Saturday, May 7, 2011

Pool The Tools

This is my new game plan after talking to fellow experienced machine knitters.  I got confused, because I have a knitting machine that has no tools.  Yet I also own that same machine with complete tools.  One is my home machine set up with a ribber.  The other I bought to travel to machine knitting meetings.  I often show up forgetting that it has no tools with it.  Then I can't really use it with no tools.  Fellow knitters are very generous and will lend me tools, but I hate bothering them.  So, I started thinking I'd buy tools for it.  Yet I have a complete set of tools for it at home.  Why buy another set?  "Does not compute, does not compute" would often go on in my brain.

I started taking a poll and talking to fellow machine knitters about how they handled their tools.  What I found out is more knitters than not keep their tools in a tool kit rather than keeping a set with each machine.  This idea kind of bothered me too.  I was worried about loosing the tools I have with each machine.  YET the idea of pooling the tools kept coming up.  I decided to give it a go.  I wanted a tool box where I could have an area for standard tools and and area for the bulky tools.  I didn't want to mix them.  I also needed a tool kit that wouldn't be too heavy to carry.  I also told myself I'd use a Sharpie to label the tools with which machine they go to in case I want to put them all back.


I found the above organizer at Target.  It has three levels and is a very good size for the tools.  I labeled the tools and put them into it.  I carried it to my first meeting.  It worked out great.  It wasn't too heavy.  What I found out later was it works great at home.  More than great really.  I'm very clumsy with my tools when I'm working.  I put them onto the lid of the knitting machine as it sits behind the machine on the stand.  Problem is I don't put them down in the same spot.  They get under the yarn.  Under the pattern.  Who knows where they go sometimes.  I spend more times looking for tools than knitting.  Well, at least it feels like that.  With this new organizer I use tools out of it and place them back into it.  I only have to look in a 6"X 9" area.  It's been such a relief to find my tools when I'm concentrating on a machine knitting project.

1 comment:

  1. "I spend more times looking for tools than knitting. Well, at least it feels like that".

    I can so relate to that. I love your idea about a tool kit but I only have one machine. I keep my tools in a large mug by the machine but rarely put them back after using them. I just lay them down and like you say they get covered up. I just have to be more organised I guess!

    ReplyDelete