I just got that Stanwood ball winder within the last month and absolutely love the thing! And I got it for half price! What a great purchase!
My favorite tool is my gram scale...I am constantly playing yarn chicken and it really helps budget the last bits of yarn
I love my scale too. Bought it at a marijuana dispensary. No one believed I was going to use it to weigh wool. Now if I‘m making booties or mittens from yarn scraps, I know for sure after knitting the first if I‘ll have enough wool for the second of the pair.
@@Ampharb exactly! You can really plan!
I've only recently discovered you, and I'm enjoying the midweek rants hugely. Have yet to locate the podcast, but will....
I was so happy to be able to sell my collection of many needles and exchange them for my interchangeable sets. I don't have the space you do and my storage options are far smaller, so finding the right needle each time was annoying, and sometimes so unsuccessful that I bought a new needle only to discover later that I already had that size. Grrr. So I like my neat little pouches. The other thing I value, probably out of all proportion, is my collection of bags. Having the right size bag for the project(s) I'm taking with me is such a luxury.
I wonder if you have a favorite neck light. They seem to come in such a wide spread of prices that I'm a little at a loss.
Thanks!
Thank you so much for being here! Welcome! And podcast episodes come out each Sunday. 😘😘
For another show could you demonstrate how to be sure you have skein on swift correctly. I’m long ,long time knitter but recently had 4 different skeins get hopelessly tangled, one skein I worked on for 20 hours and still threw away.
(consider roughing teh surface of the wood for the posh yarnwinder? like with a very fine sand paper, OR, even just tak eof the "finish" of the wood on that part?)
I purchased an Ashford electric ball winder too and I agree with you.
I have a ball winder and swift, which I will not part with. I would like to have all 3 the others you talked about - especially Gladys made a huge impression on me. When looking at your Amazon list, I really covet the portable spin dryer and the little knitting mill for making i-cord (something that I need TODAY!
You can pry my Chiaogoo interchangeables from my crusty dead hands. I struggle with magic loop and DPN and having a large variety of cable lengths makes me excited to knit. 😅
If I am remembering correctly, Natalie of Knitty Natty suggested a rubber band around the ball winder for slippery yarn.
I have an Amish style swift that works very well, too. I love my Stanwood!
Thanks, great podcast!
I was thinking of using sand paper to add a little grip.
@@cortneyrobinson1019 Funny. I was thinking exactly the same thing. Or it could be some kind of flat rubber material, cut to fit just around the shaft.
I have to say my Chiagoo interchangeable needle set is my best purchase. I have been knitting since i was 7 and now at 60 it is a life changer. Having travelled everywhere with my bulky needle roll with all my long needles and dpns this just seems magical! I am going to purchase the ball winder you suggest though as mine makes yarn barf constantly.
As I am working my way through the TKGA Master's Program, I have come to appreciate a rigid, clear lucite ruler, straight pins with ball heads on a magnetic holder, and blocking matts with grid lines. Swatching and blocking are essential, and having the proper tools for blocking and measuring allows you to get the most out of the added effort it takes. :)
I have considered (the)TKGA master knitter program. I hear it can be frustrating to knit what you think is a perfect swatch, and get it back with all of the notes. Still, I’m looking to learn, so I would probably appreciate it. Good Luck to you!
@@KimClinger The program is rigorous for sure, but I have learned so much. I would say it is not for everyone because it entails research and knitting things you may not be interested in (to demonstrate mastery of a concept or skill). I do feel I have become a much better knitter. It is humbling but rewarding!
Great video! I love my ball winder from Knit Picks; it was a gift from my non-knitting daughter. And I don't know how I managed without my swift! But gosh, picking out just a couple more things? I'll try... My interchangeable needles from Knit Picks, with the square-shaped needles are my favorite set. Sadly, the 6 and the 7 have both broken: one should not sit on one's knitting. I keep all of my dpns in a lovely fabric roll from Etsy; best storage buy ever. Finally, stitch markers: my short-term memory is now so short that if a snail crawled over it, it would not even be a speed bump. I need my stitch markers, and my favorite set are these little gold-tone loops, probably jewelry findings, with a tiny glass bead over the join. I use these markers all the time, and I must have a dozen different sets, and probably over a hundred markers, total. Your yarn storage shelving unit is just lovely, btw!
