Mid-level MARVELS Expert TREATS
16
Ya r n
swift
(and
winder) Time-poor
knitters need to wind
those skeins into balls
super-quick, and they
can with a beautiful
yarn swift and ball
winder. Lykke
Umbrella Yarn Swift
(£42.99) and Ball
Winder (£79.99)
http://www.theneedle
store.com17
Short/sock
circular
needles
If you avoid socks
because of fiddly DPNs
these might just change
your mind! One bendy
double-ended needle
allows you to knit in the
round effortlessly.
HiyaHiya Sock Circular
needles, from £5, http://www.
hiyahiya-europe.com/
stockists for stockists15
Bent cable needles Straight cable needles are great for creating
cabled knitted projects. But if you want extra piece of mind that your
cable stitches are not going to fall off your cable needle, a bent cable
needle gives you that extra security as you cross over your stitches.11
Set of circular needles
Love them or not, a set of
circular needles allows you to
take a full set of needles with you
everywhere. They’re more compact than
a set of straights and great for holidays!
KnitPro Ginger Circular Needle Set,
£78, http://www.knitpro.eu for stockists14
Row counter
Never miss a new row
instruction when you have
that count under control! These row
counters sit at the end of your needles
and allow you to click on one number
at the end of every row. Hemline Row
Counters, £3.85 from http://www.
blacksheepwools.com13
Sock blockers
Once you’ve seen the
difference a good block makes
you’ll love these blockers for freshly
knitted and washed sock projects!
£13.75, find blockers like these at
http://www.tribeyarns.comOh, go on then! Splash out on some
specialised bits of knitting kit...
Feeling more confident? Starting to get addicted?
These buys make exciting additions to your tool stash
12
Double-pointed
needles (DPNs)
These practical additions
are incredibly useful for knitting very
small circumferences in the round.
KnitPro Zing DPN Set, £25.45,
http://www.knitpro.eu for stockists10
Ya r n b o w l s
Not only are yarn bowls
pleasing to look at,
whether you’re knitting or not, they
keep your forever-rolling yarn ball in
one place so you don’t have to rescue
it from under the sofa. They can also
help to give you a more even tension.
Mainly available in ceramic or wood,
and in a broad price range, they can be
a welcome birthday treat.
Yarn Bowl, £58, http://www.weare
knitters.co.uk20
Ya r n
snips
Tre a t
yourself to a pair of
luxurious yarn-cutting
snips, which come in their
own leather case!
Cohana Shozaburo
Snips, £48, http://www.
loopknittingshop.com19
Bendy sock
DPNs
Another
recent development in
sock knitting are these
bendy DPNs, use three to
knit your socks. Addi
CraSy Trio Bamboo DPN
Sock Needles, £17.95,
http://www.addineedles.co.uk18
Fork
pins
Invest in a
set of extra secure
forking pins for
blocking your work.
Your lace shawls will
love you for it. Pack of
35 Clover Fork Pins,
£8, clover@stockist
enquiries.co.uk