An Easy Way to Make Your Own Knitting Needles

I’ve always wanted to try making knitting needles out of dowels. I actually bought some little dowels for the purpose. Then my daughter broke one and I was reluctant to try making needles with the dowel if it was so easy to break a 5-year-old could do it.

I’ll probably still try it sometime.

If you’re interested in making your own needles, a trip to the craft store will get you everything you need for this design from Try it Like It. The dowels are whittled down to a point, then wooden beads are glued to one end to make a needle stop.

You could make these in different sizes so long as you have a bead that will comfortably fit on the end of the dowel. The ones shown are both pretty large and pretty short, but you’re making them, so you can make them however you want.

Have you ever made knitting needles? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Try It Like It.]

Next Pattern:

The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

Next Pattern:

Comments

Have you read?