Sometimes You Just Have to Try It!


Trying something new!  I was in Joann’s recently and was looking for a Nifty Knitter to see if I could make chain with it.  There were several sizes of round plastic disc with a series of knobs or spokes to wrap yarn around.  The smallest one was 4” in diameter and while I wanted something to make a larger diameter chain I thought 4” might be a little large.  Then I saw the specialty knitter.  Check out that picture!
Nifty Knitter Specialty Loom
Several posts ago, I compared a spool knitter with another product and now I have to share this one! http://www.lindabrittdesign.blogspot.com/2012/02/adventure-of-making-chain.html  I made my purchase and went home to try different gauge wire with it. I found the technique for the Nifty Knitter’s to be very similar to the Spool Knitter.  Using the small end for knitting lets the knitted wire pull through the center hole with no problem – just like the wooden Spool Knitter did. This plastic one was a little easier to hold.  It went so well, I made this necklace and put the knitted chain through a draw plate.  This evened out the knitting some and made it a little more durable.  There are two strands of magenta silk cord threaded through the chain and the shell drop is attached to the cord.  That gives the necklace a nice organic look I think. 
26 gauge wire knitted on the Nifty Knitter
I wanted to see how thick a gauge wire I could use and found that a 22 is good.  Here’s the chain in 22 that I also pulled through a drawplate.
22 gauge wire knitted on Nifty Knitter and pulled through a drawplate
And then I decided to knit on the larger end….the knitting went well until I tried to pull the knitted wire through the center hole.  The knitted wire feeds through the center allowing you to make the chain any length.  If you look at the Nifty Knitter you will see the large end going to the small end with a neck in the middle.  The larger diameter knitting would not pull through the ‘neck’ and I ended up taking the knobs or spokes out and removing the knitted wire from the top.  As you can see, I have a blue chili pepper or something I don’t want to discuss!  Any ideas on how to use this creation?   I really just had to share this experience. 
Blue Chili?  22 gauge wire - 5" long!


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