For years I wanted to knit socks and mittens but after growling my way through one sock or one mitten on double pointed needles I gave up. It was little more than an exercise in pain and frustration. Then I heard about knitting two socks at once on two long circular needles wrapped in circles and so I bought a book about it hoping that was the answer. Nope, that’s not happening either. It’s just too much for me. I like things simple and quick. Often I would wish that there were tiny circular needles. It never made sense to me that circular needles weren’t made smaller. I looked at every craft store I went to for the longest time and even mounted a search on the web with no success. 

Scrolling around on Pinterest one day, I discovered that there were tiny circular needles called Addi Turbo! I don’t know how long they have been available but I sure wish I had known about these great little needles years ago. No more fumbling with four misbehaved double pointed needles. No more ladders, loose stitches, needles slipping out of the work, etc. These tiny things are fantastic!

A few years ago I changed from straight needles to circular needles for all of my knitting projects. No more dropping one needle down into the couch cushions, prompting a head-in-the-sand type of hunt where I shove my entire arm down into whatever lives under there. What does live down there in the dark with the crumbs and cat hair? Will it bite me? I never expect to get my arm back! (For the record, I keep a very clean house. Crumbs and cat hair are notorious for climbing out of the vac at night and hiding under the furniture.)

There are two drawers in my sewing desk full of knitting needles and crochet hooks that I have collected over time from relatives, my grandmother, my mother, and also the ones I’ve purchased. Every time I open the drawer clouds of memories rise up to greet me. I appreciate all the work done on these old needles by family members over the decades and will pass these treasures down to my own daughter one day.  In the meantime I have this great set of circular needles (Takumi by Clover) with various size cords to attach to each. They twist on and never come apart while I’m working with them. This is a very compact and portable set so I always have the right size handy.

I love knitting socks now. It’s the perfect size project to tuck in your purse and take with you for those boring moments in waiting rooms, your lunch break at work, waiting for your car at the garage, or anywhere else you’d like the relaxation that comes with knitting a few stitches. Do you carry any small projects with you? What are you currently working on? Let’s talk patterns. 👩🏻‍💻