Here's a little glimpse of a bigger project that I will tell you about in a bit. It involves making knitting needles, because yes, I'm too cheap to buy a bunch of needles at the store. For the same price as one pair of bamboo #7 needles, I made 8+ pair (I just haven't finished them all).
Well, I do think that craft materials are overpriced. Even $3 for a pair of metal knitting needles? I find that hard to believe. When I want a pair for myself, I bring a coupon. But if I need 8 pairs, a coupon won't help.
You can see my “prototype” pair of bamboo needles by the jar. |
My dear friend Nancy, who is a veritable crafting dynamo and should really have a blog of her own, except it would make us all look very bad, told me about making her needles. At first I pish-toshed because I hadn't assimilated how much they would cost to buy.
Then I reconsidered.
These aren't bamboo, they are poplar, which is the sort of dowel they had at Lowe's. I would like to find some other wood that finishes up a little silkier, but oak, for instance, wasn't coming in the size I wanted. Oak and poplar, those were the choices.
Here's what I used:
A pencil sharpener.
Fine sandpaper and extra-fine sandpaper for the first finish. (Just what was lying around in the garage. I bet I could find better sandpaper.)
A steel wool scrubber.
A finger-nail polisher that has these sides: Smooth, Buff, and Shine. I used the first two and they really helped with the final finish.
Beeswax paste — my own recipe from my bees' wax!
I think I would like an adjustable pencil sharpener, because that is how you start them — you sharpen the ends of the dowels by sort of holding the dowel as best you can in the center of the sharpener and twisting it as you go. Not perfect — I have several rejects that got too short.
If I do a few more like that, I'll have a set of DPNs!
My sweet husband figured out how to drill holes in the little 1/2″ wooden buttons I bought to make needle ends. He used his Forstner bit to remove a plug-sized hole in a piece of scrap wood.
His enthusiasm for this project was heightened by the prospect of using his new Forstner bits.
He put the button in that hole and then used his drill press to make a 3/16″ hole in the plug to receive the end of the needle.
Of course this hole is no longer centered under the drill bit, but you get the idea. The plug sits in that hole and then it's easy to drill it — with a drill press. |
Then he made 3/16″ holes in another piece of scrap wood so that the needles could stand in there while the carpenter's glue dried.
Even if the buttons cracked a bit, the glue hardened them up.
If I do this again, I would ask for holes drilled in neat pairs, because after you have finished your needles they are random sizes and you have to pair them up and then keep them in pairs because that's sort of fiddly work, pairing them, and you don't want to keep on doing it. Of course, you could just do it at the end, I suppose.
Tying them up is helpful.
I finished them off with my beeswax paste and a good buff. They aren't perfectly smooth and I an already think of ways to do a better job on them, but one thing that's nice is that the tips are pointier than metal needles' tips, so that's a plus, especially when working with cotton yarn.
I can't resist. This is the photo Rosie sent before she left, to assure us that little Philip would be well dressed for our climate. Scary, isn't he? |
Lisa says
I can't knit, and can't believe you!
Homemade needles, homemade beeswax paste? I just spent forever simply trying to hang some vintage plates on a wall.
That is one SUPER cute baby! 🙂
Cammy says
Very clever, as well as frugal. But I'm intrigued: why do you need so many knitting needles? And how do you know what size they are? Did you just bring your little knitting needle size guide thingamajig with all the holes in it to Lowe's?
Cammy
Maria says
Thanks for this tutorial! This looks like a fun project. I don't know how to use a drill/don't have access to one, but if I make these I'll use rocks or shells or large glass beads for the ends. SO much fun!!! Thanks again!
Joy says
Very cool! I love those needles. I prefer bamboo to metal but…I'm a very fortunate girl in that I inherited all of my grandmother's and great aunt's knitting needles so I have at least three pairs in every sizes plus dpn's in 4 sizes. I'll never have to buy a needle if I'm careful with them. 🙂 That said, the one kind they didn't have were circular needles so I bought one of those to try knitting in the round because I'm too chicken to try with dpn's. One day I'll be bold like you, Auntie Leila, and just jump in. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your needles and that scary lion. I love his grin.
Kelly R. says
I know your comment is 7 years old tomorrow, but just in case anyone else thinks this, I have one answer to that. I just made my own knitting needles today, though they aren’t quite finished – I was looking for a way to wax them or otherwise make them drag less on my yarn despite lots of sanding with different grits of sandpaper. Anyhow, the project I want to make calls for a cast on of 110 stitches. I tried using 14 inch needles – the largest you can purchase – and circular needles with a 29 inch cable, but I have a hard time keeping my gauge straight on those when I knit straight, so what I wanted was a pair of straight needles longer than 16 inches. To get that, you have to make them yourself. So now I have a pair of 24 inch 4mm, or Size 6, needles. That wasn’t exactly the size I wanted, I have to go with whatever size, in fractions of inches instead of millimeters, they carry at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Also, it’s nice to have multiple sets of needles in the same size if you’re working on something like what I was making this Winter – a sweater – especially a Raglan sweater – because you might need to hold each piece unfinished – per the pattern – on extra needles until all pieces are ready for final construction. More practically, if you have teens or adolescents and they’re interested in learning to knit but aren’t very responsible, it’s better to have cheaply made, easily replaced needles!
margo says
yay! one more thing that doesn't need to be bought commercially! I mean really, we're still reading Little House and those people made EVERYTHING.
