In addition to your knitting needles and yarn, you need a handful of tools (aka “notions”) within arm’s reach while you work. Craft stores will happily sell you dozens of them. You need seven.
This list covers all of the essential knitting notions, from making your gauge swatch to weaving in your ends, so you can build your own ultimate knitting notions kit. And because I bought all the things when I started knitting (do not recommend), I’ve also included three popular notions you can probably skip.
Table of Contents
Whether you’ve been knitting for a while or are just starting out, these are the notions that are essential for knitting success. I think you’ll find that the list is shorter than expected.
Not a knitter, but shopping for one? Any combination of these notions makes an excellent stocking stuffer for knitters. The swatch gauge (#1) and the barber cords (#6) are special enough to give on their own, as is a set of handmade stitch markers (#2). Or bundle all seven for the ultimate gift basket for the knitter in your life.
And if you want to become a knitter, I’ll teach you!
Notions for Swatching
If gauge matters for your project, you’ll need to make a gauge swatch. If you’re going to make a gauge swatch, you want it to be as accurate as possible, which means no cheating (whether purposefully or accidentally)!
1. Akerworks Slip-Resistant Swatch Gauge for Accurate Measurements
If gauge matters for your project (sweaters, fitted hats, anything that needs to actually fit a human), you’ll need to make a gauge swatch. And if you’re going to go to the trouble of making one, you want the measurement to be accurate.
Here’s why: say your pattern calls for 5 stitches per inch and you’re actually getting 4.5. Half a stitch doesn’t sound like much, but that “40-inch” sweater now comes out around 44 inches. So no cheating (whether purposefully or accidentally)!
The best way that I know to prevent accidental or purposeful cheating when measuring the gauge from your swatch is to use the Akerworks Swatch Gauge. I don’t remember which knitting podcast introduced me to this item – thank you to whoever that was!
It has teeth on the back to keep it from sliding around on your swatch, which makes accurately counting your rows and stitches easier. And it has little row and stitch windows that are exactly 4″/10cm, so you just count what you can see in the window.
If you purchase one notion from this post, this is the one to get. This thing is worth its weight in gold – which is $3,719.73 as of the time of this writing in October 2023, in case you were wondering. Thankfully this little gadget is about $20, and worth every penny.
Bonus tip: line it up on your swatch, take a picture from above, and then count your stitches on the image. Then you really can’t cheat.
Notions for Knitting
I recommend keeping a set of your knitting notions inside of each of your project bags with the tools you need for that project. The efficient way to do it is to just keep a little notions bag in each of your project bags with all of these tools, and then you’ll never need to scramble to find what you need or remember what you keep where. (I may have asked my father-in-law for a paperclip to use when I didn’t have my stitch markers with me.)
2. Stitch Markers: Keep Track of Your Patterns
Stitch markers are not optional. In a pinch, you can use a paperclip or a loop made out of scrap yarn, but true stitch markers are ideal. You can never have too many. At some point you will drop one, and you will never know where it went.
I prefer 3 different types:
Ring Stitch Markers
My acrylic rings came with my ChiaoGoo needle sets (which I highly recommend, by the way), and they are my favorite basic stitch marker.
Removeable Bulb Stitch Markers
Bulb Safety Pins are extra lightweight safety pins. They are super cheap and they can work as both stitch markers and progress keepers. You can get metal or plastic versions. I usually use them to mark sleeve decreases or as row counters.
Charm Stitch Markers
I like to use one simple bead charm per project to mark the beginning of the round. It’s helpful to have a beginning of round marker that is different than the other stitch markers in your project. I recommend something simple that’s not going to catch your stitches with sharp corners, but use whatever makes you happy. There are some adorable handmade stitch markers out there.
3. Small Scissors
Any scissors will do, but you’ll want small scissors that fit easily in your notions bag. Small scissors are also more likely to make it through airport security if you’ll be flying with your knitting (flying time is excellent knitting time, by the way). TSA generally allows scissors with blades shorter than 4 inches from the pivot point in carry-ons, though it’s worth checking tsa.gov before you fly. If you’re nervous, nail clippers will do the job.
4. Retractable Tape Measure
A small retractable tape measure is so handy for measuring your progress when a pattern calls for knitting to a certain measurement. Retractable is the key word here, it keeps your notions bag tidy and doesn’t get tangled up.
Circumstantial Knitting Notions
Some knitting notions only apply to certain types of projects, so you may or may not need the following depending on what you are making.
5. Cabled Projects: Cable Needles
If you are making a project with a cable design element you will need a cable needle (unless you prefer to cable without a cable needle). If you rarely make cabled projects, you probably don’t need one in each of your notions bags. But cable needles are small and cheap, so why not?
6. Sweater Projects: Knitting Barber Cords
Knitting Barber Cords are flexible hollow tubes that you thread your live stitches onto. They work as stitch holders, but because they’re flexible, you can pull your work in progress on to check the fit without losing a single stitch. How did I ever get by without them?
You can buy the tubing in large quantities on Amazon for cheap and cut to the length you need. My original Knitting Barber Cords came in a nice tin for storage, and have a soft powder-like texture, which helps the stitches slide easily. I’ve tried 3 different brands of generic barber cords and stitches slide on these the easiest. (You want zero grippiness if you can find it.)
Notions for Finishing
When you finish knitting something, you’ll need to put the final touches on the project.
7. Tapestry Needles for Weaving in Ends
No matter what you’re making, you’ll need to weave in the ends. If you’re making a sweater in pieces, you’ll need to do seaming. Either way, you need a tapestry needle. These are also called darning needles or yarn needles. Keep multiples of these in every project bag.
Bonus: Notions for Blocking
The essential finishing touch for a project is giving it a bath (aka blocking). I’ve written out all of the steps and supplies.
Knitting Notions You Probably Don’t Need (but you do you)
During the beginning of my knitting journey, I acquired a few standard sets of knitting notions, and there are several things in those that I never ever use.
Row Counter for Tracking Progress
Personally, I can’t remember to advance the row counter every row, so I have learned to read my knitting, which means that I can count my rows at any time by looking rather than hoping I remembered to mark it somewhere. You already know how to do this because you had to count rows on your swatch gauge.
Bonus tip: Use the Bulb Safety Pins to mark every 10 or 20 rows so that you don’t have to keep counting single rows.
Point Protectors (aka Needle Stoppers)
I have some fun point protectors, but I forget to use them, and it’s never been an issue. I only use circular needles so I just make sure that my project is scrunched into the middle of the cord.
That said, if you use DPNs (double pointed needles), you might need point protectors to keep them from sliding out of your project. (P.S. If I were a DPN gal, I would use Karbonz.)
Metal Stitch Holders
Starter kits for knitters from big craft brands tend to include these metal things that look kind of like giant safety pins. These stitch holders can only hold a tiny amount of stitches (like a thumb on a mitten or the underarm on a sweater), and they just get in the way. You’re better off using the hollow cords or a piece of scrap yarn.
Final Thoughts
The short version: seven notions, most of them under $10, and a few popular ones you can skip. Having a kit (or several) with the things you need for each project makes your knitting life so much easier and more enjoyable!
Here’s the full list one more time:
- Akerworks Swatch Gauge
- Stitch Markers (ring, bulb, and charm)
- Small Scissors
- Retractable Tape Measure
- Cable Needles
- Knitting Barber Cords
- Tapestry Needles
Next, you’ll want some Project Bags to keep your projects and notions organized! And when you’re ready to level up, consider a swift, ball winder, scale, and blocking mats.
Happy knitting!
