Home Made Knitting Needles

Home made Knitting Needles
Knitting Basket for my daughters 1st grade class

Supplies:
wooden dowels.
pencil sharpener to sharpens the ends
fine sandpaper, to smooth them
heavy duty pair of scissors
mineral oil
carpenter wood glue

Optional : wooden painted knobs / purchased @ Michaels
Decorates the needles with knobs on the ends.

The way I made them was to basically use wooden dowel rods ( hobby/craft- Michaels),

sizes are different , so pick a size you are comfortable with for your project.

I slip the dowel and checked the size , and it was a 5mm , 8 US . I thought that was a good size for a bunch of 1st graders and beginners at that.

Then cut the dowels about 8" long, or whatever length you feel is appropriate for what you are doing.

Then use a pencil sharpener to make the rough points, ( one end only) and then take sandpaper to the whole needle, then used some mineral oil, to condition the needles

Then to cover the ends,
I used these wooden knobs I found in the jewelry section at Micheals .
colorful with polka dots and the larger ones even has a face painted on them
( these were in the doll making section @ Micheals)

On these I got creative and used some yarn to make hair styles on the top of the ball and just glued it on.
Hair Styes: Mohawk, pink peg tails, blonde pony tail, green bob

I had to sharpen the dowel ( flat end) a little, just enough of a point to enter it on the all ready made hole on the wooden knobs.
Then you place some glue on the tip and place the knob in place.
******** Let the glue dry & ALL DONE ! ********

Pom Pom Bucket Flap Hat

Pom Pom Bucket Flap Hat

Size : Small/Medium { size fits 5year old / Adult}
Yarn: 1 Ball : Filatura Di Crosa Baby Pom Pom { # 17- Fuschia }
1 Ball : Lion Brand Cotton-Ease { # 100 - Snow }

Circular Knitting Needles: 6mm 16" Addi Turbo [US 10].
Double Pointed Needles: 6mm [US 10].
Crochet hook : 6mm
Optional Material : ½ yard of fleece
Stitch holder; yarn needle; sewing needle
Hat Circumference: about 20".

Straps (Make 2): With double pointed needles, cast on 4
sts. * Knit 4, do NOT turn but slide the stitches to the other
end of the needle, pull the yarn tightly across the back of the
stitches (this helps to form the tube); rep from * until strap
measures 10" from beginning. Now form flaps:

Ear Flaps : { join both yarn together) You will work with both yarns until you reach the crown. Then you will cut the Pom Pom yarn and continue with the Lion Brand Cotton-Ease { # 100 - Snow }as you main yarn.
Working back and forth in rows as usual in St st,
increase 1 st at each end of every other
row by knitting into the front and the back of the stitch until
there are 20 sts. put sts on a holder.
Start casting onto your circular needles ,
Place a marker on the last st. and make sure it doesn’t
twist while you join the edges.


Hat: Cast on 10 sts, K 20 sts of the Ear flap, cast on
20 sts, K 20 sts of the second Ear flap, cast on 10 sts –
80 sts. Knit until body of the hat measures 5" or 6" as you desire
Shape Crown:
change to ( 6mm needles when work becomes too small for circular)

Rnd 1= * K8, K2tog: rep from * around - 72 sts
Rnd 2 & 3 : Knit

Rnd 4= * K7, K2tog: rep from * around - 64 sts.

Rnd 5 & 6 : Knit

Rnd 7= * K6, K2tog: rep from * around - 56 sts.

Rnd 8 : Knit

Rnd 9= * K5, K2tog: rep from * around - 48 sts.

Rnd 10 : Knit

Rnd 11= * K4, K2tog: rep from * around - 40 sts.

Rnd 12= * K3, K2tog: rep from * around - 32 sts.

Rnd 13= * K2, K2tog: rep from * around - 24 sts.

Rnd 14= * K3, K2tog: rep from * around - 16 sts.

Rnd 15= *K2tog: rep from * around - 8 sts.

Finishing: Weave yarn tail through remaining sts at crown
and draw up tightly; fasten securely then sew pom pom on top and on the strings.

Last Rnd: with the { # 100 - Snow } yarn, join in the middle back of the cast on row and work one round of SC on the edge { clean finish and avoids curling}

Optional: Fleece lining : lay hat flat with the flaps section in the middle
Fold fleece in half and cut the shape of the hat with an extra ½ inch { sewing and fold under edge on the edge of the hat.} Sew the sides and top of the lining, place it inside the hat with the raw edge inwards. Now you can hold the edge inwards and line it with the edge of the hat. With your sewing needle whip stitch the lining with the edge of your cast on edge.
Weave in any ends.

ABBREVIATIONS:
K = knit; mm = millimeters; P = purl; rep = repeat;
St st = Stockinette stitch (Knit on right side row; Purl on wrong side row);
st(s) = stitch (es); tog = together; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated;
SC = Single Crochet