I seemingly dared to call safety pins bobby pins. My mistake. I count on your leniency and understanding that English is, after all, not my native tongue. Setting that aside, actual bobby pins can also be great tools *smirk*
Just wanted to say on an unrelated note, I really appreciate your breadth of language - words like "pilfer" and "harken" don't come up much but add a poetic note. By the way, the end of a shoelace is called an "aglet" (Pinke), which is a word that probably most native English speakers don't even know. Years ago I lived in Hamburg (and indeed, later briefly in Vienna) and taught the Cambridge English Certificate and there was a vocabulary page of words for tiny things like pins, paperclips and needles and it made you realise how many things you interact with regularly but don't learn in school.
Wow..didn't know that and I'd say that's a very rare say I don't know an English word. Tho, apparently I mistook a Bobby pin for a safety pin. Haha..but that's a different issue
I was surprised to hear Norman use "harken," too. But I said (right out loud but to no one), "We should all start using 'harken' more!" I'm always amazed at the breadth of Norman's English vocabulary. 😊
@@hysteric-and-hystericalIn Sweden too (there’s a small blade when you open the lid). I guess a packet of floss should be a part of one’s knitting-kit!
@@NimbleNeedles , Lost in translation, I guess she meant, "plane-safe" scissors option. (I thought the same as you, though, until I figured out what she was referring to.) 😛💖🙌😺
I really wish I could give this 1 billion likes! Everybody has seen the same knitting hacks over and over. I already use the dental floss one. I didn’t realize that I could use that second hole in my interchangeable to thread the floss through and just knit across. I always threaded it onto a needle and then ran it through. That will save some time! A lot of NEW good ideas that I had not seen before. I love these!
What a great video! None of these things have occured to me as a beginner knitter 🙌🏻 I specifically love the yoga mat idea because blocking mat sets are like a $150 and your girl can’t afford it 😃
When finished with a box aluminum foil I use the cardboard tube as a Nostepinne to wind yarn. Also I use a steel small cookie sheet (not used of course) that I bought at the Dollar Store ($1) to put my charts on with some flat magnets to keep track of where I am in a pattern. Great tips Norman!
Yes to the magnets holding a chart or pattern! I found a cheap A4-sized whiteboard and I use one colour small magnets to keep the pattern in place and another colour magnet to slide along the lines of the pattern so it's easy to see where I left off. I also want to make a foldable version by using two A5 sized ones in some sort of cover that would allow met to fold it to A5 size and make it more portable.
@@NimbleNeedles I got a magnetic phone case a while back and realized I suddenly had a magnetic pincushion in my bag at all times. No matter how well I think I've put all my needles away there's always one stuck to my phone when I pull it out of my bag.
I use small loops of yarn for stitch markers. When keeping track of row repeats I use a piece of yarn with the same amount of knots as the repeat, spaced out so that the needle fits in the resulting loop. Each time you come to the marker move your needle down to the next loop. No more time wasted counting rows.
When I have to increase (or something else) every other row, I attach a lightbulb stitch marker to a circular stitch marker. I put my needle through the circular marker when I'm doing the odd rows and through the lightbulb marker when I'm doing the even rows. It helps me keep track of what row I'm on. You can purchase row-counting stitch markers, but this works just as well for me.
That's a great idea. I can't knit when dying my hair, because I don't want to put the yarn around my neck, but using a binder clip? I never thought of that!! Thank you!!
@@maritsavatou The nice part is, the “legs” of the binder clip can be taken off pretty easily, so if you’ve already started knitting a project, you can unhook one leg, put your yarn through it, and hook it back into the clip. Works great!
First off, I must have that tiny accessory pack with the eensy scissors and teensy crochet hooks. So handy and so cute! The foam rods to prevent creases in blocking, dental floss lifeline and especially the stitch markers to thread a needle - brilliant! Thank you, Norman!
Me too!!! I thought to search for those two exact things to see if I could buy them but I’m not sure what I’d call them. “Adorable squeezy scissor things that Norman showed us”?? Even Google might fail me on that one.
After winding a ball of yarn i put it into it's own small zip lock bag and just put the band in the bag with the yarn ball! I clip a small corner of the bag and pull the yarn through for my project. This keeps each ball clean forever and lets the ball unwind smoothly when knitting. It also allows me to keep the band with the ball but still easily accessible if i want to order more yarn or get info from the band.
This might be the best knitting hacks video I've ever seen. I never thought to use hair barettes to keep my yarn balls from unwinding! I always use my crochet hook to tuck the tail under a few strands but I think I like the barette idea better. I repurpose bamboo take-out chopsticks to teach people to knit. They can be washed after using and dried, then repurposed as knitting needles. Just sharpen in a pencil sharpener, then sand them. The round ones work best and end up being a good size for learners and are nice and light in the hands, but the square ones can work too if you don't mind a thinner finished needle and more sanding to get them smooth. After they are sanded, I use a marker to color just the tips up to where you want the working-loop to sit. I find new knitters tend to hold their yarn too close to the end or too far from it and it makes it harder for them than it needs to be, so having the tips colored is a good visual for them. To finish, I use a cotton round (the tighter side, not the fuzzy side) and clear nail polish: rub clear nail polish into the needle all over, let dry, repeat. The reason I rub it in rather than paint it on is because for a newbie, I don't want the needle too slippery or they can have trouble keeping from accidentally sliding off too many stitches at once. Rubbing in the nail polish is enough to keep unseen splinters from getting stirred up, but not enough to make it too slippery. If the student has trouble keeping their learning swatch from sliding off the BACK ends of the needles (I've only had this happen once), I use those tiny rubber bands you can get like 1,000 for cheap for styling little girls' hair - just wind one around the back end of the needle to keep the yarn on, like the corks you mentioned in the video. I don't drink so I don't have corks around, but I do have daughters and nieces so there are always hair rubber bands. I do have a pencil bag for my DP needles and I keep the sets held together with those tiny rubber bands I mentioned. The tiny rubber bands can also be used as stitch markers. I wash and use empty hot cocoa cans as a yarn bowl. I cut from the edge of the lid to the center and then make a round hole at the center. I use a lighter to melt the edges just for a second or two so any grabby spots are smooth. When using it, just make sure the cut is facing away from you. I like it this way because sometimes I want to take the project out of the container before it's finished, but when you use a container that has a solid yarn hole, you have to cut your yarn to get it out. My kids like to paper the outside of the container with scrapbooking paper to make it pretty. I imagine some sort of Contact paper or cheap vinyl roll from the dollar store would make a nice cover too. The ice cream containers you showed... we don't have those where I live but my GT hair vitamins come in almost exactly the same container. They have an easy-to-remove label and they do have a cardboard circle inside the lid that can be removed. I use them to store those little girls hair rubber bands and other small office supplies and toiletries in! I'll have to give them a try as a tiny swatch washer.
Instead of nylons, which I don't use, I untie a bath scrubby to hold yarn. They are made of a long tube of plastic mesh. Once untied, one scrubby can be cut into about 10 tubes to hold yarn.
Fantastic ,I never figured out how to use one of those needle threaders.when I was younger,I had no problem threading needles, but now I'm 65 and definitely will try again with your brilliant ideas. Thank you
I loved all the tips and most of them where new to me! I don't know if it was already mentioned but I started to use the American bread clips to "store" my cast on tail. It is always way too long and I keep it in case I can use it to sew things together in the end. The American bread clips are perfect to wind the yarn around and they even have those little slits to secure the tail so it doesn't unwind itself 😊
Instead of buying those fancy progress keepers and stitch markers I have repurposed my souvenir charm bracelet charms and made my own with the light bulb markers.
