Making my own dp needles

18 years ago

I have been making wood double pointed needles for my sister and me so that I can get the lengths I want and so that I won't have so many problems with stitches slipping off the ends of the needles, like I do with my old metal ones. I am very happy with my needles and my only problem is in finding dowel in enough small sizes.

I like 8 inch long dps for making baby hats because I find I do not drop stitches so easily--not at all, actually. And I like to make 6 needles in each set so I have a spare if one breaks or gets lost in the couch cushions.

I just experimented in making 4 to 5 inch short double pointed needles for knitting socks, and they are great too. The shorter lengths make for greater comfort and less awkwardness in knitting socks.

I have revised how I make these needles. I buy dowel for around 90 cents for a 4 feet length. I use my yard pruning shears to cut the lengths of the needles. Then I sharpen the ends in a pencil sharpener. Next, I run very fine sandpaper over them to smooth out the shaft of the needles, not the points.

Then I work on the points, which are rather ragged. I dull the points with the coarse side of an emery board, and shape the point with the coarse side, trying to get a looooong taper to the tip of the needle. Then I smooth the tip with the fine side of the emery board and finish with a little rubbing of the fine sandpaper. Finally, when it seems smooth enough, I rub handcream into it. I keep the emery board beside me the first time I make something with the needles, and touch up any burrs as necessary as I go along. I also might add another coating of handcream. By the time I finish my first little project, the needles have smoothed from use as well as my touch ups and are a joy to use, partly because I made them myself for so little cost!

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Comments (10)

minnie_tx
18 years ago
Sounds great. A friend's DH made me a wooden crochet hook for making rugs and I loved it.
Zipper_TX
18 years ago
I never thought of using hand-cream, how long does it take to dry with that?

I've made a pair of straight needles, but I used Johnson's Paste wax (for floors) took a while for it to dry. Also, I use a piece of brown paper bag to do the finish sanding with, it will really smooth out the needles.
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sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
18 years ago
Just rub in a little hand cream and any excess should be worked into your hands to keep them smooth. Use just a litte; you can always do more later. Use the needles right away as the hand cream soaks into the wood. Lily Chen recommended hand cream for keeping wood needle tips smooth, so I tried it and find it so much easier than using waxed paper.
Zipper_TX
18 years ago
Thanks Sheilajoyce, I'll try that on my next pair.
wombat
18 years ago
I've only made big needles and only because I couldn't buy any at the time.

I cut the dowel down into a rough point with a craft knife (it was much too big to fit into a pencil sharpener). Then I turned on the electric sander, propped it upside down, and turned the dowel on it, holding it an the angle I wanted. The rough timber smoothed out very quickly.

If you don't have a sander, they can be had quite cheaply in bargain shops (at least in Australia). Not sure how long they will last but certainly long enough to make a heap of knitting needles.
mlea
18 years ago
I was in need of No. #7 regular knitting needles the other nite and after racking my brain, I went to the kitchen cabinet and got out my shish-ka-bob sticks. I even had a couple different sizes, but the one set was perfect. I smoothed it down with a round file for fingernails and dulled the end some. I'm going to try the hand lotion idea...plus they really could be cut just a little shorter, and my husband will do that for me in his wood shop. PLUS, I haven't done it yet, but I"m wanting an end on them, so I think I'll do an old Aleene's trick and mix a slice of bread with glue and form my ball, mold it around the stick. You can either add acrylic paint to the 'clay' while mixing and/or paint the color of your choice after it dries. Where there is a will there is a way...KNIT ON!!!
socks
18 years ago
I went to Michaels and got some little red apples and super-glued them on the ends. You could even wind up a rubberband on each end.
sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
18 years ago
I used that plastic like clay that you bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Cute ornaments are often made out of it.
tami_ohio
18 years ago
My bamboo scewers are a perfect size 2. I either lost, or broke one and DH made me a new one from that.

Tami
sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh dear, and I threw out a package of bamboo scewers only recently!!!!!

Making my own dp needles

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Making my own dp needles

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minnie_tx

Zipper_TX

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