You already know I love a good knitting notion, the right pair of needles, a well-made project bag, and a proper blocking setup, but there are even more tools that I reach for again and again. These aren’t always the first things new knitters buy, but they’re the ones that make a big difference in convenience, speed, or enjoyment once you’ve settled into your knitting routine.
If you’re looking to level up your toolkit or treat yourself to something new, here are some of my favorite knitting tools that go beyond the basics, plus links to my full lists of essentials for notions, needles, project bags, and blocking.
Tools for Knitters
Yarn Management
If you work with hanks/skeins of yarn that have not been pre-wound into balls before purchase, you will want an efficient way to wind them into yarn cakes.
Slow-mo method: Turn a chair upside down, use the chair legs to hold your yarn hank, and wind a ball with your hands. This is perfectly acceptable for a while, but it’s a chore. When you’re ready to speed up this process move on to a yarn swift and ball winder (below).
Yarn Swift
Yarn swifts hold your yarn hank open to prevent tangling and spin as you wind it into a ball. You hook it onto the edge of a table or countertop.
I’ve had this yarn swift for close to 10 years.
Ball Winder
The ball winder does the hard work of making tidy cakes out of your un-wound skeins of yarn. I went entirely too long without one of these, and winding yarn became a significant portion of my knitting time. Don’t be like me. Get yourself a ball winder sooner rather than later.
I have the Jumbo Yarn Ball Winder from Fiber Artist Supply Co, and I’m hoping to upgrade to the electric version soon, but both of these are pricey.
I hear lots of professionals recommending this one, and it’s the highest rated on Amazon.
Yarn Scale
If you plan to use every bit of yarn you purchased, you’ll want a small, precise scale so that you know exactly how much you have left when you finish a project. Every gram counts.
I’ve been using this one for 5 years and counting.
Knitting Project Management
iPad, Pencil, and Screen Protector
Hear me out… This could be a life saver for knitting projects, and you’ll probably use it for other stuff, too.
Most knitting patterns these days are PDFs. You’ll likely want to highlight your size on the page and make notes. The iPad allows you to do that without printing out and storing paper.
And when you make digital notes in a file on your iPad, you can also see those notes on your iPhone, laptop, etc.! I pull up patterns on my phone all the time to see at a glance the notes I made using my iPad.
Apple iPad Mini
iPad Mini easily fits in a project bag.- the ultimate knitting companion.
Apple Pencil Pro
Wonderful for highlighting patterns and writing notes.
Paper Feel Screen Protector
I’ve tried using the Apple Pencil on a glass screen, and it is not for me. The writing feels more natural on a screen protector that has just enough friction to feel like paper.
Final Thoughts
Knitting doesn’t require a lot to get started, but the right tools can make your time with yarn even more enjoyable. Whether you’re winding skeins, measuring yardage, or keeping track of projects, these extras have earned their place in my knitting life.
Looking for more essentials? Don’t miss these companion posts:
