Household hints

Last week on Twitter, we got talking about how common household objects can help with crochet and knitting. We were delighted at the ingenuity of the suggestions. So we thought that it would be a good idea to mention some of them here. It all started with trying to measure without a ruler. It turns out that we all carry a ruler with us all the time: the top of your thumb from knuckle to tip. Yes, the length of this varies from person to person, but once you know that yours is an inch or three centimetres or whatever, you'll never be stuck for a way to measure again (thanks to Sweensie for this). You know how one of the best things about crochet is how there's really only one live stitch to worry about? Well, the image at the top of the page shows how to keep that stitch safe from unravelling: use a hair clip! The springiness holds the stitch secure, and when you're not wearing it, you can park it in your hair! (This is what AoibheNí uses, and she should know.) Then there's paper clips. They're terrific little multitaskers, as wyvernfriend pointed out. You can use them as stitch markers, or as emergency cable needles, or as a quick substitute for the little Allen key tightener that comes with Knitpro interchangeables. You can also use toothpicks as cable needles, or even as knitting needles themselves! Then there's cork (from bottles, not from Munster). You can use a bit of cork on the end of a needle as a point protector while your work's at rest, and you can turn a pair of double-pointed needles into short straights in similar fashion. Instantly, you remove the risk of the stitches slithering off the far end of the needle. Rubber bands wrapped round your needles work very well for both of these uses too. There were lots of other suggestions - dental floss as a lifeline and using the ruler in Word for measuring. We're absolutely certain, though, that you have other favourite tricks and hacks, and we'd love if you shared them with us in the comments below. If you're on Twitter, we're @ThisIsKnit, so keep an eye out for us there too.