UPDATE: Congratulations to RYAN for being the randomly selected winner to the contest on this blog post. A message was sent to him letting him know that he won, and he'll be getting a Kyle William tape measure. Thanks for playing! (feel free to continue posting comments about what you like to keep in your knitting bags! - the answers won't count towards the drawing, but it's interesting to see what people use!) Every knitter (and crocheter!) who travels, across the country or down the street... to "Stitch -n- Bitch" or "Knit Night"... has a list of necessities that they bring with them. Just in case. In addition to my project and instructions, here's a list of some of the things I have with me in my knitting bag when I leave the studio Carrying Case - My most-used bag of the moment is a little bag I got on a United international flight. It's see-through, and that makes digging for the right tool in a knitting emergency so much easier. Pen - I use a retractable "click" pen so that there's less chance of ink getting all over the place. Some people might use a pencil instead... but I'm OK with scribbling out mistakes! ;) Scissors - Full disclosure, I usually can't find my scissors. They're around... somewhere. But when I'm organized, or the planets are aligned, I have my little cutting tool the "Quickie Cutter" which I picked up at a trade show or fair somewhere. Other options are cute vintage scissors (which can open and cut or stab unless they're in a case), or clippers that fit into some sort of cover. I've heard of people using finger nail cutters as well. Gauge - My favorite is the little spiral gauge from Debra's Garden. This is the one I carry around if I travel, but in the studio I use my big Susan Bates gauge. If I'm sorting needles to put them back away, my little one from Seven Yaks is my "go to" tool. Coil-less Safety Pins - What can I say about these? They're perfect for "parking" dropped stitches, marking rows, or the front of a piece, and for holding things like stitch markers (don't worry; they're in the list too!) Cable Needle - I use cable needles to fix mistakes, as a "third" needle when needed... and, of course, for cabling. Chicken - Every knitting toolkit needs a tiny rubber chicken. I have no idea where it came from, but it was in my toolkit! Stitch Markers - These come in so many varieties. I love my little lamb ones that I bought at Stitches. Other ones I uses: a little silver baby ring, plastic ones (from Boye), O-rings (from the hardware store), and truthfully, anything I can get my hands on if I am in a bind. Bits of yarn tied into a ring, a twist-tie, even paper clips (or those coil-less safety pins!) work in a pinch. Head and Health - Snacks for emergencies, aspirin, antihistimines, etc. to fix what's hurting. In this category I'd also add a few dollars. It's not in my essentials bag, but I do keep change and some cash in my knitting bag for parking meters, public transit fare, and emergency purposes. Golden Needle - My favorite needles to use for finishing are the golden needles. I also love my little chibi case from clover. I also keep dental floss in my bag for lifelines (and for flossing!) Stitch Holders - These are transient. If I'm getting to the point where I might need one, in it goes. They're used, of course, to hold live stitches. If I don't have one, a length of yarn or dental floss works almost as well. Crochet Hooks - Used to pick up stitches, for provisional cast on, and crochet (of course!) I have a couple in my bag to use, or to lend. Latch Tool - I have a little latch hook tool that's used in machine knitting that I got from Florence Bishop years ago. She swore by these for picking up stitches. Sometimes it ends up in my knitting bag because it's a great tool for picking up a column of dropped stockinette stitches. Tape Measure - Of course, measuring tapes are the #1 must-have in knitting bags. (and now there's Kyle William tape measures!) The Kyle William tape offers measurements in centimeters and inches up to 60 inches (150 cm). They're the standard 2" diameter x 1/2" and have a push button that retracts the tape. Compact, cute, and emblazoned with the Kyle William logo! Want one of your very own? Keep reading! :) What's the one thing you can't live without in your travel knitting bag? (and why?) Post your answer in the comments to be entered to win your very own Kyle William tape measure!
A random entry will be selected on Friday, August 2, 2013. If you can't wait, feel free to hop on over to the SHOP where you can buy your very own! |
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