what’s in your essentials?

September 18, 2026 by Leave a Comment

My zippered pencil case finally gave up the ghost after many years of loyal service, but when I went to find something new I was a little overwhelmed with all the options these days.  I ended up just ordering this (and you can see my needle/hook gauge attached to the zipper):

So I have a separate little bag for my Clover crochet hooks, and I have separate storage bags/cases for needle sets, etc., but no matter what yarn project I’m working on, this comes with.  First off let me laud the fact that this case has an expandable zipper, like a suitcase, so if I ever go nuts with my supplies it can handle it:

But as of now I don’t, because my essentials fit inside:

A nice zippered pocket on the left for the small things, at “pencil holder” flap in the center, and space behind it is all I need!  In the zippered pocket I have some point protectors, cable needles, plastic yarn needles for sewing in ends, and extra grippers to slip on hooks (and yes, a plastic cable needle is broken, lol, I need to just throw it out):

The hooks in the middle are ones in sizes that I find useful for a variety of instances, including picking up knitting stitches if I drop one, or just extras if someone else wants to join the crafting fun.  And behind that:

Stitch markers for crochet.  Stitch markers for knitting.  A Cath Kidston measuring tape that has yellowed over time (but I don’t care), a 6″ metal ruler, some embroidery scissors, and my needle tin, which holds:

Thinner sewing needles, more stitch markers, safety pins, and a few bits of string.

And like I said, this goes with me every time I’m working on a yarncraft.  Do you have a container or bag like this that holds your essentials and sticks by you like glue, and if so, what’s in yours?  Am I overdoing it, as I suspect, or should I go all out, unzip the expander, and add all my Clover hooks to the back and combine 2 pouches into 1?  Is there anything vital that I’m missing that I need to add?  This stuff has been in my essentials fot years now, but it’s very possible I’ve missed something important!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by!  I hope you are all doing well!

Filed Under: crochet, knitting Tagged With: ,

everything you need to know about knitting & crocheting tools/extras

February 21, 2015 by 4 Comments

Two weeks ago I posted “everything you need to know about crochet hooks” and last week we learned “everything you need to know about knitting needles.” This info is also from 2011 and is permanently available in the menu bar but I thought it worth revisiting!

extras for knitting and crocheting

stitch markers

Stitch markers have been unnecessary in every crochet pattern I’ve ever attempted — a scrap piece of yarn marks your spot just as well and doesn’t cost you extra.  They’re much more useful in knitting, at least for me.  They do make markers that look like jewelry if you just want to look pretty, like the glass beaded ones in the tin above.

needles

OK so you do need sewing needles to sew the ends of your yarn into your project.  Just make sure you find some with big enough eyes for your yarn.  The big ones are called tapestry needles.  If you want to get organized you can get a metal magnetic tin for your needles and stitch markers, as seen above.

scissors

Duh.

measuring tape

A cute one is always fun, like the Cath Kidston retractable one above.

needle/hook sizer

Useful if all of your needles or hooks aren’t clearly marked with their size.  The Susan Bates one above is also good for checking knitting gauge!

thread cutter pendants

These thread cutters hang from a necklace so can be kept with you at all times, and they’re very handy.  I totally had to get one because it’s more convenient than digging around for my scissors, and it’s just awesome!  Even works on thicker yarns.  I got the Clover brand.

row counter ring

These are so handy!  Mine is handmade by a woman on Etsy (click here for more info).

wire yarn stranding guide

This ring is specifically for when you are knitting with more than 1 color/ball of yarn at once.  It helps keep the tangles at bay and can be found cheap.

beads (not pictured)

It can be fun to add beads to your crocheted work, but unless the pattern calls for it, I’d stay away from beading!  When you’re crocheting you have to put all your beads for the project on the yarn before you start, because there’s no way to add them as you go along (unless you tie them on with sewing thread or something, but who wants to do that?).  That means you have to count EXACTLY how many beads you will need and TRIPLE check that you’ve put that number of beads on the yarn before starting.

Filed Under: crochet, knitting Tagged With: , , , ,