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.

A project holder (part 0)

The backstory:

I have a knitting project (a rather complex sock in almost laceweight yarn with size 1 needles) that I've cast on 4 times, and am about to start for a 5th time.

The first time, I didn't have the number of stitches correct, so when I began the pattern, it didn't work, so I tore it out.  Luckily, this happened at row 5, so no big deal.

The second time, a needle came out about ... 2 rows into the pattern, and even if I could get the needle back in , the markers had gone "poof" so I couldn't tell where they went.  Tear it out and cast on again.

Third time, I reached into the bag I was keeping my active projects in, grabbed one to show off, and out came one of the active needles, about ... 5 rows into the pattern.  This time I cut off the yarn, because it was getting a bit worn, and I cast on again.

Then I went camping, and wanted to show a friend what I'd gotten done ... you see where this is going.  This time the needle stayed in the bag.

Something had to be done, the yarn is too fine to hold the needles in, or the steel was too slippery to stay in place.  I needed a holder of some kind.

Something like this, a tube to hold the needles secure and still allow the knitted fabric to hang so I could tell where I was in the project, or to show it off (which I probably shouldn't do given what's happened in the past.  (This one looks good to, but probably not as versatile.  A friend shows me a needle holder she'd made out of a cigar tube , and I determined to make something like the first link or the cigar holder.

So I got my hands on a cigar tube ... all of 5 inches long and about a half inch in diameter.  Also about as fragile as a politician's promise.   I needed something sturdier, and a bit larger.  To the hardware store and/or Home Depot, because that's where I pick up sewing notions, doesn't everyone?

J. M. A. socks test knit (2 of quite a few)

My selected yarns

 This one's about checking for gauge.  I've gotten yarn, and dug through my stash and I think I've got enough different yarns to do this.  I also bought size 1 needles, and cast on for a swatch.   I didn't get it done as quickly I thought I would (next swatch, fewer stitches.)

Clearance clown barf yarn.

I went for inexpensive yarns, the idea being that this is a test sock, and although I might wear it, how pretty it looks isn't a first consideration.  Of course, I also wear fuschia with blaze orange, so my taste is probably questionable.  The clown barf is very nice and soft, it's Loops & Threads, Luxury Sock Super Fine, and the color way is properly "Spring Fling" merino and cashmere.

The Finished Swatch.

I had the purple first, and started with that, probably too much, but I am looking for how it handles as well as gauge.  I am looking for 36 stitches X 48 rows = 4 inches, or 9 stitches and 12 rows to the inch.

Sizing tomorrow/later, because the light where I'm trying to measure isn't great, and I've not a flashlight to use.

Edit to add:
purple 9 stitches 12 rows
tan 12 rows 9 stitches
clown barf 12 rows 9 stitches
brown  9 stitches 12 rows

and some asprin-esque for the resulting headache.

J. M. A. socks test knit (1 of quite a few)

I am a member of Ravelry, and didn't quite realize it, but I volunteered to test knit a pattern written up by a fellow member of Ravelry.  After getting over the Socrates moment  (see "Real Genius"), and looking over the directions and reviewing my stash of tools and fiber I realized that I normally don't work as fine as the patterned called for, and I certainly don't think I have the colors called for, never mind working in light-fingering weight wool at almost 10 stitches per inch.

Figure 1, the swatch has begun

One trip to the local fabric big box store (actually, the second one, didn't like the selection or the prices at the first) netted me needles and a bag of mill ends in the appropriate weight, even if what I found was purple and gray variegated and the pattern calls for brown, red, and olive, and the original pattern looks like it either ran out of red and switched orange or changed dye batches halfway through the second sock.

Cast on 66 stitches and am starting to swatch,  More to come.  The picture makes the wool look much bluer than it is.  I suspect the red was washed out by the red background.  And the cat hair.  I am making decent project on the swatch, but purling at that scale makes my hands ache a bit.

ravelry pattern is here but might not be public facing.