Re the yoga mat idea - I use the foam blocks that you can get for workshop floors - they slot together like jigsaw pieces, so you can change the configuration to suit your project. Much cheaper than blocking boards and exactly the same foam - just grey.
I've also used shoelace when doing a provisional cast-on. It works great, there's no bleeding from the "other" yarn and, as you said, getting the stitches back on the needle is easier
I store my knitting projects in those clear zippered bags that linens come in. Can see the project at a glance. The project stays clean and there is air circulation if you leave the zip open a bit.
Genius. I've done some of these but there are some I had never thought of!! Love it! And, Norman, your English is so proficient now! The speed, fluency, grammar and tone of your speaking is incredible!!
the dental floss containers...the little end tgat you cut the floss...i use as a yarn cutter. You can take out tge insides of tge floss container (keeping the cutter part) and store stitch markers. put tge floss container in your project bag.
My longer knitting needles live in a Pringles tub, while the shorter ones, DPNs, & crochet hooks, live in a hot chocolate tub. My yarn scissors also live in that second tub. I know where everything is & can get at it easily. So that Christmas treat of Pringles can also be a storage hack!!!
I use the household disinfectant wipes in plastic cans to hold yarn cakes when knitting on the road or outside. Lay's potato chips, similar to Pringles, come in a plastic tubular container. They are easy to wash and last forever to store dp needles and very large croche hooks.
I realllly like the idea of a small jar for swatch washing! I’ve used a coffee mug, but small-ish jars are a GREAT idea!! Light-bulb markers as a needle threader! Why didn’t I think of this? I’ve used the open-work basket/s w wooden dowels to hold/access a variety of ribbon “spools”. Easier to see what’s available, keeps things tidier! Ziploc bags: I thread yarn up to the top, leaving opening/s for my yarns to pull thru. Zip closed on either side of each strand. A bag/pouch w multiple snaps works as well. Thanks, Norman!
Every single one of your tips was helpful! One thing you didn't mention was the toilet paper roll (or rolled card?) inside your yarn balls. When I forget to do that when I wind yarn balls, the ball always collapses into a mess near the end. I had to laugh at your wonderful mini washer using Talenti jars. Not because it isn't a great idea (it is!)but because I have saved every one and use them for storing everything! (I won't say how many I have. Let's just say that I am now much stricter about sweet treats!)
Great tips, thanks for sharing. I keep cellphone pins in my knitting kit. These come in the box when you purchase a new cell phone, and they are typically used to open up the phone to insert your SIM/SD cards. They are great to have around as extra keys to tighten up interchangeable needles. I like to use light bulb stitch markers because you can add or remove them anywhere at any time. The drawback is that when hanging on the needle between stitches, they can travel across to another placement or get caught. I prevent this by attaching a fixed marker to the narrow end of the light bulb marker. This also weighs it down, which helps to control which side of your work the marker sits on. Just flip it as needed to the front or to the back. My third tip is to keep a nail polishing/buffing file in my case. These can help to smooth down a gritty needle tip as well as small nicks on the needle.
The last hack - threading a tapestry needle - blew my mind!! Don't know why I've never thought of that, but I'm definitely filing it away for future use!!
Norman I loved being reminded about a lot of these hacks but using the bulb stitch markers to thread your yarn through the needle was a new wonderful tip. Thanks for sharing 🧶🧶👍🏻🥰🥰🥰
I usually just pin my sweaters onto my living room rug, with a towel in between to protect the rug from moisture and the sweater from any dust. Sometimes I'll block smaller things right on the bed or on my sofa cushion - works great! 😊
Yesss! The ones with zippers are best... I also use them for felting projects in the washing machine: they prevent all the fuzz from going into the machine 👍🏻
I always keep the rings from the toothbrush as I use them as stitch markers and intend to make small buttons as well. Thank you, love your tutorials and tips 🇬🇧
I posted on social media about using a Soup Tureen as a yarn bowl. Tureens are nice and heavy and won't slide around when yanking on the yarn, plus the lid has a slot for the string to exit. The lid is also nice to keep dust from collecting on your project. A funny thing I saw was a photo of wearing garden clogs, crocs, the kind with holes all over the top, then a stick through both shoes which holds the yarn...much like the basket you showed us. I thought the crocs were funny
Great tips! Empty prescription bottles also make good cases for tapestry needles, stitch markers, folding scissors, etc. I have one in every project bag.
I use also medication bottles to store needles. I poke the needles into small fabric swatches for easier handling. I use medication bottles also to store any craft items, beads, charms etc. Now most of the gummy vitamins come in clear bottles that are much larger. They are perfect to store stitch markers, needles, small cable needles etc. I glue a magnet on top of the cap. I bought metal Origami selves to my craft/sew/knit room. The magnets on the cap hold the bottles under the metal selves at eye level, easy to see, and they do not rattle around.
I have yoga mats waiting for a new job! I've been eyeing blocking mats but you've just saved me a bundle of $! I have dry cleaning bags from down duvets each spring. They are plastic with some fine mesh for air flow. I use one for a wool queen size crocheted bedspread for storing off-season in our cedar closet.
Always enjoy your tips. The stitch marker needle threader is a keeper. I have always used plastic storage bags as project bags. Easy to see what’s in there and protects your project from possible spills as well. But I also use smaller storage bags to hold individual balls of yarn, if a project calls for more than one color. Keeps them tidy and from rolling around and unwinding.
When I was little ( about 1000 years ago) we were blessed with a Norwegian au pair and later a German one. They would sit and knit with my mama and tease her about her throwing her yarn! I am self taught and some how I picked up their style, thank goodness! Thank you for the great informative channel .
I re-twist a paper clip to use to cable socks. The commercial cable needles are too big and an enameled paper clip is great. I love plastic bags for projects because they are transparent. Loved the tip to use a mesh basket and straight needle for unfurling yarn. I had ribbon yarn that twisted all the time and had to manually untwist to get it flat. I think that basket set-up might work.
I keep a couple of colorful plastic drinking straws in my bag and when I need ring markers I cut a few slices off. Regular sized straws work perfectly for small needle sizes, and wider smoothie or boba straws for medium guage projects (worsted, etc). You can also slide a piece of drinking straw onto your needle tip and use it as a cable needle.
I LOVE how practical your videos are. I really can use the life line hack because I always use circular needles. I think it would work on the Tunisian crochet cable too. I come back to to your videos regularly & share them with others in my prayer shawl ministry group.
Writing to say: less than a minute into this video and tip number one has already blown my mind. I just got a free (extra) yoga mat from a work perk I recently signed up for. It’s a bit thicker than my perfectly fine regular yoga mat I use when exercising so it’s now my new blocking mat, just in time to block a scarf I recently finished! I needed some additional modular blocking mats for larger irregularly sized items like shawls and this is perfect and a cost savings as well. Thank you!
in a similar vein as the pencil case hack, I use an expanding file organizer to store my circular knitting needles! a ring binder with pocket sleeves would work as well ☺️ as a beginner, I buy circular needle sizes as I need them so I needed a convenient (and cheap) way to store them
I use the basket and straight needles as a lazy Kate for spinning plied yarn! I saw it online once, and thought it was brilliant. I actually used a shoebox, which allowed me to put the lid on when not in use. I also use plastic bags to put my yarn ball in for on-the-go knitting to reduce friction when knitting from a project bag or a purse.
