It’s no secret that tools can make or break the project.  After you’ve gotten yourself some great needles and some drool-worthing yarn, there are a handful of knitting tools that will help you to spend more time doing what you love.  Let’s dive in, shall we?

Ball Winder

If you plan to ever buy a hank (and trust me, you will) then a ball winder is going to save you a lot of time and frustration.  A ball winder takes your yarn and turns it into a center pull skein by rotating in a figure eight motion as you feed the yarn through a guide.  This item is borderline essential if you plan to do a project where you need access to both yarn ends.

Yarn Swift

Like the ball winder, this tool is pretty much necessary for certain types of knitters.  If you’re going to be purchasing mostly hanks, this is definitely something to splurge on.  A swift holds your hank in a giant loop and rotates so you can pull the yarn off the loop without getting a giant pile of yarn barf.  When paired with a ball winder, they make the process of converting hanks easier and, dare I say, fun.  You’ll notice that almost all yarn stores have this setup available if they offer a free winding service.  It’s because these shop owners value their sanity.  (ANYONE that has tried to hand wind lace weight alpaca will agree with me!)  

Niddy Noddy

Niddy noddys let us all pretend that we own yarn shops in a magical, yet practical, fantasy that many fiber enthusiasts share.  Turning your yarn into a hank helps protect it for long term storage.  If you’re interested in learning how to dye yarn, want to protect your yarn for an extended amount of time, or just want your yarn to look gorgeous in storage, you’re going to want to get your hands on a niddy noddy.

Yarn Scale

If you have a type A personality, this one is going to be at the top of your Christmas list.  Yarn scales are a simple way to know just how much yarn you have, how much you’ve used, and how much you will use.  These numbers start to get pretty important if you like to live on the wild side and knit ever single yard of yarn in your ball.  If you’re interested in colorwork or designing your own patterns, this puppy is super useful.

Blocking Mat (And Pins)

Where are all my lace knitters at?  This one is especially for you!  And for anyone that wants to elevate their knits from “meh” to “WOW!”  Almost all projects could do with a good blocking but lace especially needs a heavy blocking to reach its full potential.  The blocking mat and pins simply hold your damp project in place so that it air dries into the correct measurements.  The knitting community believes in magic and it’s name is “blocking”.  

Yarn Soap

If you plan on washing your items, and I really hope you do, then yarn soap is going to really help keep your projects in tip top shape.  Especially with your animal fibers, yarn soap helps to avoid the dreaded disaster that is unintentional felting.  Many yarn soaps don’t even need to be rinsed.  How cool is that?  Just soak and drain.  If you’re in a pinch, a tiny bit of conditioner works but it does seem to “coat” the yarn.  Over time I think this leads to a kind of sticky item.  Gross.  When looking for a good soap, make sure it mentions that it is meant for wool.  We don’t want to break down those precious fibers with a harsh product.

Yarn Bowl

These are a handy and often decorative item that help keep your yarn coming out of the skein in a steady, knot free strand.  While they’re in no way necessary, they do add a certain elegance to sitting down with your needles.  Some of them can be quite lovely.

Nice Stitch Markers

The whole point of a stitch marker is to break up your stitches in a way that reminds you to do something.  No one said that these markers couldn’t be pretty!  There are hundreds of options so go wild.  When looking for markers, make sure that they’re in a size that will work for your projects (like tiny markers for tiny sock needles) and that there are no grabby surfaces that could snag your yarn.

Darning Needles

These needles come in several sizes but their function is the same: to move your yarn in a way your knitting needles can’t.  I use them for weaving in ends, duplicate stitching, mattress stitching, kitchener stitching, and, obviously, darning.  They’re super handy and no knitting kit is complete without one.

Travel Knitting Bag

For all those like-minded souls that enjoy knitting outside of the house, a knitting bag will make your fiber adventures even better than they already are.  You could, of course, use whatever bag you have lying around  (I’ve even used plastic grocery bags on a number of occasions; just make sure no one mistakes it for trash!) but there are bags specifically designed for this.  Whatever type of bag you decide on, when selecting said bag, look for something that is just slightly bigger than your project and has nothing sharp (like zippers!) that could damage your work.

Needle Tip Protectors

These little nibs of foam go on, well, the tip of your needles.  They keep your yarn safe on the needles and prevent you from being shanked by your own creation.  They have saved me many a-times and are important if you plan to travel with your needles.

Bonus: Drop Spindle

For those whose love of fiber doesn’t stop with knitting, a drop spindle is a great gateway into the wonderful world of spinning.  You can make small skeins with it but most people use it to try out tiny bits of roving before taking it to their spinning wheel.  But that’s a whole ‘nother post!

What About You?

What’s your fave knitting tool?  Let us know in the comment section down below!