Making My Own Tools

As I said in an earlier post, I know that others have gone before me and that I am not reinventing the wheel. To that note, I took a page out of another Bond Ultimate Sweater Machine user's book. Clogden21's YouTube video shows several homemade tools that she has made. The one I wanted to try first was her weights made of fishing sinkers. Here is my version.

I went to the sporting goods department at Walmart and purchased some fishing sinkers. I wanted 2 oz weights but only found 1 oz weights left on the shelf.
They are cheap and I can work with those for the time being. If my experiment works, than I will get some 2 oz weights, too.

While clogden21 coated her weights in plastic, I decided to paint them. I chose a spray paint that was made for all types of products including metal and which came in a wide choice of colors. I think that was the hardest thing to do: choose the color. I wanted to go with a hot pink, but they were sold out of that color so I went with lavender.


The directions recommended that the spray painting be done where there was plenty of air and that the area be protected for over spray so I chose to do the painting in our garage. Even though it was the garage, I did protect the floor with paper bags so that the DH wouldn't wonder why the garage floor was lavender.

I sprayed the weights with 2 coats of paint letting them dry between coats according to the directions on the can of paint.

I also went to Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store and purchased some "pleater" curtain hooks. I like the length of the hooks and the fact that there are four "tines" that can distribute the weight over more than one stitch. Although with only one oz weights, there is not too much weight to distribute!

Using a pair of pliers, I flattened the bottom of the hook enough so that the weight would hang straight down. After sliding the weight onto the hook, I pinched the hook closed in order to prevent the weight from slipping off.

Okay, tools aren't supposed to be cute or pretty, but I think they are! And I can't wait to use them.

Happy Knitting!