cheap knitting/crochet-related accessories

[afuna]

I've recently been introduced to random cheap items for knitting/crochet. Which is perfect: more money for yarn, yay \o/

• Gigantic safety pins for a stitch holder, as recommended by yvi.
  
  I was initially reluctant to try this because I thought these would be expensive -- the way that gigantic paperclips are! (about Php 200 / 5 USD for five pieces) -- but these were only Php 10 / 0.25 USD for ten pieces at my LYS :D
  
  One safety pin is about two hundred times cheaper than a regular stitch holder



• foldable twist fans for blocking hats (link goes to a Philippine classified ads site)
  
  I've been having trouble blocking my berets, because the ribbing stretches when I try to wrap the beret around a dinner plate. But a friend of mine pointed out that foldable twist fans are:
  
  a.) cheap
  b.) easy to find around
  c.) small when folded so it doesn't stretch the ribbing when you put it in
  d.) the perfect size to stretch out the body of the beret once its unfolded
  
  Perfect for blocking, and (if you don't have a friend willing to serve as model or cameraman) also perfect for laying out a hat flat for taking pictures.
  



• crochet yarn for making amigurumi
  
  leads to much smaller finished products, and easier to get appropriate colors (much more choice than even acrylic yarns). Plus really really cheap, which is perfectly fine by me

So I've now saved hundreds of pesos, enough to buy a couple extra balls of yarn (or buttons -- but that's an entry for another day)

Comments

[yvi]

Glad to know it works! I 'inherited' my two from my mother, so I actually have no idea how much they cost.

[pinesandmaples]

Make sure your safety pins are the coil-less sort to avoid future pain. Ask me how/why I know this is important.

[afuna]

How did you find out?

(*braces self for a painful story*)

[starshadow_rivaulx]

Whee! There is absolutely nothing like finding out the cheaper substitutes for things like cable needles or stitch holders or whatever other accessories one needs for one's crafting.

Because one can never have enough yarn, thread, or embroidery floss. *nods* Lord help me if I ever find myself in a specialty yarn store when I get the chance to go abroad - I'll end up eating soup and crackers for the rest of the trip!

p/s - you are going to the UK eventually, right? I hear the yarn shops there are things of beauty. *grin*

[afuna]

I am going to the UK at some point, yes! I am planning on limiting myself to only a couple balls of yarn. (It will be so hard!)