Comments on: DIY DPNs

By: Make your own knitting needles « Epicurvegan

Make your own knitting needles « Epicurvegan — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:57:01 +0000

[...] Brian Sawyer shows us how to make double-pointed knitting needles [...]

By: Brian Sawyer

Brian Sawyer — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 13:13:04 +0000

Marcie: that’s an interesting point, and I must admit that I haven’t used my DIY needles enough or tested them hard enough to get them to break, though that makes a lot of sense. Wish I had some suggestions for alternatives, beyond actual knitting needles.

By: Marcie

Marcie — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 21:26:09 +0000

Ive noticed that when I try to make the smaller sizes (i.e.7s or smaller) they break really easily, one broke while I was sanding. I got the dowels from michaels, any suggestions on buying some that dont break so easily or is this only a good idea for larger sizes or am I just a rough knitter :0)

By: oldladypenpal

oldladypenpal — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 12:56:25 +0000

Thanks, Salt! Thanks, Brian!

By: Brian Sawyer

Brian Sawyer — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:35:38 +0000

Great advice and beautiful needles, salt! Thanks for adding to this post with your experience and expertise.

By: salt

salt — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:27:50 +0000

I made myself some dpns from dowels when I couldn't find the right size commercially. Because the wood seemed excessively grabby even after sanding, I coated them with a couple coats of acrylic sealer (like varnish only thinner, clearer, water soluble). I sanded (320 grit) between coats, except for the last coat, and ended up with a nice smooth but not too slow finish. And that sealed the band of acrylic paint I put around the middle for visual identification of the set. Those needles have been used twice now without any loss of that paint. So I'm thinking that if you want to color the wood, working a thinned acrylic paint into it before sealing might work. Or a good water-soluble dye. And then at least a couple coats of sealer, which I think is the key: anything else, oil- or water-based, is going to be lifted out of the wood again by being handled as you knit.

By: Brian Sawyer

Brian Sawyer — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:03:06 +0000

Are there any options for coloring these that won’t create a potential hazard for the yarn?

Hmmm… I honestly don’t know. I’ve been doing these mainly for function and haven’t gotten into too many frills. Anyone else know ways to dye wood that won’t rub off on yarn?

By: oldladypenpal

oldladypenpal — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 02:58:03 +0000

Nice!
Every time we eat at one of those fancy sandwich shops, my kids hand me the mega toothpicks the shop uses. “Mama, you can knit with these!” And I swear one of these days I will!

Are there any options for coloring these that won’t create a potential hazard for the yarn?

By: dangerousangel

dangerousangel — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 21:36:35 +0000

Good idea! They should be just right to cut short for glove fingers. I’m going to try it. I like lace knitting and have taken and ground down bicycle spokes to make needles in about the #1 size range. They work great, if you have the patience to work that small!