Best Tools for Knitting

multiple pics of yarn toolsPin

Hi there! I’m Jennifer, the designer & creator here at Brome Fields.

Welcome to the place where I share all my favorite knitting tools!

I love knitting and testing different tools and yarns.

I enjoy the science behind knitting as much as the knitting itself, aka knitting nerd.

I use all of these tools on a regular basis and I love them. I hope you find some that you love too!

Knitting Needles:

interchangeable needle set peeking out of their casePin

I use HiyaHiya interchangeable knitting needles. I’ve been using them since 2012 {which seems like so long ago}.

What do I like about them?

The light cable makes them easier to work.
The metal tips help the yarn slide easily.
The fine threaded connector keeps them together better.
The long threaded connector saves stitches. So if/when they loosen I can catch it and re-tighten it before I lose my stitches.

How do they help me knit?

I always knit with cable needles, even on flat projects. They’re lighter to hold in my hands, so my muscles don’t work so hard and I can knit longer. :)
These are available with 4″ & 5″ tips. I use the 4″ tips because I like to knit hats, leg warmers and boot cuffs in-the-round. The shorter tips make this possible with the small circumference.

What set sizes are available?

Sock set has sizes US 0, 1, 1.5, 2 & 2.5
Small set has sizes US 2 – 8
Large set has sizes US 9 – 15

Yes, I have them all and I highly recommend that you have them all if you love knitting too! It’s a game changer.

Cable Needles:

partially knitted headband on DPN's with a cable needlePin

I love my Nirvana cable needles.

How do they help me knit?

They are straight with ridges to help keep the yarn from slipping.
I’ve used one’s that are J shaped or have a U in them, I find both of the styles to be a bit awkward to hold.
Making a cable is a little awkward to do all on it’s own, so the right tool makes all the difference.

Scissors:

2 pairs of scissors on a board near a knitted sweater and faux fur blanketPin

My Nirvana Craft Scissors are silver and small, which fit perfectly in my HiyaHiya needle cases.

I keep a pair of scissors with each of my projects. It’s just one of those things that never fails, I can’t find a pair of scissors when I’m looking for them.

Lo and behold… we have at least a dozen pairs of scissors and it saves me time, so I’m okay with that.

I have at least 1 pair of scissors in every room in the house, 2 in the kitchen. :)

The black scissors in the photo are from Tolt, Yarn & Wool

Stitch Markers:

pile of rubber band stitch markersPin
fancy stitch markersPin

I usually use rubber band hair ties, which work great when I need a lot of markers, and I don’t care if they slip off and I loose them to the couch monster.

Sometimes I want to use fancy stitch markers, so I pull out my Swarovski stitch markers.

Yarn Swift & Winder

yarn and yarn swiftPin

I have a Nirvana Yarn Swift.

This is one of the more resent additions to my knitting repertoire.

I’ve been winding my yarn into balls by hand for years and it works great, but I decided to splurge and get this yarn swift and I love it!

It’s so fancy, it makes me feel good every time I use it ;) and it’s so pretty just sitting there when it’s not in use.

I have a Nirvana Winder for small cakes and I’m not very happy with it, so I’m on the hunt for a better one :)

Yarn Bowl

battery jar yarn and flowers in vasePin

I typically knit with super bulky yarn, which doesn’t fit in my pottery yarn bowl.

I use a couple of different jars.

One is a vintage glass battery jar {you can find these on ebay, antique store or at an auction}, it’s just big enough to hold a skein of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick {LBT&Q} yarn. {The one on the left.}

The other thing I like to use is a flower vase, the one I have is 10″ tall x 5 1/2″ in diameter and came with tulip bulbs in the bottom held by a plastic piece to keep them from rotting on the bottom. It’s not big enough for LBT&Q, but it works perfectly for yarn cakes. {The one on the right with the Forsythia in it.}

I like using a clear glass container, so I can see how much yarn I have left.

Blocking Tools

knitted blanket being blockedPin

I use Knitter’s Pride Blockers & Pins and Knitter’s Pride Lace Blocking Wires.

I went without these for years too, ugh, have I mentioned yet how wonderful it feels to have the right tools to do the job?!

If you’re a knitter and need to block, get these, it will make the job so much easier, improving the quality of your life.

I no longer dread blocking! Wahoo!