Loom bands - I use them on DPN's to stop stitches falling off the needles. I also use them for keeping sets of DPN's together and straight needles in pairs. I've also used them as stitch markers.
Some of these ideas are just genius! I have lots of those 'lightbulb' marker pins and never thought to use them for threading thick yarns onto needles. That said, i have the smaller ones, and I think larger ones would work better. You keep using safety pins and referring to them as 'bobby pins'. Bobby pins are actually the American word for hair grips ('Harklammer"). But yes, I use safety pins as stitch holders, too. Another thing I do is to use my interchangeable cables as stitch holders. If a pattern says knit x stitches, slip x stitches onto stitch holder and knit to end, then I put a spare short cable with a stopper on the end through the centre stitches, cap off the other end, and then use the original cable for finishing off the knitting for left and right sides of the neckline. Then, when you come to using those saved stitches, I remove the cap, put a needle back on the right side and knit across the stitches on the cable. When I get to the end of that and all the stitches are now on the right hand needle/cable, you can just put the short cable away again. And I can't believe I didn't think of the needles through the basket as a spindle idea for working with my 400g balls of yarn (which are too big to fit on my Wool Jeanie)! I have baskets all over my house, so I will see if I have one the right size and utilise it immediately! As I only use circular needles now, I have dozens of straight needles I just don't use anymore. I also have several small pencil cases which I keep my odd sets of crochet hooks in. Another one has a set of different length stitch holders, and a third has the fabric clips that i use instead of pins these days, and use to hold my knitting together while I sew it up.
familiar and have used some of the ideas mentioned in the vid and learned a few new ones i am gonna try ! i used erasers to use as stoppers on knitting needles when out of options then i used rubber bands and pony tail holders bands to bundle at the ends of kitting needles when i cannot find erasers and out of all other options. and i am sure everyone has done this one but use walmart plastic bags to protect the yarn from getting dirty or linty from friction on rough surfaces, the plastic bags make great for protecting yarn in and out of use. :D
Norman, You're a wealth of awesome hacks! 😛 I especially love the yoga mat for blocking, the plastic coil for keeping needles together, and my 2 faves, the lightbulb needle threader, and the 'Talenti washing machine'! 😱😛 I don't have a hack, but a cool item to share I saw on Roxanne Richardson's channel awhile ago. To wash larger knitted items like sweaters, etc. she uses a cat litter box 'set' that comes with 2 containers and a 'sifter insert'. The item to be washed is put into the sifter unit then into one container with soapy water. When ready, you can empty that and press the soapy water from the item through the sifter. Then, you remove the insert with item and place into the 2nd container with clear water to rinse. When you're done there, you repeat what you did with the wash water to 'squeeze' the excess from the item and remove to dry/block. When I saw her demo that, I thought that was genius and knew I had to get one, too! 😱💖 It's made by Arm and Hammer, and I got it on Amazon. I think it was around $18 US. Don't know if it's available international but anyone interested could check it out. Thanks, again, for all you do to help us be better knitters__as well as sharing great hacks! Enjoy the rest of your day. 🙏😇✨💫🌱🌿🌻🐝🌳🌎💖🙌😺
I use a drawstring bag that I knitted as a feeder for my yarn, letting the ball roll freely as I knit. I clip it to my hip with a carbineer. As long as I'm sticking with one ball at a time it works great and can hold the rest of the project when not being worked on if the project isn't too big with big being relative depending on how much it doesn't want to fold up.
In the US we’d use the term safety pin, not Bobby pin. A Bobby pin here is used in the hair to hold hair in place, but those could be used as a stitched marker too.
I use a Bobby pin that I slightly open in a U shape instead of a cable needle. When I loose or forget my tapestry needle, I use a trombone shape paper clip that I untwist in a needle shape. It’s not perfect but it gives me time for my needles to reappear.
Hello Norman, I just wanted to thank you for your wisdom and experience. I cannot seem to watch enough of your videos. They are so educational, and you are such a wonderful teacher. I taught myself to knit decades ago, and stopped for some reason. You have brought me back to something I really do love. Bless you!
I love the one using the binder clips. I've heard that placing the yarn band inside of the yarn cake when you take it off the ball winder helps with keeping the ball stable as well as keeping track of the yarn info. I use zip lock bags to store my yarn skeins. I write the yarn info on the bags and store together colors for a project. I find it helpful when a project calls for multiple colors. 4 to 5 100g skeins fit in the gallon size bag.
Hello, I can share a tip: the dental floss box is a great mini "scissors" to cut yarn, if you need it on a plane. The security won't hold it, what could happen to actual scissors. Otherwise, thank you for the video!
All of these hacks are great. I especially like the shoe laces as stitch holders. I will definitely use that one for the sleeve stitches on sweaters ❤ Thanks Norman
When you or your neighbors buy large furniture/TV items, they often come packaged with large flat Styrofoam sheets. I rescued some from the recycling bin and use it as a blocking mat. The blocking pins pierce through much easier than through towels or yoga mats and can be re-used ad infinitum. Similarly, Styrofoam flexible tubes or hard Styrofoam can be cut and shaped as blockers on needles to prevent your stitches from sliding off. The foam can be easily pierced and carved with a small paring knife. I store my needles in their original plastic cases in a shoebox lined up in ascending size order. I never have to check what size they are and can find the size I need much faster. I also keep any tins that come with candy/tea/etc purchases and reuse them for stitch markers, buttons and other notions. Lastly, many candles are now sold in glass containers usually around 5" in diameter. When the candle is used up, I clean the glass jar and use it as my "yarn bowl".
Thank you Norman for the knitting hacks🙏🏻👍 I have maybe also one for you 😉 I have some cord stoppers the stoppers with the spring in it from old sweathers and bags etc. and those are for me nice knitting needle stoppers. And i used old socks not a panty that are for me the yarn holder for me so the socks have a second life😃
@@jennievanheuit2446 i am happy that another yarn lover helped nice socks 🧦 from throwing away into nice yarn holders 😃 And the nicest about the idea is if it is a self knitted sock than it is also a nice time to watch it as new socks and other beautiful projects come then seeing the new beautiful yarn cozy sock.😉
@@NimbleNeedles the stoppers from addi is very looking a like but the ones that i am using and mentioned are with a small spring in it and you must de spring activate so the hole is open and the needle can pass the needle to the wire and when you lose the spring than your knitting is not going of the needle anymore. Also The socks that is not a set of socks anymore or old with holes in it helped 🧦 from throwing away into nice yarn holders 😃 And the nicest about this idea is if it is a self knitted sock than it is also a nice time to watch it as new socks and other beautiful projects is in the making then seeing the new beautiful yarn cozy sock.😉
This is the first video of yours that I've watched. Great tips. I have a tip. I wanted to knit but I didn't like the needles I usd so I made my own. I had a package of wooden skewers that were the perfect size. I used a pencil sharpener and then sanded it untill smooth. I used a candle and rubbed it all over the needles. I then took a soft to remove excess candle wax. Last step: I glued the same color rhinestone on the end. Different colors for different sizes. 💜
I love the boot lace stitch holder idea. I hate putting stockinette back on needles from waste yarn. I think the curling would be minimized. Great tips, Norman.