Now, why are you making so many knitting needles of the almost-same size? Are you going to teach a class?
Kate says
Eight pairs of needles! Are you starting a knitting class? I've amassed a large collection of knitting needles from thrift stores. Hardly anyone knits anymore (at least in my neck of the country) so they go cheap, although as the older generations die off they are getting harder to find used. My husband bought me a beautiful pair of dark wood needles with carved ends in early marriage. I broke one of them when I sat on the chair where I had left my knitting. Sigh… only metal ones for me now (although unnamed children have bent the points of a few, trying to pick locks and whatever else male children do with pointy objects).
Amy says
This is such a great idea. I have the goal of attempting to turn knitting needles on a lathe. I have just never gotten around to it. This way I can use different exotic woods to make some knitting needles so much cheaper than if I were to buy them.
Kristin says
OK, I am very intrigued, but I think I am being dense. Were the dowels the size you wanted for the needles, or was part of the sharpening/sanding process also making them a different size?
Cheryl says
I am tagging you a Versatile Blogger.
Cheryl
http://ldsmomtomany.blogspot.com/2011/03/desk-to-… scroll to the piggy back post.
Mom again says
$3 is a bargain seeing as how first I'd need to divorce my hubby and aquire another with various woodworking machines and the will and knowledge to use them. Then we'd have to get bees.
I too hunt for them in thrift shops.
Rachel P. says
They look all the same size. Was that intentional? I can understand wanting a few needles of the same size in the case of multiple projects all requiring the same size needles and being impatient to start the next project, but how do you know what size they are in the first place?
dottie says
Leila,
Did you mark the buttons by woodburning or using a sharpie to know what the needle size is?
You're amazing! And that grandson of yours…..too cute!
BeckyJ says
Agreeing with everyone else on the extreme cuteness of your grandson! What a doll! Thank you for this tutorial. I had one knitting lesson last year and started a scarf, but haven't picked it up in months. This post makes me want to pick it up again. What if you marked the buttons somehow, maybe paint colors, to show pairs?
I also wanted to let you know that I've chosen you for a blogger award. You can go here (below) to pick up the button and instructions- if you have time, that is! http://apeacefuldwelling.blogspot.com/2011/03/sty…
RichLL says
This is astonishing. Please continue writing about things that are so foreign to me they might as well be written in Farsi. I find this stuff fascinating. Eternal Optimist
no spring chicken says
I just have to say that I am really enjoying following your blog. I found you several months ago and have been laughing aloud at the computer ever since ( my husband always know when I am checking your blog) . I don't spend much time at the computer, but as a parent of older children I am delighted at the work you are doing to encourage the younger parents. I am especially thankful that your sage advice is seasoned always with the presence of God. Congratulations on the newest member of your family. He is luscious! My oldest daughter was married last July and I eagerly await THE news.
Sheryl says
I have been getting so much enjoyment from your blog! I came over about a month ago from Nester and have been spending my evenings reading past posts and “catching up”. So much fun and lots of good DIY ideas and wonderful recipes. Thanks for sharing your beautiful family. It is like having young ones again and is so lovely to relive the arrival of a new grandchild. I learned from a dear Grandmother. Good to see you sharing with so many who don't have those resources. Keep posting, including the wonderful pictures, I will keep reading. Note: It isn't possible for a post to be too long! 🙂 I love reading the comments, too.
Sheryl says
I burbled on and forgot to say- Write the sizes on the top of the needles in different colors of sharpies or paint, or nail polish? Just a thought.
A Mitchell says
I love wooden knitting needles. I love the feel and the sound when you knit with them. Even though I have some, I am careful using them as they do break. With this idea, there isn't that worry. Thanks! I imagine that there are other solutions for the piece of wood at the end. I can imagine using lovely beads!
emily b says
I love all of your beautiful yarn. And those knitting needles are adorable! I would want a pair just in light of the cute factor!
emily b
amy says
I can't knit yet but wow! I love anything that will help save money especially with crafts! How inspiring! By the way, I just started blogging again after a few pathetic attempts before and I have to say that I love your blog and read it often! I totally get all of your child training ideas because I have 7 children too and if there is no order there is chaos!
jenletts says
These look lovely, Leila! I've used chopsticks straight from the Chinese restaurant before when I REALLY needed to knit right then!
SewSassySeamstress says
ME too, I got lucky in Philly. They had cube shaped chop sticks, so I have a set of 8 faux cubics. lol or are they cubix? hmmm squared needles
Dmarie says
that little tongue sticking out is the sweetest thing ever. great post!
Anne says
I have a question about your needles. Are they standard sizes? I mean, when it says to use a number 7, do you go, yes, this one I made to be a number 7?
Tracy says
I made a pair!!! 🙂 http://beforeandafterdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/03…
thanks for sharing!!
SewSassySeamstress says
Neat ones, did you eventually trim them down or keep using them in the longer length? I yearn for shorter needles in all sizes.
SewSassySeamstress says
Wow, I could not resist reading this blog entry, I love making my own needles and am nervy enough to have started planning how to go about machining metal needles. erm I’d just be doing the planning/sketching and would have to get my hubs to machine them for me. The beeswax recipe is of great interest to me, I use lanolin or lanolin mixed with this or that for everything. Leila I was so hoping you made a reply to the many comments, you really hit on a hot topic that is actually ‘still’ hot today in the way of DIY & save a few $$’s
I hope all is well and I’m going to spend my evening looking through your blog entries. You are my kinda gal.