Tools, the travel edition
As I was packing my knitting bag for our recent trip, I realized that a rather substantial proportion of the stuff I tote about with me for travel knitting aren’t things you’re likely to find in your local yarn shop. Sometimes you can get a version of them in a yarn store, but the yarn store version isn’t quite as good. And some of it is just stuff you won’t find there. So since I’ve finally gotten my knitting bag to the point where it’s pretty much perfect for me, I thought I’d share what’s in there! You can see several of my travel essentials here.
First up, that ruler. Now, I know you’ll think I’m dorky to have a favorite ruler, but by all the woolly gods, I have a favorite ruler. I love it for a few reasons. First, it’s tiny (thinner than a credit card) and tucks in to my travel needle case with ease. Second, it’s disgustingly precise (32nds and 64ths of an inch on one side, 10ths and 100ths of an inch on the other side). Finally, the measurements go all the way to the very end of the ruler (which I know is controversial in the ruler world, but it’s what I like). If you’re going to make a swatch, you might as well measure it exactly, and this ruler is the best way I know to do that. If it encourages you to go ahead and make a 6 inch swatch instead of a 4 inch swatch, all the better. I may have accidentally liberated mine from my college drafting lab, but you can find one over here (do yourself a favor and get a few, someone will want to borrow one and they do tend to walk off).
Next, those scissors. Again, it seems like a really silly thing to care about, I know. But so many tiny scissors are absolute crap. Either they’re too small to use with comfort or the blades are about as sharp as a nail file or they get fused together the second time you use them. These are proper (sharp, functional) scissors, with handles big enough to use that don’t stop working after three snips. And while I can’t promise what the TSA will do on any given day, I’ve taken them on many plane rides with no problems at all. You can find them here (they seem to have stopped making the blue and green ones, but I have the gray and red ones linked here too, and they’re just the same…I just match them to my travel case, which is totally normal).
And of course, my magic safety pin stitch markers. I lov these enough I included them in the Curls goody bags. They are light weight, fit more or less every size needle I ever use, take up no space in your kit, don’t snag, and can even serve as an actual safety pin in a pinch. The only trick is they tend to be shockingly expensive if you buy a dozen in a fancy baggy in a yarn store. But they’re super cheap if you buy a pile of them on amazon (300 or so for less than $10). Get a bag and split them with a friend (or just hoard them for yourself, you’ll find all sorts of things to do with them).
And finally, and perhaps most shameful of all, graph paper post its and the One True Proper Pencil. Yes…yes I do take these with me everywhere. Most everything I knit is for a pattern, and that means I need to take notes as I work. Those notes are often in chart form, and that paper makes it easy. And that pencil is the only pencil I don’t end up wanting to use as a weapon, so better for everyone really if I stick with it. But even if you’re not quite as determined about it as all that, an easy way to keep track of how many repeats you did on the foot or the clever thing you figured out about the thumb comes in kind of handy (and pens don’t belong near yarn).
So how about you? Any non-knitting products you’ve seized upon for knitting? Anything you simply must have in your travel knitting kit? I can’t be the only one with strong opinions about these things.
Thank you for sharing the sources for your tools. Is that pencil also something you learned about in your drafting class, or just very similar? It looks familiar. 🙂
I must have a crochet hook, loads of stitch markers, and a retractable measuring tape. I have a Knitter’s Tool Tin from The Sexy Knitter on etsy that I carry everywhere. I love it, highly recommend it, and want another. (Her tins are superior to Altiods tins, as I can open and shut them with one hand and no fuss. Plus they’re prettier. The rest of the tools in the kit are invaluable, too.)
Hmmm, I think I’ve been using those pencils since about tenth grade. I adore them (and yes, yes I do have the special pencil sharpener they require and adore it too). They really are magic.
I’m with Deb on the Sexy Knitter tin kit, I got the Knitcrate version and I could no longer knit without it. It has just everyhing you need, but I substituted the tiny blades for a small pair of retractable scissors from aknit Picks. Apaprt from that, I’ll check your other sources, because that ruler in particular looks awesome.