Thanks for the video, Norman! Very helpful hacks, as always :) A hack from me -- I've started using pieces of regular sewing thread as markers, especially when I want to keep track of rows for evenly sewing pieces together later or picking up stitches for a buttonband on a cardigan. I just slip a short piece of a thread through a stitch and tie the ends of the thead in a knot. That way I don't run out of stitch markers (no matter how many I buy, there's never enough) and I can wash the project without worrying that the coating from the metal stitch markers will tint my yarn. I also use sewing thread as lifelines (same as you use dental floss)
Hello fun and useful! I will add to the dental tool section. In North America we have dental floss threaders which consist of a nylon loop flowing into a thicker stiff end. they come in packages that travel well and can be used for yarn threading through darning needles or for threading beads onto yarn. Small correction the tools you call bobby pins are actually safety pins. Bobby pins are for hair.
Thank you Norman, some wonderful tips there. I like the hair clip idea to secure yarn ends. The unravel suggestion with dental tape also an excellent suggestion. Yarn bowel suggestion is a good one. Brilliant, thanks for sharing.
What wonderful tips!!! I actually gave away all my old straight needles to a friend who still knits with them. But I have lots a round chop sticks. Will use that trick on my next colorwork project! Your tips are just brilliant!
You can also use the dental floss cutter(?) to cut your yarn if you forget your scissors! What you call bobby pins are safety pins in the US. ❤ Also regular rubber washers for faucets or hardware applications are great stitch markers just like the ones on toothbrushes! Thank you so much for the great tips!! 😊
Hi. Thanks for the amazing tips.❤ ich benutze zum garn abschneiden oft die kleinen naht-auftrenner aus dem näh koffer... die passen auch super in jedes zubehör-döschen und man kann sogar eine stopfnadel unter der kappe des naht-auftrenners aufbewahren. Da ist das wichtigste zusammen. LG Susann
Great tips Norman! You are absolutely the most interesting youtube knitter. Here in USA some easily buising fruits are sold in cushy netting individually wrapped (just like the airport alcohol bottles are slipped in). Also garlic is often sold in 2-3 packs inside thin tubular netting. They work well holding small balls of leftover yarn keeping them snuggly unraveled. Small zippered lingerie washing bags work well to hold yarn cakes when doing colorwork. They do not protect the yarn from dust etc as well as Ziplock plastic bags, but they are stronger and have as many holes as one needs to pull yarns through.
Something i have always done, as learned by seeing what my mom does, is keeping my needles in the packaging they came in for ease of finding the size I need. I still dont have a good way of storing them though, they’re just shoved in a drawer.
Thanks Norman for this great video. I find I do already do some of these hacks however there are heaps that I haven't seen before and I'm going to start using them, cheers 🤗
I have a mixture of knitting needles inherited and bought. The circular ones are in a large tin box in Ziploc bags labeled with the size of the needle.
When I crochet I take a paper clip. Wrap it in a piece of tape to use as a stitch marker for the end. In case I don't finish the work on that I write the hook size on it. And I know which hook I used for the work to go back to it later you can do that with cables on interchangeable needles when you take needles off and put stoppers on the ends
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I seemingly dared to call safety pins bobby pins. My mistake. I count on your leniency and understanding that English is, after all, not my native tongue. Setting that aside, actual bobby pins can also be great tools *smirk*
❤❤
Norman, we appreciate everything you do!
Hey Norman,
Thanks for the tips. Very useful. I love the sweater you are wearing. Did you knit it? Better still do you have the pattern?
I didn’t even notice.
I didn’t notice either , uk here and brought up calling them Bobby pins :)
But most importantly, 'eat all the chocolate first as a treat'. This made me smile so much this morning. Great tips!
One has to set priorities in life 🤣🤣🥰
@@NimbleNeedles ,
Love that little tin! 💖🙌😺
Just wanted to say on an unrelated note, I really appreciate your breadth of language - words like "pilfer" and "harken" don't come up much but add a poetic note. By the way, the end of a shoelace is called an "aglet" (Pinke), which is a word that probably most native English speakers don't even know. Years ago I lived in Hamburg (and indeed, later briefly in Vienna) and taught the Cambridge English Certificate and there was a vocabulary page of words for tiny things like pins, paperclips and needles and it made you realise how many things you interact with regularly but don't learn in school.
Wow..didn't know that and I'd say that's a very rare say I don't know an English word.
Tho, apparently I mistook a Bobby pin for a safety pin. Haha..but that's a different issue
I didn't know the word for the shoe lace tip. Thanks for sharing.
I was surprised to hear Norman use "harken," too. But I said (right out loud but to no one), "We should all start using 'harken' more!" I'm always amazed at the breadth of Norman's English vocabulary. 😊
I didn't know it had a specific word! Thank you!
Aglet is one of my favourite English words. I don't know why, but I learnt it as a kid and it always makes me smile 🤷😊
The dentil floss container also can be a plane safe scissor option for cutting yarn.
But how do you open it? There's like a fussed lid thingy on top...at least here in Europe
@@NimbleNeedles oh I see! In the States it opens and there is a tiny little blade that you have access to! I guess it’s only an American tip!
@@hysteric-and-hystericalIn Sweden too (there’s a small blade when you open the lid). I guess a packet of floss should be a part of one’s knitting-kit!
I keep always small nail clippers in my purse. They work very well to cut yarn in the plane.
@@NimbleNeedles ,
Lost in translation, I guess she meant, "plane-safe" scissors option. (I thought the same as you, though, until I figured out what she was referring to.) 😛💖🙌😺
I really wish I could give this 1 billion likes! Everybody has seen the same knitting hacks over and over. I already use the dental floss one. I didn’t realize that I could use that second hole in my interchangeable to thread the floss through and just knit across. I always threaded it onto a needle and then ran it through. That will save some time! A lot of NEW good ideas that I had not seen before. I love these!
I'll take the one like 🥰
And yeah, I always try to find new and special tips...because otherwise, what's the point?
My favorite tip was using a stitch marker to thread a needle! Brilliant Norman. Thanks as always
Should have put that one first..only added it on a whim, haha!
What a great video! None of these things have occured to me as a beginner knitter 🙌🏻 I specifically love the yoga mat idea because blocking mat sets are like a $150 and your girl can’t afford it 😃
When finished with a box aluminum foil I use the cardboard tube as a Nostepinne to wind yarn. Also I use a steel small cookie sheet (not used of course) that I bought at the Dollar Store ($1) to put my charts on with some flat magnets to keep track of where I am in a pattern. Great tips Norman!
Thx for adding these lovely tips!
Yes to the magnets holding a chart or pattern! I found a cheap A4-sized whiteboard and I use one colour small magnets to keep the pattern in place and another colour magnet to slide along the lines of the pattern so it's easy to see where I left off. I also want to make a foldable version by using two A5 sized ones in some sort of cover that would allow met to fold it to A5 size and make it more portable.
The cookie sheet and magnet idea is perfect! Thanks.
Great tips, Norman!!
@@stefaniedecoster2772 great idea with 2 a5 whiteboards, thanx for sharing!
Hello, Norman. I use the tin can hack, but I added a small magnet to the lid so I could find my needles. Have a nice day!
