Hey All:
As a beginner knitter, I am looking to start collecting the tools of the trade that are necessary to be successful as a knitter. My question is what tools do you consider necessary in your ‘kit’?
thanks
Katy
Knitting Knecessities Kit (hee hee)
I am still very much a beginner myself. I have the bare necessities. Whatever size needle I need for my particular project - so far I only have a size 8, size 6 and size 10.5, scissors, measuring tape, tapestry needle, stitch holders (two different sizes), regular needle and thread for doing buttons or whatever, safety pins to use for stitch markers,…hmmm…that’s about it, and I’ve managed to complete lots of projects with just the necessities.
Well, “needles” seems like a lame answer…but every time I start a project, I go :doh: I need to buy more needles! Luckily, my mom has everything in the world, and I just found out that my MIL has the Boye Needlemaster set! :happydance: so if I can get to either of their houses, I can borrow. But I want to own them all! :rollseyes:
Some of the first things I had to buy were stitch holders, stitch markers, and yarn needles for finishing. I also got a set of 5 crochet hooks which have been soooo helpful for binding off.
Of course there’s so much more…but those come to mind first!
Whether or not this makes me a successful knitter is up for discussion! 
Aside from needles and yarn, I have…
five tape measures
several pairs of scissors
various crochet hooks
large eye plastic yarn needles
round stitch markers, including those for larger needles
"hangy" stitch markers (I don’t know what they’re really called, but they look like a padlock to me)
A Gauge-o-knit : it’s a kind of ruler that tells you your stitches per inch for the counting-challenged like me.
U-shaped, bent, and straight cable needles
small medium and large point protectors
Several row counters
yarn bobbins
long short and in-between stitch holders
scrap yarn (about 2 yards)
post it notes
many retractable pencils (so they don’t accidently draw on anything)
a knitting spool (i don’t use this but it’s neat)
a needle inventory card, which I try to update frequently (email me if you or anyone else wants an 8x11 size for your pattern binder)
A needle size checker, for when I forget what i’m using
A small spiral notebook
a color wheel
hand lotion
chapstick
tampons (never hurts to be prepared)
Stuff I want to get:
a beaded counting bracelet
a yarn holder bracelet
business card-sized simplified directions for how to do certain stitch patterns, so I don’t have to drag out a book, or worse stop knitting when I don’t remember how to do something-preferably laminated (do these exist?)
I’m sure there’s more… both more that i have and more that I want (but I’m at “work” so I don’t have my stuff in front of me, it’s in the car!). I use those small makeup bags you get at the department store makeup counter as a free gift when you spend X dollars to store my stuff in.
I like to keep a small notebook and pen nearby (and in my bag) in case I change something in the pattern, see some yarn @ LYS I like, or whatever.
Goodness :?? …I have LOTS of stuff, everything that ya’ll have already mentioned. The only things I can think of that weren’t mentioned yet would be a project bag (or something to carry or keep your project in) and a magnetic board to keep pattern in place (priceless). Oh yeah…did ya’ll include double pointed and circular needles of all sizes?! And, of course…U gotta have knitting books and catalogs!! :XX: And of course…u have to have some place to keep your EVER GROWING stash of yarn…
Oh yeah, I find zip lock bags a must…I ball up my yarn and put it in zip lock bag and cut a corner out of the bag to put the yarn thru…that way my yarn stays clean and untangled.
That’s all I can think of now…oh yeah…caffeine (cokes) is often a must, as well as my trusty knitting companions (can’t knit without them!)…doxie and 2 cats!!
I am new to knitting and thus far have purchased the following:
A full set of single point bamboo needles- I had to buy 3 pair for a class I was taking and thought that since I liked it so much it was best to get a set (less $$ in the long run IMO) and it came in a pretty case. 
A project bag- mine is one of the bag smith ones with the stand on the bottom- I like it BUT its a little cumbersome to haul around- I think that I might get a canvas tote bag
A pair of the cutest scisors ever! They fold up and the points go inside the loopy handle part
A tape measure - I fell in LOOOOOVE 
with the little lamb- he has a tape measure that comes out of his tail and then when you press its belly it retracts.
