Over the last couple of weeks I have been singing the praises of TKB Cords to visitors in the shop. Honestly people, these are a game changer for all knitters.
What are they? TKB (The Knitting Barber) cords are hollow silicone cables that can be used to hold stitches. Each set has three cables, one 60 inch (152cm) and two 30 inch (76cm), and comes in a handy storage tin. They work on needles up to a US 9 (5.5mm).
How do you use them? All you do is pinch the end of the cable and place it snuggly on the end of your needle. Then you gently slip the stitches onto the cable to put them on hold. Tie a little bow or knot in the cord to ensure nothing slips off. When you are done holding the stitches, you reverse the process to put them back on the needle. If you are visual, click the photo to take a peek at their video.
Why am I singing their praises? I have had to try my Cargill Sweater on a number of times, to check the fit of the yoke and the length of the body. My TKB cords have made this process speedy. Instead of having to take the time to slip all the stitches on to some waste yarn, which I find tedious, I have simply slipped my stitches on to my long TKB cord and popped on the sweater. Because they are so quick and easy to use, I am more likely to try my sweater on to check the fit, making me a better sweater knitter. It is all about the fit, right?
TKB Cords are not just for sweater knitters. You can use them any time you need to hold stitches for a project or if you need your needles to cast on a new project. Perhaps a great idea for me to keep a few on hand, ha!