Project

Polka Dot Clay Knitting Needle Ends

Designer: Karen Kriege

Personalise your knitting needles with these polymer clay caps

What you need...

Fimo Soft
Scalpel
Baking tray
Knitting needles, bamboo
Strong glue

instructions

Dotty Designs - Roll out some of your chosen coloured Fimo into a small pea-sized ball. Carefully shape it around the end of your knitting needle. Slowly turn the needle in your hand whilst pressing down on the Fimo to make a smooth and even topper. Press down on the very end to make the surface as flat as possible. Take it off and place it to one side.

Pick some differently coloured clay and roll it into a very thin sausage. Using a scalpel cut the length into several small discs. Roll each one into a tiny ball and press onto your topper. Work your way from the bottom to the top in uneven rows, leaving a small gap between each one.

Repeat the process for your other needles. Place all of the toppers onto a baking tray and cook for 30 minutes at 110 °C. Allow to cool, secure the finished items onto the ends of your needles using strong adhesive.
Stars & Hearts - Use the same method as before to create the basic toppers. Then use a rolling pin to flatten your chosen Fimo to a depth of 2mm. Use a scalpel to carefully cut out your chosen shape. You may want to lightly sketch the image first before cutting it completely.

Cut the image on the edge of your Fimo and peel the surrounding area away. Lift the shape up with the side of the scalpel and place on top of your mould. Press down very lightly. Bake as before and glue to your needles.
Why we love our bamboo needles - 1 They are very light, so less tiring on your wrist, meaning we can knit for hours.

2 Because they are so warm and soft too they are ideal for those of us who suffer from arthritis or rheumatism.

3 As with all wooden needles, the yarn is less likely to slip off, due to the extra friction – less chance of losing those stitches.

4 They're so much quieter than other needles, so we can knit in public.

5 They feel smooth and comfortable in our hands and they're strong and flexible too.

6 They just get better with age, becoming smoother and developing a beautiful patina with time.