That's awesome! Should have included that. It's also awesome in your project bag
@@NimbleNeedles I got a magnetic phone case a while back and realized I suddenly had a magnetic pincushion in my bag at all times. No matter how well I think I've put all my needles away there's always one stuck to my phone when I pull it out of my bag.
For blocking boards I use the large gray garage mats purchased at Harbor Freight. A four-pack is usually $10 USD.
Great tip!
I use small loops of yarn for stitch markers. When keeping track of row repeats I use a piece of yarn with the same amount of knots as the repeat, spaced out so that the needle fits in the resulting loop. Each time you come to the marker move your needle down to the next loop. No more time wasted counting rows.
Thanks for adding these 🥰
Norman, you are a precious commodity. I can't say enough how much I enjoy your tricks and tips and you. 🤗
When I have to increase (or something else) every other row, I attach a lightbulb stitch marker to a circular stitch marker. I put my needle through the circular marker when I'm doing the odd rows and through the lightbulb marker when I'm doing the even rows. It helps me keep track of what row I'm on. You can purchase row-counting stitch markers, but this works just as well for me.
Actually, I always forget to use the row counters, so systems like these work better for me 😅
Oh very clever! Thanks for sharing this - it's perfect for the increases on toe-up socks! ❤❤
I do something similar : if I have 12 increases to do, I add one lightbulb marker on my bor. Shen I have 12 lightbulbs, I know I’m done !
Yay! I do the same system!
Panty hose are also useful for carrying fibre filling for small amigurumi. Fits in small spaces
Brilliant. Thanks for adding that
Who still has panty hose? Hahahaha!
As a knitting dental hygienist, I approve of these knitting hacks! 😷🤩
😅🤣
Binder clips make excellent Portuguese knitting pins, and they don’t poke holes in your shirt.
Oh, you are right!
That's a great idea. I can't knit when dying my hair, because I don't want to put the yarn around my neck, but using a binder clip? I never thought of that!! Thank you!!
@@maritsavatou The nice part is, the “legs” of the binder clip can be taken off pretty easily, so if you’ve already started knitting a project, you can unhook one leg, put your yarn through it, and hook it back into the clip. Works great!
First off, I must have that tiny accessory pack with the eensy scissors and teensy crochet hooks. So handy and so cute! The foam rods to prevent creases in blocking, dental floss lifeline and especially the stitch markers to thread a needle - brilliant! Thank you, Norman!
You are very welcome 🙏
Me too!!! I thought to search for those two exact things to see if I could buy them but I’m not sure what I’d call them. “Adorable squeezy scissor things that Norman showed us”?? Even Google might fail me on that one.
@@lea-kcpossibly miniature thread snips?
@@lea-kc ,
A few knitting supplies websites sell them__try Jimmy Beans, etc. 💖🙌😺
After winding a ball of yarn i put it into it's own small zip lock bag and just put the band in the bag with the yarn ball! I clip a small corner of the bag and pull the yarn through for my project. This keeps each ball clean forever and lets the ball unwind smoothly when knitting. It also allows me to keep the band with the ball but still easily accessible if i want to order more yarn or get info from the band.
This might be the best knitting hacks video I've ever seen. I never thought to use hair barettes to keep my yarn balls from unwinding! I always use my crochet hook to tuck the tail under a few strands but I think I like the barette idea better.
I repurpose bamboo take-out chopsticks to teach people to knit. They can be washed after using and dried, then repurposed as knitting needles. Just sharpen in a pencil sharpener, then sand them. The round ones work best and end up being a good size for learners and are nice and light in the hands, but the square ones can work too if you don't mind a thinner finished needle and more sanding to get them smooth. After they are sanded, I use a marker to color just the tips up to where you want the working-loop to sit. I find new knitters tend to hold their yarn too close to the end or too far from it and it makes it harder for them than it needs to be, so having the tips colored is a good visual for them. To finish, I use a cotton round (the tighter side, not the fuzzy side) and clear nail polish: rub clear nail polish into the needle all over, let dry, repeat. The reason I rub it in rather than paint it on is because for a newbie, I don't want the needle too slippery or they can have trouble keeping from accidentally sliding off too many stitches at once. Rubbing in the nail polish is enough to keep unseen splinters from getting stirred up, but not enough to make it too slippery. If the student has trouble keeping their learning swatch from sliding off the BACK ends of the needles (I've only had this happen once), I use those tiny rubber bands you can get like 1,000 for cheap for styling little girls' hair - just wind one around the back end of the needle to keep the yarn on, like the corks you mentioned in the video. I don't drink so I don't have corks around, but I do have daughters and nieces so there are always hair rubber bands.
I do have a pencil bag for my DP needles and I keep the sets held together with those tiny rubber bands I mentioned. The tiny rubber bands can also be used as stitch markers.
I wash and use empty hot cocoa cans as a yarn bowl. I cut from the edge of the lid to the center and then make a round hole at the center. I use a lighter to melt the edges just for a second or two so any grabby spots are smooth. When using it, just make sure the cut is facing away from you. I like it this way because sometimes I want to take the project out of the container before it's finished, but when you use a container that has a solid yarn hole, you have to cut your yarn to get it out. My kids like to paper the outside of the container with scrapbooking paper to make it pretty. I imagine some sort of Contact paper or cheap vinyl roll from the dollar store would make a nice cover too.
The ice cream containers you showed... we don't have those where I live but my GT hair vitamins come in almost exactly the same container. They have an easy-to-remove label and they do have a cardboard circle inside the lid that can be removed. I use them to store those little girls hair rubber bands and other small office supplies and toiletries in! I'll have to give them a try as a tiny swatch washer.
Thx for adding all the brilliant hacks! 🥰❤️🧶
Instead of nylons, which I don't use, I untie a bath scrubby to hold yarn. They are made of a long tube of plastic mesh. Once untied, one scrubby can be cut into about 10 tubes to hold yarn.
Oh, that's brilliant!
That's a good one! Thx for sharing
Fantastic ,I never figured out how to use one of those needle threaders.when I was younger,I had no problem threading needles, but now I'm 65 and definitely will try again with your brilliant ideas. Thank you
Happy to help!
I loved all the tips and most of them where new to me!
I don't know if it was already mentioned but I started to use the American bread clips to "store" my cast on tail. It is always way too long and I keep it in case I can use it to sew things together in the end. The American bread clips are perfect to wind the yarn around and they even have those little slits to secure the tail so it doesn't unwind itself 😊
That's a good one. I always buy bread from the bakery. So, we don't really have them here in Austria. We'll.. maybe vyr I don't buy that bread 😅
I live in Switzerland so we don't have the either. An American friend of mine gave them to me. She was a bit confused why I would ask for trash 😅
🤣
Instead of buying those fancy progress keepers and stitch markers I have repurposed my souvenir charm bracelet charms and made my own with the light bulb markers.
Re the yoga mat idea - I use the foam blocks that you can get for workshop floors - they slot together like jigsaw pieces, so you can change the configuration to suit your project. Much cheaper than blocking boards and exactly the same foam - just grey.
Yah, great tips. Lots of knitting notions are the exact same item you can find at a different shop at twice the price 😓
@@NimbleNeedles So true, and just not fair!
I've also used shoelace when doing a provisional cast-on. It works great, there's no bleeding from the "other" yarn and, as you said, getting the stitches back on the needle is easier
Oh right! Great addition!
I love this!
