Knitting needles as hairsticks?

[PinkyCat]

Can I get away with this, or will my head look like a yarn basket?

They come in wood and metal and different colors and sizes. And are CHEAPER!

Any body done this or am I out of my gourd?

[Emylie]

I used some yesterday, although they were short ones for knitting socks. I think it will look funny if you use long ones.:P

[Vanille_]

If you want to go cheap, you can go to a crafts store and get wood dowels for under 50 cents. Sand them so they have a bit of a round point, and paint them with nail polish or some other type of paint.

I'm experimenting with this right now. I think it will look nice after I find the right paint.

[pepperminttea]

It's not unheard of. :) The double-pointed needles bent into a U-shape make great forks/large pins. (Torrin has a vid here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0zii2Sawa4).)

[ravenreed]

I have some lovely wooden knitting needles that I use as hair sticks. One pair I got in a gift swap and I am unsure of the wood, but I got a set of 5 bamboo sticks for relatively little at Hobby Lobby. I even had a 40% off coupon. I am fond of bamboo. Very light weight and not such a big deal if it gets a little wet. I have been wondering how difficult it would be to dye the bamboo with food dye and if I would need to sand it after.

[Jessykins]

i think if you use a small pair they will look fine, i tried some once and works well, but not that nice looking, 2 big fat long grey sticks poking through a bun XD

[Amarante]

I use them all the time! Especially the double ended kind, they don't look like knitting needles so much.

[redmj]

If you want to go cheap, you can go to a crafts store and get wood dowels for under 50 cents. Sand them so they have a bit of a round point, and paint them with nail polish or some other type of paint.

I'm experimenting with this right now. I think it will look nice after I find the right paint.

I do this too. I even have people wanting to buy them.

[Amarante]

Would the paint/laquers in the spray cans work? Or would they not cover as well?

[bluegirl]

I love this idea, and I'm so glad to see the video for the dpns. I'm headed to Michaels tomorrow anyway, and I think I might just see if they have some!

[Yame]

I do this. In my "buns" album you can see a couple of photos of buns held with knitting needles as hair sticks.

[gretchen_hair]

I wonder if you could *soak* it in some rit dye and the let it dry and seal it afterwards with some polyurethane or something?

hmmmm.....now I am considering getting some bamboo sticks and rit dye!


I have some lovely wooden knitting needles that I use as hair sticks. One pair I got in a gift swap and I am unsure of the wood, but I got a set of 5 bamboo sticks for relatively little at Hobby Lobby. I even had a 40% off coupon. I am fond of bamboo. Very light weight and not such a big deal if it gets a little wet. I have been wondering how difficult it would be to dye the bamboo with food dye and if I would need to sand it after.

[Viscountess]

for painting wood dowels for hairsticks I recommend leather dye. It soaks in but leaves the grain showing and you can laquer clear over or leave it unfinished. The dye does not run in the wet nor does it rub off. I learned this trick making arrows.

I use Tandy leather dye - the vegetable based kind.

[ktani]

I think it is a great idea.

Check these out, http://www.montanamountainknittingneedles.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BYAM&Category_Code=MtMtnExoticsTulipwood

or these
http://www.montanamountainknittingneedles.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BYAM&Category_Code=MtMtnExotics

and these
http://www.montanamountainknittingneedles.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BYAM&Category_Code=ExoticsKNSamplerBloodwood

They may need shortening but they are lovely. They may even be able to arrange a custom order.

Custom needles to order
http://jenkinswoodworking.com/Knitting_Needles.htm

Glass topped bamboo
http://glasspens.com/needles.html

[Vanille_]

for painting wood dowels for hairsticks I recommend leather dye. It soaks in but leaves the grain showing and you can laquer clear over or leave it unfinished. The dye does not run in the wet nor does it rub off. I learned this trick making arrows.

I use Tandy leather dye - the vegetable based kind.

Thank you!

[ktani]

These are not my mother's knitting needles,
http://joesfibertools.com/exotic-square-needles.php

and come in 5 "
http://joesfibertools.com/commuter-needles.php

[wooliswonderful]

We use them here. :)
The girls and I also made some short 5" hairsticks by cutting 10" size 7 Brittany Birch needles in half, sanding the end, and painting them with nail polish. They work great for small buns for me and for regular buns for the girls. They are strong enough to hold a bun in DD's 31+ inch iii hair.

[cmg]

ktani: I have never seen such wonderfully handicrafted needles before! I loved the ones with glass on top. Thanks for the links. :)

I have tried bamboo needles but they dont stay in the hair, they slip right out. But there are other materials that work.

[kmoc123]

I had some that were pointed on both ends and I bent them into a "U" shape...they make great hair pins and hold my hair really nicely!!!

