Have you ever been in the situation where you don’t have a cable needle at hand?
I usually won’t use anything for cables. I just pull the needle out and arrange my stitches like they should be after I make the cable.
But there are times when I can’t do it this way – like big cable patterns, unstable bus ride or I just don’t feel like doing it (hey, this is enough of a reason I think).
I came up with ten things to use instead of a cable needle. You have to have an open mind though because some of it is in little …mmmm…. “out of the box” style.
1. bigger safety pin
2. little bent paperclip
3. another knitting needle
4. earrings with a hook
5. needle comb
6. finer crochet hook
7. hairpin
8. bookmark that looks like a paperclip
9. toothpick
10. food thermometer
So what do you think? Was there anything that you haven’t thought of? Or do you have something to add? Let me know.
I have two cable needles I carved from twigs whilst camping. They actually worked better than my usual cable needles, as they were exactyly the size I needed. I liked them so much that I sanded them a bit after I got home, and on one I added a layer of lacquer. I have also made shawl pins this way…
Oh wow, you carved yourself? I’m afraid I can’t handle knives…it will end up in my finger 😀
Completely out of the box here and off topic, but I went on so much that for a crocheter of 12+ years, my tension was getting way off as I have ME and get fatigued. But I fight through it, wrong thing to do I know. I already have a yarn thimble to stop the burn as it doesn’t matter how loosely I hold my yarn it still burnt my tension finger. So looking through the rings, I couldn’t find one I liked, my hubby bless him got some thick garden wire and wound it up to make me one, it goes over my thimble as well. Not so impressive as making your own cable needles, but it works, tension sorted.