I have used the weed trimmer string to hold stitches for neckline while knitting other parts.
I have no clue why using a small container to wash swatches never occurred to me! That might just lead me to swatch more often.
Tho knitting them in the first place is typically the bigger issue 🤣
@NimbleNeedles very, very true. There are still several excuses I use to avoid them besides this one. 😆
I store my knitting projects in those clear zippered bags that linens come in. Can see the project at a glance. The project stays clean and there is air circulation if you leave the zip open a bit.
Tho typically it does not need circulation- except you live in a very humid climate
Genius. I've done some of these but there are some I had never thought of!! Love it!
And, Norman, your English is so proficient now! The speed, fluency, grammar and tone of your speaking is incredible!!
Wow, thank you!
the dental floss containers...the little end tgat you cut the floss...i use as a yarn cutter. You can take out tge insides of tge floss container (keeping the cutter part) and store stitch markers. put tge floss container in your project bag.
That sounds awesome but I think us American dental floss containers work slightly different 🤔🤔
My longer knitting needles live in a Pringles tub, while the shorter ones, DPNs, & crochet hooks, live in a hot chocolate tub. My yarn scissors also live in that second tub. I know where everything is & can get at it easily. So that Christmas treat of Pringles can also be a storage hack!!!
I use the household disinfectant wipes in plastic cans to hold yarn cakes when knitting on the road or outside.
Lay's potato chips, similar to Pringles, come in a plastic tubular container. They are easy to wash and last forever to store dp needles and very large croche hooks.
I love these tips. Thank you.
@@1lmp1 ,
EXCELLENT! 💖🙌😺
I realllly like the idea of a small jar for swatch washing! I’ve used a coffee mug, but small-ish jars are a GREAT idea!!
Light-bulb markers as a needle threader! Why didn’t I think of this?
I’ve used the open-work basket/s w wooden dowels to hold/access a variety of ribbon “spools”. Easier to see what’s available, keeps things tidier!
Ziploc bags: I thread yarn up to the top, leaving opening/s for my yarns to pull thru. Zip closed on either side of each strand. A bag/pouch w multiple snaps works as well.
Thanks, Norman!
Thx for adding these Lotta 🙏🙏
Every single one of your tips was helpful! One thing you didn't mention was the toilet paper roll (or rolled card?) inside your yarn balls. When I forget to do that when I wind yarn balls, the ball always collapses into a mess near the end. I had to laugh at your wonderful mini washer using Talenti jars. Not because it isn't a great idea (it is!)but because I have saved every one and use them for storing everything! (I won't say how many I have. Let's just say that I am now much stricter about sweet treats!)
That's actually the yarn label inside 🥰
@Ravencall,
I have a "collection" of them as well__mostly from 'Mediterranean Mint'! 💩😱😛😹😹😹💖🙌😺
@@debracisneroshhp2827 😸
Great tips, thanks for sharing.
I keep cellphone pins in my knitting kit. These come in the box when you purchase a new cell phone, and they are typically used to open up the phone to insert your SIM/SD cards. They are great to have around as extra keys to tighten up interchangeable needles.
I like to use light bulb stitch markers because you can add or remove them anywhere at any time. The drawback is that when hanging on the needle between stitches, they can travel across to another placement or get caught. I prevent this by attaching a fixed marker to the narrow end of the light bulb marker. This also weighs it down, which helps to control which side of your work the marker sits on. Just flip it as needed to the front or to the back.
My third tip is to keep a nail polishing/buffing file in my case. These can help to smooth down a gritty needle tip as well as small nicks on the needle.
Yeah, I keep one in my project bag as well. Nothing nore annoying that a nail that catches the yarn!
Love the cellphone tip! Brilliant!!
The last hack - threading a tapestry needle - blew my mind!! Don't know why I've never thought of that, but I'm definitely filing it away for future use!!
Norman I loved being reminded about a lot of these hacks but using the bulb stitch markers to thread your yarn through the needle was a new wonderful tip. Thanks for sharing 🧶🧶👍🏻🥰🥰🥰
You are very welcome 🙏
Oh my goodness, Norman !! I love and appreciate all your ideas ❤. Thank you for sharing 😊
You are very welcome, maniette!
I have a lot of little rubber bands left over from when I had adult braces. They make great little stitch markers on my smaller dpns.
A swatch washing machine! Perfect. Thanks for the smile and great tips.
My pleasure
I usually just pin my sweaters onto my living room rug, with a towel in between to protect the rug from moisture and the sweater from any dust. Sometimes I'll block smaller things right on the bed or on my sofa cushion - works great! 😊
Great tips, thanks so much Norman. I also use the small hair clips to keep left over yarn balls tidy...that way I am never searching for the ends.
Old pillowcases also make great project bags. I think most people have a few pillowcases that they never use.
They sure do! Thx for adding that
Yesss! The ones with zippers are best... I also use them for felting projects in the washing machine: they prevent all the fuzz from going into the machine 👍🏻
Norman you are my knitting guru. Everything I need to learn and so much more. Loved these tips so simple but so clever. Thank you!
I always keep the rings from the toothbrush as I use them as stitch markers and intend to make small buttons as well. Thank you, love your tutorials and tips 🇬🇧
I posted on social media about using a Soup Tureen as a yarn bowl. Tureens are nice and heavy and won't slide around when yanking on the yarn, plus the lid has a slot for the string to exit. The lid is also nice to keep dust from collecting on your project. A funny thing I saw was a photo of wearing garden clogs, crocs, the kind with holes all over the top, then a stick through both shoes which holds the yarn...much like the basket you showed us. I thought the crocs were funny
Great tips! Empty prescription bottles also make good cases for tapestry needles, stitch markers, folding scissors, etc. I have one in every project bag.
This is what I use too..and some are bigger than others😊
I use also medication bottles to store needles. I poke the needles into small fabric swatches for easier handling. I use medication bottles also to store any craft items, beads, charms etc. Now most of the gummy vitamins come in clear bottles that are much larger. They are perfect to store stitch markers, needles, small cable needles etc. I glue a magnet on top of the cap. I bought metal Origami selves to my craft/sew/knit room. The magnets on the cap hold the bottles under the metal selves at eye level, easy to see, and they do not rattle around.
I have yoga mats waiting for a new job! I've been eyeing blocking mats but you've just saved me a bundle of $!
I have dry cleaning bags from down duvets each spring. They are plastic with some fine mesh for air flow. I use one for a wool queen size crocheted bedspread for storing off-season in our cedar closet.
Happy to save money! But do keep in mind that the pins will "destroy" the foam a bit. Well, they leave imprints. That's why I said backside
Hi. You can also use a kids puzzle playmat for blocking.
That’s what I use.@@Susann_S.
I always keep dental floss in my notions bag! I like the stitch holder as a needle threader idea! Thanks Norman 😊
It works like a charm for these bigger tapestry needles! Such a game changer for me as well
A agree , my favorite ❤
Always enjoy your tips. The stitch marker needle threader is a keeper. I have always used plastic storage bags as project bags. Easy to see what’s in there and protects your project from possible spills as well. But I also use smaller storage bags to hold individual balls of yarn, if a project calls for more than one color. Keeps them tidy and from rolling around and unwinding.
When I was little ( about 1000 years ago) we were blessed with a Norwegian au pair and later a German one. They would sit and knit with my mama and tease her about her throwing her yarn! I am self taught and some how I picked up their style, thank goodness! Thank you for the great informative channel .
