Normally, I quite like yarncentric gadgets that allow me to play with yarn in interesting ways.
Well, I have found a gadget that I  truly loathe.
I have a rule about my blog, and that is that I only talk about stuff and books that I really like.
Well, this dumb thing is sooooooooooooooo bad,
you almost have to love it
have to pity the poor thing.
When I saw these two needles in
a drawer of a second hand store,
at first, I thought… hmmm….
plastic punch needles?
Nope…. it says: ‘K-Tel Knitter’ on it.
I still had to try it as a punch needle- and no no no… don’t …read more

It’s Bloggy giveaway carnival time again!

Here is the list of links to all my contests this week.
Feel free to enter as often as you like!  Please check back through the week, as I intend to add more prizes to the list.

One of a kind handmade Hedgehog Tatting Shuttle by Noreen Crone-Findlay 
Red 3/8″ embellishment cord with wire by Kreinik
Gold color 3/8″ embellishment cord with wire by Kreinik
Silver color 3/8 ” embellishment cord with wire by Kreinik
Silver color heart shape earrings
Gold color heart shape earrings
DP Tubes for storing double pointed knitting needles and crochet hooks
DP WIP Tubes to protect your sock …read more

THE WINNER WAS SIERRA! Congratulations, Sierra!
This was a  fun prize from Nancy’s Knit Knacks:
They designed them to hold knitting needles, but they are also great for storing crochet hooks (the link shows how I use mine)

DP Needle Tube™ – A solution for holding and protecting your valuable and delicate Double Pointed Needles.AC_VHost_Embed_37949(188, 250, \\\\\\\\’FFFFFFF\\\\\\\\’, 1, 1, 708234, 0, 0, 0, \\\\\\\\’d9f4df5fae6bd88cec0ce0c14a95377b\\\\\\\\’, 6);
The Contest  is now closed.

Image Source: Nancy’s Knit Knacks
Thanks everyone!
I am no longer writing hankering for yarn, so you’ll have to catch me at www.tottietalkscrafts.com

AND>>>>>>>
The WINNER IS:  # 61, Jennifer! Congratulations, Jennifer!  I’ll be sending your email on to the lovely folks at Nancy’s Knit Knacks. Hope that you’ll enjoy them!
Nancy’s Knit Knacks sponsored this splendido prize:

DP Wip Tube™ – A solution for holding and protecting your valuable and delicate Double Pointed Needles while they are still connected to your project!
I have a set (here’s where I wrote about them)  and just love them,
so I asked the kind folks at Nancy’s Knit Knacks
if they would be willing to donate a set for you to win.
And, bless their hearts, they did!
Check out their …read more

My last posting was about some spool knitters that I am very fond of.
I’ve just become acquainted with some wonderful new spool knitters:Crystalite French Knitters from Susan Bates. They’re 4 and 6 peg spool knitters and are very sturdy.
I really like them! They’re solidly made and are very nice to work with.

One of the things that is really neat is being able to see the cord while it’s still inside the spool knitter. They come with a wonderful little tool (Sylvalume Handi tool) that has a hook on one end and a point on the other.
Definitely thumbs up on these …read more

About 10 years ago, I was thrilled to bits to see a very special spool knitter on eBay. I have always loved spool knitting, but until then, hadn’t seen a spool knitter that looked like a doll.
I was so excited to see a spool knitter that was painted to look like Little Orphan Annie. I bid on her and won the auction.
Boy, was I ticked off when the seller decided that the price hadn’t gone high enough and refused to honor the auction. Humph!
I was really annoyed. But, I always figure:
Why get mad? Why not get creative?
So …read more

I bought a Crazy Daisy winder when I was a teenager, and actually used it quite a lot…. Not for making the projects that they recommend, but for making motifs for freeform crochet:

Crazy Daizy winders are really beautifully made. They are a solidly built tool that lasts for decades.
I was quite upset when I took my cherished old Crazy Daisy maker to a workshop that I was teaching, and somebody pinched it!
Luckily, my darlin’ sister in law was on the lookout and found me another one, complete with it’s vintage box:

The flowers in these pics were all made with the …read more

On one on my email lists, people have been chatting about how they sort, store and organize their crochet hooks.
Here are a few pics of how I store mine, as well as a nifty new gadget that I really like for carting my hooks around with projects:
For quite a few years now, I have been using this plastic pencil box to carry crochet hooks and needlework tools in my purse.  It’s not lovely, but it’s efficient!

Recently, my best friend gave me a set of dpn tubes for my sock knitting, and they are great.
The folks (nancys knit knacks) who make …read more

My best friend just gave me the neatest little gadget.
‘DP Wip Tubes’.
‘whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?’
They’re a simple and oh so  clever gadget for adding happiness to sock knitter’s lives.
They are interlocking notched tubes that you slip over your dp needles. They  keep your sock from accidentally womitting it’s stitches.  Bliss.
Here’s a link for them: Here it is:
nancys knit knacks
I am delighted with mine, as I take my sock knitting with me wherever I go.  Someone is very clever!
Thumgbs and dp’s up on this one!