[Viscountess]

oh, and if you want a natural finish on your wooden needles dyed with leather dye, try rubbing the needle/hairstick with a lump of beeswax instead of a smelly shellac or other chemical. rub the wood with the beeswax then buff it with a soft cotton cloth and you have smooth hairsticks!

[ktani]

ktani: I have never seen such wonderfully handicrafted needles before! I loved the ones with glass on top. Thanks for the links. :)

I have tried bamboo needles but they dont stay in the hair, they slip right out. But there are other materials that work.

You are very welcome.

Some of the wooden ones remind me of some of the tooled hair sticks I have seen.

ETA: Here is a great view of the glass needles - they are pyrex and I have seen similar hairsticks - the base - on the boards, http://glasspens.com/needles/Needle-information.htm

[ktani]

Children's chopsticks are another inexpensive option, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=1268265

and some are gorgeous, https://www.everythingchopsticks.com/index.php?cPath=1_23

[CavySong]

:eyebrows:Ooooo, something I can do with all those DPNs I never use since I learned magic loop:disco:

ETA: As you can see in my avatar, I have a Pair in my Hair! ( http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/Options_Interchangeable_Nickel_Plated_Circular_Kni tting_Needle_Tips__DKPNDLETIP.html )
If I could afford their Harmony set, they would probably be in my hair all the time. :happydance:
Wait, they would serve 2 purposes, and still be less than the fancy sticks......:bounce:

Sounds like a holiday wish list hint in the making....

[wooliswonderful]

:eyebrows:Ooooo, something I can do with all those DPNs I never use since I learned magic loop:disco:

ETA: As you can see in my avatar, I have a Pair in my Hair! ( http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/Options_Interchangeable_Nickel_Plated_Circular_Kni tting_Needle_Tips__DKPNDLETIP.html )
If I could afford their Harmony set, they would probably be in my hair all the time. :happydance:
Wait, they would serve 2 purposes, and still be less than the fancy sticks......:bounce:

Sounds like a holiday wish list hint in the making....
The Harmony DPNs are so smooth & pretty! I use them in my hair sometimes. :)

[Amarante]

oh, and if you want a natural finish on your wooden needles dyed with leather dye, try rubbing the needle/hairstick with a lump of beeswax instead of a smelly shellac or other chemical. rub the wood with the beeswax then buff it with a soft cotton cloth and you have smooth hairsticks!

Ooo thank you! I never would have thought of using beeswax. I bet that does have a nice finish. :D

[cmg]

ETA: As you can see in my avatar, I have a Pair in my Hair! ( http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/Options_Interchangeable_Nickel_Plated_Circular_Kni tting_Needle_Tips__DKPNDLETIP.html )
If I could afford their Harmony set, they would probably be in my hair all the time. :happydance:
*Drooling* Same here.

[Metallia]

*Drooling* Same here.
I want a nice harmony set pretty badly... but I think my husband is becoming convinced the whole "different sizes/lengths/types of needles" things is a conspiracy to just buy more and more needles. :D
I've been known to put them in my hair, too. Sometimes just for convenience- I'll put my third needle for a three needle bind off in my hair so I don't lose track of it!

[kahill]

I have acrylic knitting needles in my hair right now. They are clear with red and black twisted threads running through them. I also keep a set of rosewood #7 needles in my stash just for my hair. You can find some BEAUTIFUL needles and shawl pins at your local yarn store (LYS) for use in your hair. I've also got a shawl pin I ordered from Lion Brand Yarn. Lovely!

I got the acrylic ones at Hobby Lobby and I know they also carry rosewood ones.

I also use shorter chop sticks. I think I actually only own one set of "real" hair sticks. :D

[mallorykay13]

I do this and NO one in my high school has noticed. And these girls can be pretty critical. I got mine as double ended ones. I think they are 6.5" long in a size 3?

[Climber]

My two favorite pairs of hairsticks are actually knitting needles. I got them from Romni Wools in Toronto, ON. They're wooden with cute polymer clay figures on the ends. They're size 10 or so, and about 15cm long. I can't remember the manufacturer, but there were lots of cute options: cats, dogs, sheep, bees... No cheese, though. :D

[heidi w.]

I find that overly long hairsticks, when I go in to hug someone, I need to issue a warning, "Watch your eyeballs!"

heidi w.

[Grillz]

...heading off the the craft store now!

[ktani]

Make your own wooden knitting needles/hair sticks. Size them to preference.

http://3gcs.com/adcock/free%20patterns/handmade_knitting_needles.htm

http://naturalkidsteam.com/wordpress/2010/01/how-make-your-own-knitting-needles-by-elemental-handcrafts/

http://quidnunc.org/needles.html

[MissEarlGrey]

I use double-pointed needles as hair sticks exclusively. They are such a cheap alternative and hold very well. I use the shiny, metal ones that come in a variety of colors.