I re-twist a paper clip to use to cable socks. The commercial cable needles are too big and an enameled paper clip is great. I love plastic bags for projects because they are transparent. Loved the tip to use a mesh basket and straight needle for unfurling yarn. I had ribbon yarn that twisted all the time and had to manually untwist to get it flat. I think that basket set-up might work.
Yeah, paper clips can also be great. Tho, I personally never use cable needles 😅 always do it without one
And a salad spinner for those small delicate projects ❤
I keep a couple of colorful plastic drinking straws in my bag and when I need ring markers I cut a few slices off. Regular sized straws work perfectly for small needle sizes, and wider smoothie or boba straws for medium guage projects (worsted, etc). You can also slide a piece of drinking straw onto your needle tip and use it as a cable needle.
That's an awesome addition! Thx for sharing
Great idea!!!
I LOVE how practical your videos are. I really can use the life line hack because I always use circular needles. I think it would work on the Tunisian crochet cable too. I come back to to your videos regularly & share them with others in my prayer shawl ministry group.
ive used floss before as a life line, but didnt use it like you did with the needle hole. that is gonna change a lot
Oh really? How did you do it then? With a tapestry needle?
@@NimbleNeedlesyes..my needles didn't have a hole..so used a needle and a bright yarn to make lifeline😊
Writing to say: less than a minute into this video and tip number one has already blown my mind. I just got a free (extra) yoga mat from a work perk I recently signed up for. It’s a bit thicker than my perfectly fine regular yoga mat I use when exercising so it’s now my new blocking mat, just in time to block a scarf I recently finished! I needed some additional modular blocking mats for larger irregularly sized items like shawls and this is perfect and a cost savings as well. Thank you!
I save the zipper bags sheet sets come in perfect for a project bag
in a similar vein as the pencil case hack, I use an expanding file organizer to store my circular knitting needles! a ring binder with pocket sleeves would work as well ☺️ as a beginner, I buy circular needle sizes as I need them so I needed a convenient (and cheap) way to store them
I use the basket and straight needles as a lazy Kate for spinning plied yarn! I saw it online once, and thought it was brilliant. I actually used a shoebox, which allowed me to put the lid on when not in use.
I also use plastic bags to put my yarn ball in for on-the-go knitting to reduce friction when knitting from a project bag or a purse.
Loom bands - I use them on DPN's to stop stitches falling off the needles. I also use them for keeping sets of DPN's together and straight needles in pairs. I've also used them as stitch markers.
Excellent tips. The comments are also full of brilliant tips.
They sure are! Always worth a read!
Some of these ideas are just genius! I have lots of those 'lightbulb' marker pins and never thought to use them for threading thick yarns onto needles. That said, i have the smaller ones, and I think larger ones would work better. You keep using safety pins and referring to them as 'bobby pins'. Bobby pins are actually the American word for hair grips ('Harklammer"). But yes, I use safety pins as stitch holders, too.
Another thing I do is to use my interchangeable cables as stitch holders. If a pattern says knit x stitches, slip x stitches onto stitch holder and knit to end, then I put a spare short cable with a stopper on the end through the centre stitches, cap off the other end, and then use the original cable for finishing off the knitting for left and right sides of the neckline. Then, when you come to using those saved stitches, I remove the cap, put a needle back on the right side and knit across the stitches on the cable. When I get to the end of that and all the stitches are now on the right hand needle/cable, you can just put the short cable away again.
And I can't believe I didn't think of the needles through the basket as a spindle idea for working with my 400g balls of yarn (which are too big to fit on my Wool Jeanie)! I have baskets all over my house, so I will see if I have one the right size and utilise it immediately! As I only use circular needles now, I have dozens of straight needles I just don't use anymore.
I also have several small pencil cases which I keep my odd sets of crochet hooks in. Another one has a set of different length stitch holders, and a third has the fabric clips that i use instead of pins these days, and use to hold my knitting together while I sew it up.
Yah, I messed up the Bobby pin...because..well..that trick works with them as well 😅
familiar and have used some of the ideas mentioned in the vid and learned a few new ones i am gonna try ! i used erasers to use as stoppers on knitting needles when out of options then i used rubber bands and pony tail holders bands to bundle at the ends of kitting needles when i cannot find erasers and out of all other options. and i am sure everyone has done this one but use walmart plastic bags to protect the yarn from getting dirty or linty from friction on rough surfaces, the plastic bags make great for protecting yarn in and out of use. :D
Thx for adding that nevertheless!
Norman,
You're a wealth of awesome hacks! 😛 I especially love the yoga mat for blocking, the plastic coil for keeping needles together, and my 2 faves, the lightbulb needle threader, and the 'Talenti washing machine'! 😱😛
I don't have a hack, but a cool item to share I saw on Roxanne Richardson's channel awhile ago.
To wash larger knitted items like sweaters, etc. she uses a cat litter box 'set' that comes with 2 containers and a 'sifter insert'.
The item to be washed is put into the sifter unit then into one container with soapy water. When ready, you can empty that and press the soapy water from the item through the sifter.
Then, you remove the insert with item and place into the 2nd container with clear water to rinse.
When you're done there, you repeat what you did with the wash water to 'squeeze' the excess from the item and remove to dry/block.
When I saw her demo that, I thought that was genius and knew I had to get one, too! 😱💖
It's made by Arm and Hammer, and I got it on Amazon. I think it was around $18 US. Don't know if it's available international but anyone interested could check it out.
Thanks, again, for all you do to help us be better knitters__as well as sharing great hacks!
Enjoy the rest of your day. 🙏😇✨💫🌱🌿🌻🐝🌳🌎💖🙌😺
thx for sharing. that sounds like an awesome trick!
I use a drawstring bag that I knitted as a feeder for my yarn, letting the ball roll freely as I knit. I clip it to my hip with a carbineer. As long as I'm sticking with one ball at a time it works great and can hold the rest of the project when not being worked on if the project isn't too big with big being relative depending on how much it doesn't want to fold up.
In the US we’d use the term safety pin, not Bobby pin. A Bobby pin here is used in the hair to hold hair in place, but those could be used as a stitched marker too.
Yep, sorry, my mistake. Thx for highlighting it
I use a Bobby pin that I slightly open in a U shape instead of a cable needle. When I loose or forget my tapestry needle, I use a trombone shape paper clip that I untwist in a needle shape. It’s not perfect but it gives me time for my needles to reappear.
Brilliant! All simple, inexpensive and genuinely helpful. I love the needle threading tip, and shoelaces as stitch holders. Genius!
Thanks - those household item tips were all new to me because I’m a new-ish knitter - excellent!!!!
Shoelaces! 👏 Just yesterday I had a total mess with scrap yarn as a stitch holder. Shoelaces it will be from now on. Thanks💝
Hello Norman, I just wanted to thank you for your wisdom and experience. I cannot seem to watch enough of your videos. They are so educational, and you are such a wonderful teacher. I taught myself to knit decades ago, and stopped for some reason. You have brought me back to something I really do love. Bless you!
Many I have seen/heard before but there was also many new to me tips!! As always a great video!! Thank you Norman!
