This morning, I finished a "goose wing" knitting sheath whittled from a piece of an old ax handle. it looks crude and primitive, but it feels good in the hand, it feels good in the belt while knitting, and it works for knitting. This morning as I was testing it, the last of my doubts about destashing all my SPN vanished. I would much rather use DPN with a sheath.
Previous, my knitting sheaths had been more along the line of the turned, cylindrical, continental style knitting sheaths. This is the my first goose wing and I like it much better. Its broader surface and surface texturing give much better stability, with less "play" in the needle resulting in less motion in the left hand and faster knitting.
Originally this prototype was intended for 0 & 00 needles so it is smaller than the prototypes for the #1 needles, but it works so well that I went ahead and redrilled it for #1 needles. Its over all length is less than
8", its maximum thickness is about 3/4", but much of it is ~3/8" thick. The surface is coarsely striated, which provides friction to hold it firmly in place when tucked under a belt or apron strings. The hole that holds the needle is lined with brass tubing. The needle is held snugly with very little play, but slides in an out very easily. My previous knitting sheaths required a heavy leather belt cinched tightly to hold them in place. This sheath works well even when tucked into the soft elastic waist band of the gardening shorts I am wearing around the house today. The new prototype for the 0 and 00 needles will be even smaller, with a total length of ~ less than 7 inches.The total time to make was ~4 hours, and much of that was stopping to try it out and check the angles and alignment. Cost was a 1/4 sheet of sandpaper, a pad of steel wool for finishing, and a bit of furniture polish.
My gansey in progress will be finished with this sheath. (Unless I make a better one. : )
Knitters should make their own tools. It is much to important a job to leave to a professional.
Aaron