Cable knit blanket or throw worked on 25mm wooden circular needles, using a double strand of super-chunky yarn.
The needles are very special because they were hand made by my Uncle David. Before he retired he used to make spinning and weaving equipment in his spare time, including looms and spinning wheels. Most notably he is the designer and maker of the Barnett Drum Carder, which became very popular in the UK spinning community. Second-hand models are still sought-after now. So when I was looking for large circulars and could not find any, not even on ebay, I knew who to call.
Uncle David rustled me up a pair of 25mm circulars out of scraps of beech wood: glued, turned, smoothed with 3 coats of matt varnish, and finished with brass fittings to hold the plastic piping in place. They are absolutely beautiful. It feels very much like I am continuing a family handcrafting tradition. Using the tools that my Uncle has made connects me with the past and with ancestors I never knew. At the same time, I am making things which will hopefully last a long way into the future.
That is just beautiful.
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Thank you Jenny! x
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I have a Barnett Drum Carder… Can I get a driving band from your uncle?
Euni
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You certainly can.
I’ll pass on your email address to him so he can give you a quote.
Best wishes
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Gorgeous blanket, and wonderful background on your uncle. It’s great that you are able to continue the family traditions of creativity.
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Thank you. It really feels special to be using those needles.
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Lovely work! Well done!
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Thank you Jen! x
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What a fantastic story about your uncle! The thick blanket looks so cuddly.
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Thank you. It sure is! x
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I’ve never finished a blanket before, just dont have the concentration! I can make a mighty fine pair of socks though!
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I volunteer and teach seniors and some of the young mothers in my community how to knit . It would be wonderful to have a pair of these needles. I can teach them how to make quick large blanket. how much would cost us to purchase a pair???
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Hello Blanche, thanks for your interest in the giant needles. Unfortunately they would be quite expensive as they are hand made in the UK. Also I am not sure if my Uncle is able to make any more. If you are in the US, you could try Go Girl Giants, http://www.gogirlknitting.com/ Best wishes, Louisa
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Thank you Louisa. It is so very nice of you to send me this information. I’ll check it out. I enjoyed reading your post and love the post about your uncle. best wishes, Blanche
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Lovely blanket,I made my first circular needles out of some wooden needles and strimmer wire,worked fine.
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Louisa, is there any way I could get a copy of the Barnett Drum Carder Manual,The Spinners First Choice, from your Uncle David? I now have a Barnett Drum Carder and would love to have the manual. Even photo copied pages would be great! Or it could be emailed to me as a PDF….
Thank you!
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Hi Lee, yes I have the manual as a pdf, let me know your email address and I’ll send it to you. Send me a message via Facebook or Etsy.
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My email address is leebridges@montana.com. Thank you!!
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Hi, sorry for the delay in getting back to you! My email address is leebridges@montana.com Thank you!
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What level of difficulty is this pattern?
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Hi there! The pattern is a simple cable. If you have mastered basic cabling, you should be fine. Other than that, it’s just knit and purl.
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I love this! Do you have a written pattern? (bistazmom@aol.com) I’m a self-taught knitter and haven’t made a cable blanket yet…only hats and would love to make it for my niece and her husband out of Chunky We Are Knitters Wool.
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Thank you! Yes, you can buy the pattern on ravelry or Etsy, as a downloadable pdf document.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cable-knit-blanket-4
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1331158642
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