I love the one using the binder clips. I've heard that placing the yarn band inside of the yarn cake when you take it off the ball winder helps with keeping the ball stable as well as keeping track of the yarn info. I use zip lock bags to store my yarn skeins. I write the yarn info on the bags and store together colors for a project. I find it helpful when a project calls for multiple colors. 4 to 5 100g skeins fit in the gallon size bag.
Hello, I can share a tip: the dental floss box is a great mini "scissors" to cut yarn, if you need it on a plane. The security won't hold it, what could happen to actual scissors. Otherwise, thank you for the video!
All of these hacks are great. I especially like the shoe laces as stitch holders. I will definitely use that one for the sleeve stitches on sweaters ❤ Thanks Norman
So clever! And no matter how many notions you have at home, you might get caught out without something - these substitutes are easily available.
That's true. When I'm vacation, .I'm definitely getting creative!
When you or your neighbors buy large furniture/TV items, they often come packaged with large flat Styrofoam sheets. I rescued some from the recycling bin and use it as a blocking mat. The blocking pins pierce through much easier than through towels or yoga mats and can be re-used ad infinitum.
Similarly, Styrofoam flexible tubes or hard Styrofoam can be cut and shaped as blockers on needles to prevent your stitches from sliding off. The foam can be easily pierced and carved with a small paring knife.
I store my needles in their original plastic cases in a shoebox lined up in ascending size order. I never have to check what size they are and can find the size I need much faster.
I also keep any tins that come with candy/tea/etc purchases and reuse them for stitch markers, buttons and other notions.
Lastly, many candles are now sold in glass containers usually around 5" in diameter. When the candle is used up, I clean the glass jar and use it as my "yarn bowl".
thx for adding these!
Thank you Norman for the knitting hacks🙏🏻👍
I have maybe also one for you 😉
I have some cord stoppers the stoppers with the spring in it from old sweathers and bags etc. and those are for me nice knitting needle stoppers.
And i used old socks not a panty that are for me the yarn holder for me so the socks have a second life😃
Oh....yeah...that's nice. Addi sells similar ones in a heart shape but that's great!!
Yes! I took all my single socks and cut them up to be yarn “socks.” Free, stretchy, and work very well!
@@jennievanheuit2446 i am happy that another yarn lover helped nice socks 🧦 from throwing away into nice yarn holders 😃
And the nicest about the idea is if it is a self knitted sock than it is also a nice time to watch it as new socks and other beautiful projects come then seeing the new beautiful yarn cozy sock.😉
@@NimbleNeedles the stoppers from addi is very looking a like but the ones that i am using and mentioned are with a small spring in it and you must de spring activate so the hole is open and the needle can pass the needle to the wire and when you lose the spring than your knitting is not going of the needle anymore.
Also The socks that is not a set of socks anymore or old with holes in it helped 🧦 from throwing away into nice yarn holders 😃
And the nicest about this idea is if it is a self knitted sock than it is also a nice time to watch it as new socks and other beautiful projects is in the making then seeing the new beautiful yarn cozy sock.😉
This is the first video of yours that I've watched. Great tips. I have a tip.
I wanted to knit but I didn't like the needles I usd so I made my own. I had a package of wooden skewers that were the perfect size. I used a pencil sharpener and then sanded it untill smooth. I used a candle and rubbed it all over the needles. I then took a soft to remove excess candle wax. Last step: I glued the same color rhinestone on the end. Different colors for different sizes. 💜
Wow! Love that floss lifeline tip! Thanks!
I love the boot lace stitch holder idea. I hate putting stockinette back on needles from waste yarn. I think the curling would be minimized. Great tips, Norman.
Yah, waste yarn is horrible. I'll do it in a pinch but otherwise...
This video is definitely going in the save area on TH-cam! Thanks Norman!
Thank you so much. It’s always a pleasure to learn those tips. Thanks again
thank you for the new video! i love using cheap things to help with my knitting 😊
Inexpensive not cheap 😅😅😅
Thank you for all the tips you shared...very helpful!👍
Thanks for the video, Norman! Very helpful hacks, as always :) A hack from me -- I've started using pieces of regular sewing thread as markers, especially when I want to keep track of rows for evenly sewing pieces together later or picking up stitches for a buttonband on a cardigan. I just slip a short piece of a thread through a stitch and tie the ends of the thead in a knot. That way I don't run out of stitch markers (no matter how many I buy, there's never enough) and I can wash the project without worrying that the coating from the metal stitch markers will tint my yarn. I also use sewing thread as lifelines (same as you use dental floss)
Thx for adding your tips 🥰
Hello fun and useful! I will add to the dental tool section. In North America we have dental floss threaders which consist of a nylon loop flowing into a thicker stiff end. they come in packages that travel well and can be used for yarn threading through darning needles or for threading beads onto yarn. Small correction the tools you call bobby pins are actually safety pins. Bobby pins are for hair.
Thank you Norman, some wonderful tips there. I like the hair clip idea to secure yarn ends. The unravel suggestion with dental tape also an excellent suggestion. Yarn bowel suggestion is a good one. Brilliant, thanks for sharing.
What wonderful tips!!! I actually gave away all my old straight needles to a friend who still knits with them. But I have lots a round chop sticks. Will use that trick on my next colorwork project! Your tips are just brilliant!
You can also use the dental floss cutter(?) to cut your yarn if you forget your scissors! What you call bobby pins are safety pins in the US. ❤ Also regular rubber washers for faucets or hardware applications are great stitch markers just like the ones on toothbrushes! Thank you so much for the great tips!! 😊
Hi. Thanks for the amazing tips.❤ ich benutze zum garn abschneiden oft die kleinen naht-auftrenner aus dem näh koffer... die passen auch super in jedes zubehör-döschen und man kann sogar eine stopfnadel unter der kappe des naht-auftrenners aufbewahren. Da ist das wichtigste zusammen. LG Susann
Guter Tipp!
Loved that... I didn't want it to end! Thanks!
Read through the comments. There are many more tips there
Great tips Norman! You are absolutely the most interesting youtube knitter.
Here in USA some easily buising fruits are sold in cushy netting individually wrapped (just like the airport alcohol bottles are slipped in). Also garlic is often sold in 2-3 packs inside thin tubular netting. They work well holding small balls of leftover yarn keeping them snuggly unraveled.
Small zippered lingerie washing bags work well to hold yarn cakes when doing colorwork. They do not protect the yarn from dust etc as well as Ziplock plastic bags, but they are stronger and have as many holes as one needs to pull yarns through.
thank you for adding these tips! really appreciated.
Something i have always done, as learned by seeing what my mom does, is keeping my needles in the packaging they came in for ease of finding the size I need. I still dont have a good way of storing them though, they’re just shoved in a drawer.
Thanks Norman for this great video. I find I do already do some of these hacks however there are heaps that I haven't seen before and I'm going to start using them, cheers 🤗
Glad I could help!
Hi Norman! Nice episode, thank you!
💡Very cool! Thank you so much for sharing, Norman. ❤
A large teapot will also work as a yarn holder. Just thread the yarn through the spout - and there you have it
I have a mixture of knitting needles inherited and bought. The circular ones are in a large tin box in Ziploc bags labeled with the size of the needle.
When I crochet I take a paper clip. Wrap it in a piece of tape to use as a stitch marker for the end. In case I don't finish the work on that I write the hook size on it. And I know which hook I used for the work to go back to it later you can do that with cables on interchangeable needles when you take needles off and put stoppers on the ends
Yarn bowl my favorite!