My Knitting Must Haves!

Close-up of a brown knitted fabric swatch with a loose strand of yarn leading to a ball of yarn on a white background.

Chiagoo Lace Interchangeable Knitting Set

Black Chiagoo zippered organizer pouch with white floral pattern and red front pocket on a light wood table.
My absolute favorite interchangeable needle set!  The joins are seamless and don’t come undone, I love the needle tips and finish which is not as slippery as the fixed lace needles, and the flexible cords bend but don’t kink.  
ChiaoGoo interchangeable knitting needle set with metal needle tips, red cables, accessories, and needle-size gauge in a black case

  Cocoknits Tools

Close-up of a leather needle case and assorted metal sewing tools on a weathered white wood surface
Absolutely adore these!  From right to left:  cable needle, double sided crochet hook, yarn snips, and darning needle. .  Also love that CocoKnits has a magnetic notions  holder so that these stay put!

CocoKnits Natural Mesh Bag Yarn Ball Holder

Beige woven fabric baskets with knitting needles and yarn on a white wood-grain surface
These little mesh bags are fabulous, especially for holding center pull yarn cakes.  They keep your yarn tidy and the loose, outside end from unraveling.  They are also great when doing colorwork and more than one skein is involved to keep the yarns in check.  I can’t live without them.

Lumos Lumos Knitting Light

Purple Lumos & Lumos headband beside a colorful woven zippered pouch with a pink braided handle
This is such a great light when you need a little extra or are knitting when watching a movie or in a area without that much light, etc.  I love that it is a little bit longer than the typical neck lights and the you can move/manipulate the two lights to shine right where you want.  The bulbs have 4 different settings. 

Lumos Lumos Stretch Break Timer

Lumos & Lumos digital alarm clock displaying 7:07 AM on a wood-grain surface
This is a must have to prevent repetitive stress injury!  We all know how it is when we get in the zone and just want to keep knitting.  This timer let’s you know when it is time to take a break and stretch, get a cup of tea (or glass of wine depending on the time of day, lol) to prevent overdoing things.  The cube is the perfect size to not take up too much room and fits easily into a knitting bag so you can take it on the go. 

The Oregon Wood Worker Jumbo Ball Winder

This is by far the best ball winder I have ever used and the only one I will continue to use for a couple of reasons.  I originally purchased it to wind bulky yarns when I was working with those to make afghans and my other ball winder was not big enough.  This winder is high quality and solid which makes winding bulky yarns a breeze.  But, I had no idea how wonderful this would also be to wind any weight yarn into the most perfect center pull ball ever!  Whatever magic this winder does enables center pull balls to flow seamlessly and not collapse as they tend to do.  This winder is one you’ll have for life and in my opinion worth every penny.

Akerworks Knitting Tool Kit

Overhead view of a black adjustable threading and drill bit gauge on a wooden workbench, with drill bits and a white plastic container nearby.
Akerworks Knitting Tool Kit:  This clever compact magnetic notions caddy has everything you need with a swatch gauge, and needle measuring slots along the side.  It has a hole for a lanyard or chain in case you want to attach it to your knitting bag. 

The Icorder

Knits 3.0 mm wooden-handled knitting needles resting on floral packaging on a rustic wood surface.
Akerworks Knitting Tool Kit:  This clever compact magnetic notions caddy has everything you need with a swatch gauge, and needle measuring slots along the side.  It has a hole for a lanyard or chain in case you want to attach it to your knitting bag. 

The Knitting Barber Cord (The Original)

Top-down view of bright orange knitting yarn in a metal tin beside a silver tin lid labeled “The Knitting Barber” on a rustic wood-grain table.
I love this and use it all the time to hold stiches but there are many other uses as well.  There are cheaper versions on amazon but I personally cannot stand the pungent smell of those.  These are a much better quality without the smell and in my opinion are worth paying more for.

Knit Companion App

iPad displaying the KnitCompanion knitting and crochet pattern website on a wooden table
I cannot live without this app and highly recommend it if you want to make knitting from patterns and charts a lot easier.  There is a free version to try and I think once you give it a whirl, you’ll see what I mean.  The annual price for the upgraded versions run from $9.99 to $30.00 depending on what features you are interested in.  I have the setup plus essentials version for $14.99 a year and think it is worth every penny.  Sally, the owner and founder, has wonderful tutorials on the site and if you follow her on Instagram, she was weekly tutorials as well. 

Jul Closures

Assorted vintage silver and black jewelry pieces displayed on a cream knitted sweater, including brooches, earrings, cuff bracelets, and decorative pins.
Nothing compares to these beautiful closures which can be used on shawls, wraps, and even to add integrated buttons to cardigans that don’t have buttons.  JUL Closures offer a revolutionary approach to garment fastening, empowering you to think outside the box. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a beginner, JUL Closures are the perfect solution for adding a touch of elegance to your creations without damaging the fabric. She has a demonstration video on how to use these on her website which is fabulous! 