I would need my Lantern Moon swivel cords, knit picks shortie wood needles and Karbonz needles (because of the pointy end for lace weight yarn/snug knitting) chia goo metal interchangeable/corded needles, notions bag and stitch markers.
I have my yarn stash in a china hutch that I repurposed. All glass front so I can see it all the time. It inspires me. What I noticed about your yarn stash is that you love solid and tonal colors. I didn't see much in speckled or multi-color yarns. I'm the same way. I couldn't knit without my swift and ball winder. Mine are manual. I've knit my whole life, but it wasn't until about 10 years ago that I found out through the internet that there was really nice yarn out there. I had knit and crochet blankets all with acrylic yarns. And I had those cheap plastic knitting needles. Chiao Goo needles are my very favorite. I can't believe the difference in knitting after I got my first set. I'm hoping to some day own the interchangeable sets too. I could not knit with out those needles. Another thing is a needle gage, because we all have loose needles and have to gage them to find out what they are. A good pair of scissor nips. A good darning needle. And don't forget the chocolate! Gotta have chocolate for those days you get to set and knit all day. I have my tea and some chocolate and I'm good. Again, your podcasts are very inspiring and you teach a lot of things that is common sense. Thank you.
Hi. This is the first time i watch your video. I really liked it! Especially, i loved that you named your mannequin Gladys. My name is Gladys, and i don't see it used often. Thanks for the video! I will keep watching. I have been knitting and crocheting for most of my life, since I was 6, and now I'm 60. I also teach both, and any new ideas are always welcome. Great job with the video!
Hi Gladys! Thank you so much for watching and for introducing yourself. Gladys is such a good name. 😉❤️
Pry out of my cold dead hands: 1) My Knitters Pride Karbonz interchangeable needles, and all the fixed ones; 2) my OG Knit Picks interchangeable laminated birch interchangeable needles and fixed ones (not the 2.0 version that happened when Knitters Pride bought the factory or whatever, take those…please.) 3) My sock yarn stash…I need lots of socks…need (not a notion, but you can’t have it, regardless. 4) My ‘go to’ reference on how to do everything books…one is small and portable and 20 years old and I can’t remember the title, other is a 20 year old Vogue Knitting Bible book. 5) Yarn winder and swift…even tho they’re really cheap and dinky, and they need upgraded…okay, take them…force me to knuckle down and get a decent one of each, at least the swift. (Checking Knit Picks right now to see if they have a sale…) 6) My Knit Kit little ‘travels with you and has a counter, yarn cutter, tape measure, crochet hook, needle gauge measure, and under that holds knit markers. It was about $20 when it came out…I got two…and they go with every traveling project. All of this is put into an oval ½ in deep, 3 in diameter little engineering marvel. They stopped making them for some unknown reason. These two will be pried out of my cold dead hands!
My puffy coat tote bag. It holds my looms, my yarn, and it's a conversation piece. A few years ago, I decorated a mini wood coffin with the words "knit survival kit," and I love bringing that out in the fall. Those are my 2 favorites.
I am not the same as you as far as the knitting knee does. I love my interchangeable set. I think I might have to get that ball winder, looks very nicely designed with metal parts.
thank you! Realizing I'd really like to have a swift (and now a ball winder). Just didn't know what kind, quality, etc. You are super helpful
1. Swift; I have one of the cheap plastic and wire ones from Amazon. I paid $20 about 10 years ago. It's probably almost time to replace it, but I do use it quite often, so I definitely got my money's worth.
2. Ball winder - I recently got the same one you have, and I have the ubiquitous white and orange plastic one. I mostly prefer the larger winder, but for small amounts of yarn the core is too big. The small winder is better for minis and leftovers.
3. My ChiaoGoo interchangeables, they're almost the only needles I use except when I need dpns for small items. (I struggle with magic loop.)
4. Sticky notes and a pencil for marking which line of the pattern or chart I'm on.
5. A ruler for checking gauge. I actually enjoy swatching to see how the pattern works up, and I save the swatches for reference. My ruler has markings for 32nds of an inch on the first 4 inches, and 16ths the rest. Plus cm/mm. It's a metal ruler and the markings begin and end exactly at the edge for accuracy.