Clearly I need to check out these tins! So far, I’ve stuck to my cloth travel case (mostly because I can’t stand stuff that rattles), but it sounds like they’re worth looking into!
Favorite ruler! Definitely! I love my “knitting ruler”. (No wooden rulers!) Being able to measure in cm and inch is so important. I also have to have a crochet hook and many stitch markers. I’m intrigued by the Sexy Knitter tin kit. I use Altoid tins and love them for their ability to keep the small stuff in my bag contained. I’m going to check it out. Thanks so much for this post!
Hmmm, I don’t think this one has cm (wonder if I can track down one that does…). But I pretty much only work in inches so I don’t mind. But I can see why folks would want both. And I’m with you, wood in the knitting bag is bad.
I like highlighter tape. In my experience, magnets used to mark my place on a chart move just to screw me up. I’d rather use highlighter tape, which is removable, and feel more confident it will be marking the correct row once I drag my pattern to lunch.
I’ve never used it, but I totally see the appeal. It sounds better than my method (assure myself I’ll remember where I was…fail utterly to do so…swear a lot). I’ll have to try some!
Post-it notes, the extra sticky kind. essential for knitting from charts. I also use a lot of those clear page sleeves to keep my pattern together while using it and then the whole thing with a ball band a, scrap of yarn & my notes go right into my ring binder.
A friend of mine bought me a Knit Kit and I like it well enough that I’m considering buying a second as I usually have two travel knitting bags at a time and I seem to grab the one without it more than I’d like. I like that it has a darning needle inside.
…and there’s room in it for the magic safety pin stitch markers that I’ve recently developed a fondness for : )
….and I carry postits and a circular row counter stitch marker (I have 3 that came from jeannettejed on etsy and I LOVE them!!!)
I bought a match book size thingy of emery boards- I can’t stand having ragged nails when I knit and they also come in handy for uneven spots in wooden needles- or if you snap a size 0 and need to make a new point. I love graph paper post its. They make me so freakin happy! Is that weird?
In both my ‘at home’ and ‘out and about’ notions bags I have wooden needle cases to keep a small collection of darning needles. One is from a local woman, the other from a shop I stumbled into in Tasmania, and I look for them everywhere because I love the look and feel and usage of them (and I have more darning needles than two cases can handle, let’s be honest).
I’ve got the most basic Gingher scissors in my bags as well. Silver, with the black leather sheath, which are for embroidery in particular or something. Though now one pair is so well used that sheath is not protecting me from the wee pointy points!
Also – lip balm. Works as cuticle balm in a pinch so that yarn slipping over my finger that holds/tensions it doesn’t catch on a sad, dry, nail bed.
Yes to the post its as well. They are great for a number of things including keeping track of where you are on a graph. I also travel with a wooden clothes pin the kind with a spring. Okay I don’t always travel with it, but if I need to braid splice yarn, then I take it and have a third hand. Just bought a beautiful mahogany tool at Stitches West (Carolina Homespun had them). I got the smaller size. One end is pointy like a knitting needle, the middle is tapered for cable knitting, and the other end has a crochet hook. It is less than 4 inches long.
Ooooh, I have one of those! Well, I have a not-at-all-pretty metal one. But it does come in super handy. I’ll have to be on the look out for a pretty one.
Also must have my highlighter tape. And I carry a small nail clipper instead of scissors because its TSA friendly and can cut yarn. Of course, I prefer scissors, but don’t take a chance on having them confiscated.
Love, love, love the little safety pin stitch markers. I discovered them when I discovered this:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/212430163/cell-phone-plug-stitch-marker?ref=shop_home_active_24
I think the Yarn Harlot put this on her list of Christmas gifts for knitters. I use it A LOT!
I know this sounds silly but I use cereal boxes for big charts. I glue the pages on to them like a book. they stand up, don’t wrinkle and I can see them. And I can store them later on. And I can make notes on the margins.