The Sock Anatomy/Kitchener Stitch Key Chain

Bright green handmade knitting instruction card with colorful dots and stitch directions on a patterned fabric background
Colorful felt activity sock with labeled sections, including cuff, leg, heel, foot, and toes, on a wood-grain surface.
This is so adorable and who doesn’t need a kitchener refresher when it comes time to graft the toe?  If they are out of stock check back as they tend to need to restock as these sell out quickly.

Sorevna Natural Hand Therapy

Black Sorevna Natural Hand Therapy restorative probiotic lotion bottle on a wood-grain table.
I love this hand cream.  Not too heavy, absorbs quickly and leaves my hands very soft.  I always have a tube nearby when knitting and a tube in my knitting bag to use on the go.

Julia Hilbrandt Felted Knitting Bags

Gray felt tote bag with dark green handles on a hardwood floor indoors
I have had many knitting bags and this one tops them all.  It is felted and light as a feather but sturdy and stands up on its own, which is a game changer.  The bag in the picture is the version Julia did for Ann and Kay of Modern Daily Knitting but all of her knitting bags are beautiful and very well crafted.

  YarnSub

YarnSub yarn substitution graphic showing a worsted yarn comparison, 60% alpaca and 40% merino blend, 18 stitches per 10 cm, and a yarn search box.
This site is fantastic on so many levels.  It provides yarn substitutions with detailed explanations as to the differences.  So if you have a favorite yarn that has been discontinued or you’re just looking for a yarn to substitute for another in a pattern, this website is your essential guide.  If you sign up for Wendy’s newsletter, she provides a list of new yarns that have come out and ones that have been discontinued.

WorldKnits Knitting Calculators

Worldknits knitting increase calculator webpage with stitch count fields and Calculate button
Don’t you hate it when a pattern tells you to decrease a certain amount of stitches across a row or round?  Well, designer Alex Capshaw-Taylor has graciously provided knitting calculators on her website that make this process simple.  She has knitting calculators for increasing, decreasing and for calculating how many rows or rounds you will need to taper a sleeve.  All you need to do is plug some numbers in and the calculator does the work for you!

Eucalan Jasmine no rinse wool wash

Eucalan Jasmine lanolin-enriched laundry concentrate bottle on a gray fabric surface
I absolutely LOVE this wool wash.  It smells heavenly and since it has essential oils which are great for keeping wool soft and supple, there is no need to rinse it out.  So gentle and can also be used in a washing machine as well as when hand washing.

Ravelry

Mobile Ravelry login screen with username and password fields, Remember me checkbox, Log In button, and Sign Up button
 If you have not heard of Ravelry or if you have and you are not signed up, this is a must do as a knitter.  Ravelry is a treasure trove of so many things it is hard to know where to begin.  A place to keep track of what you're knitting, a queue for things you want to knit, patterns galore from soup to nuts and community dynamics that make it fun and engaging.  Go sign up now and get ready for inspiring fun and connections! 

Shout Color Catcher Sheets

Amazon product listing for Shout Color Catcher dye-trapping laundry sheets, 72-count value pack.
I just recently learned about these and although I have not tried them yet, thought I would include them in this list since they seem to be the answer to bleeding colors when blocking colorwork projects.  They work by catching dyes that bleed and preventing them from seeping into other colors.  I have used white vinegar when blocking color work projects,  but I think these are a great option if you don't have any  white vinegar on hand.

EatSmart Precision Pro Digital kitchen scale

Digital kitchen scale displaying 0 grams on a wood-patterned surface

You may be wondering why on earth would you need a kitchen scale for knitting?  Lots of reasons!  To name a few, I use this when splitting a skein for knitting socks, especially if I am using a self-striping yarn and want both socks to look the same OR if I am being adventurous and knitting two socks at the same time.  I also use this scale if I am knitting a side to side shawl that starts with increases so that I know the halfway point where to begin the decreases and don’t run out of yarn.  



Modern Daily Knitting Journal and Washi Tape

Crafting supplies on a wood-grain surface, including a Leuchtturm1917 dotted notebook, knitting book, yarn, and a red Modern Daily Knitting booklet.
This is super fun to have to jot down notes, thoughts, inspiration or whatever suits your fancy!  

Large Sewing Clips for Weighting Hanging Swatches

Purple plastic clothespins arranged in a circular pattern on a textured wood-grain surface
These are great for clipping on the bottom of a swatch after it has been blocked and is dry to mimick how the weight of a sweater will impact the row and stitch gauge.