Bonus item: stitch stoppers. I finally gave in and bought them a few days ago. Game changer. No more lost stitches in my project bag (which goes everywhere with me, even physical therapy for when I need ice.)
I have instructions to make a custom Gladys using duct tape and an old t-shirt, after seeing this video I need to get an assistant and make it. And name it. 😃
i’m always grabbing my tape measure and gauge square. i have several in different project bags but i’m always needing them.
I love the midweek rambles. And I agree with you about the ball winder. When I have some time (or am procrastinating), I pull a skein out of the stash and get to work. I love having cakes: the look, the center pull, the uniformity of them. I don't have a swift (yes, I use a chairback), but maybe one day I'll get one. For now, I'm happy with my process. I just got a set of ChiaoGoo interchangeables, and I am thrilled. I don't know what I couldn't live without.... probably my books, I have a wonderful library of knitting/crocheting/weaving books, and they provide all kinds of help and inspiration as I learn.
I have one particular project bag I can't do without. It is large (holds the yarn, project and tools) and has a draw string so the yarn can remain inside but not be married to the bag through a grommet and it has a single wide short strap that allows me to drape it on my arm and knit while standing (such as while waiting in line or something). I've even done sewing repair on it because it's no longer on the market. Love that bag. Also my neck or head lamps, love love love the extra targeted light while knitting.
Must have swift and ball winder. I have Knit Picks swift and similar ball winder to hers. I could not live without them. Just an FYI, I was taught to wind twice as the first one may be tight which changes the length of the fibers and could cause shaping issues. So the second wind will be looser. Not sure how true that is, but I do wind twice.
I love, love, love my Amish swift and my yarn winder. Neither were very expensive, but after a few years of hand winding my yarn, this made such a difference! I also love my Katrinkles yarn gauge tools. I have a two inch and four inch one, and it just makes reading my gauge so easy! I would not spend money on a yarn bowl. I received one (I really wanted one!) but now it just holds tools and extra bits and pieces. I never use it the way it was intended.
My hubby made me an Amish swift, I joke that I love it more than him sometimes
@@aggierowe9574 how cool that he made you one!
@@heathermckillip742 He saw it on YT! Another husband made one for his wife
Like you I am a Chaigoo needle lover! I also get so excited when I can buy a new needle for a project. I have 3 storage cases for my needles. One is inherited from my mother who I think received it from my grandmother. The case contains their straight needles and tools. The other two are roll cases I sewed myself about 20 years ago. One is very tall for straight needles and the other is short and is where I store my circulars.
I also have the Stanwood ball winder💗.
i (genuinely) appreciate your respectful honesty. interchangeable needle sets appeal to my occasional bouts of OCD, so i mostly go that route. that plus a ball-winder, swift, and a steady supply of bulb-shaped safety pins are my 'must haves'. i also keep a few crochet hooks (tiny, med, and jumbo) with my needles. they are lifesavers! oh... and i prefer to work with a sleepy cat keeping me company.
I am happy I started my knitting adventure with interchangeable Chiagoo right away when I decided to learn knitting again. It is very convenient and really help to economise space. :)
Just learned the magic loop technique together with learning how to knit socks, and it was fun! Did not knit two together because I used 3 different yarns for the socks, and it would be too much to manage on one knit (6 yarns), but the result is great. Always were terrified of the 5-needles socks knitting arrangement, tried it many years ago when I was 14ish, and thought I will never touch any knitting. And here I am. So, the right tools are important.
You're absolutely right! The right tools are so important for keeping the craft together and workable for us. I'm a firm believer in that. Thank you so much for watching. ❤️
I adore my row counters, neck light, and knit picks Caspian interchangeables!
I waited for years to invest in an automatic ball winder, and purchased the Fiber Artist Supply co one last year. Every time I use it it feel a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. Best investment ever.
I suggest adding texture to the shaft of the Ashford winder. there are self stick strips that are used to add texture to steps for safety. I would temporarily tape them in place and see if you can find the best solution. They are sort of like sand permanently stuck to a tape backing. Then it might be worth the money.
I absolutely love your idea for storing your fixed needles.....what exactly is the frame called and where did you get it from please?