A Project Holder (part 1 through 4)

follow up to this posting with pictures of the process this time, and a prototype.

The first attempt,  I think I got ... 4 rows done

I have gotten tired of losing the needles out of a particular sock project (JM Jones socks ... I am fighting cast on #4 until I have gotten something to hold it all together.  I keep grabbing one needle to pull it out of the bag, and it's always a "live needle".

With fine wool and really small needles, pulling the needle out means "rip it out and start again you idiot."  After the last time, (in July/August) I put it aside until I had something to protect it.  I didn't need the frustration.

I knew what I wanted, something like what a friend had to hold double pointed knitting needles.  She used cigar tubes, but when a camp-mate got me one, it was about ... 4" too short to hold the needles.  I did try cutting the slot, but the plastic was too flimsy and the tube, meant to hold a cigarillo, was laughably too small to hold even the size 1 needles I was using.

Cue a run to Home Depot, and the purchase of a 2' length of 3/4" PVC pipe.  It might not be the most graceful of material, but I knew it would be sturdy enough.

I cut it to 8" lengths, after checking that it would be longer than the needles I have, and so I'd have 3 chances to get it right.  I couldn't get much longer than that, as my saw/miter setup won't cut anything much wider than that.  If I need to make anything 12" long, I'm horked, or need to figure out something else.

Making the first cut

Next up, 2 cuts down the length of the pipe (this was the reason for the 8" length.  After thinking about it for a while, I came up with some bracing to hold the pipe for the first cut.  It is sturdy pipe, which n this instance meant for a long time cutting.  It also meant for some careful cutting as I reached the end of the cut, I didn't want to cut the pipe entirely in half, I wanted a slot.

Making the second cut.

Once the first cut was made, I re-jiggered the bracing and put a spare saw blade into the cut, so I could hold it steady while I made the second cut.  This was also a lengthy cut, made longer by the need to not have the cuts turn into spirals, or to jump all over the pipe.

I did get the pipe cut, and went in search at the local hardware store for something like caps to hold the ends in, and some kind of slider so that the project won't fall out once I've got it in.

Testing the concept

a finer project is also held securely

A 3/4" gasket served the second purpose, but I couldn't find caps that fit on the outside of the pipe, only inside.  I only bought one gasket, so I made use of a hair tie for the second, and tested the concept that the gasket or some kind of rubber band could hold a project in place.  The first  test was with a very sturdy project (my third attempt at colorwork, a pair of socks for a co-worker's 9 year old daughter.)  I want to look into using some kind of slide along the length of the holder, but I was still at the "proof of concept" stage.

Tips are still vulnerable.  Need caps

I don't need the holder for this type of project so much.  When a needle comes out of this, the stitches are sturdy enough to pick back up with the needle.  I'm sorry to say that I've had to test that far too often.

It also held a finer project, but I still needed to get caps to hold the non-working needle in.  Although the craft stores would be happy to sell me as many sets of needles as I could afford, I'd rather not have to buy them.  I did find caps that would fit inside the pipe.

I finished the other two sections of pipe, and this time went to Home Depot, which did have pvc caps to fit over the outside of the ends of the pipe, although they don't stay on.  Either need to use tape to increase the size of the pipe just a little, or pvc glue/cement to hold it on.  Will try the tape first.