A guage tool/stitch counter
Books- Vogue knitting, Stitch N Bitch, Knitted Gifts & Weekend Knitting- my fav thus far is knitted gifts- lots of cool things that will be great Christmas gifts
Yarn Yarn Yarn and more yarn
Right now I am on the hunt for a set of circ needles as well as a set of double pointed needles… I have had to buy a couple of sets of each for various projects and again would rather have a set then buy them onsey twosey.
[color=darkblue][b]well i certainly can’t add to this more than anything they have said and i haven’t figured out everything i need yet!!..lol. I do keep an extra set of flex needles and scissors and all that good stuff in a makeup bag with me at all times. The one thing i wanted to say though is that i have found i have a hard time keeping my knitting with me in most of my purses (along with all the other stuff i need to live my non-knitting life). I had to look for a while to find a bag that felt springy, had a zippered pocket (gotta keep my yarn money safe ya know!) and had room for just about any project i wanted to carry…without looking like a suitcase of course. I saw some lovely knitting bags but they cost more than i wanted to spend. SSSSSSSSSOooooo…one day i was on Target.com and found a pink tote bag that meets all my needs and the proceeds go to breast cancer research. So if anybody is looking for one, it only cost $16 and arrived on my doorstep in less than a week!
brenda[/b][/color]
knitwit, might i suggest the denise interchangeable needles. u get a selection of (i think) sizes 5- 13 and u can make different lengths of circs and straights :XX: i enjoy mine. i have lots of dpns, but i’m afraid i did not get them in a kit, so i can’t help u there
i’ve seen the sheep tape measure online and in catalogs and thought it cute…think i will have to get one!!
[size=4]My Boye Needlemaster!!!
[/size]
And my needle gauge, which is thiskind, although there are many good types. Tells me the size of the needles I’m using, and has short ruler (essential!).
also,
~Pencil for notes.
~Scissors
~Tapestry needle (although I’ve kitchener-stiched sock toes with just the knitting needles before. But tapestry needles are easier!)
That’s all I consider essential! (Yarn & pattern are obvious! LOL)
Other things that are nice, but not essential…
~DPN’s (I love these, but often find myself without them, and make do with my needlemaster, without a sweat. I use the 2-circular needle method, using a trick (here)
~A crochet hook of same or smaller size as needles
~a stitch counter (nice for some patterns)
~tools for specific patterns (I guess these are essential, like a cable needle for making cables, although some folks do make cables w/o a cable needle; I don’t like to)
~my yarn-estimating chart. Ann Budd publishes it, it’s a handy laminated card with yardage estimated for all sorts of patterns in various gauges. Essential as a pattern designer, but once I buy the yarn I tend to leave the chart at home.
My knitting bag is pretty streamline! In fact, half the time I forget the scissors and make do until I get home!
I will check out the needles you suggested ~ have a great day ladies
Jennifer
Amy, thanks for showing where the circ video is…i do socks on dpns, but have talked with several who use the circs…now that i can watch the video i may give it a try!!! :XX:
I dont keep a lot on hand for knititng- since im not fond of knititng sweaters, very little that I knit requires me to knit to a length i cant reasonably estimate (though i guess i have to try everythign on anyways…).
I always just have some paper (ussually the back of handouts for classes :)), notes on the pattern if its not something Im making up as i go along, a yarn cutter (circle thing with steel blade, very handy and allowed almost everywhere inc planes), a crochet hook (barder to lose then a needle), thats pretty much it. I just eyeball guage and i know what guage I knit at pretty well 
And i highly recommend boyle interchangeable, which i just got in a trade w/ kimmie… lots of sizes and ive had no problems with the ends becoming unscrewed.
In my stash are various sizes of needles that I have accumated as I have started new projects that have called for them. I also have a row counter, swatch guage, tape measure, scissors, darning needles, and a nice bag to carry it all in whenever I take it anywhere.
HTH!!
Trish