Turn a Paper Tube into a Knitting Spool

Create and Use a Circular Knitting Frame

May 4, 2009 Susan Caplan

Knit a bracelet, belt, scarf, or garland with this simple tool that combines knitting with weaving. You can learn to use a knitting spool In ten-to-twenty minutes.

Although spool-knitting tools are made from a wood spool and tiny nails, this version is much easier for kids ages 8 and up to use. Even if you’ve tried to learn to knit and haven’t been successful, you’ll learn to use this spool knitter in about ten to fifteen minutes.

How to Make a Round Knitting Loom

You will need a tube from a roll of toilet paper, six craft sticks, and masking tape. Paper tubes are just one of the great free things you can find at home to make recycled art.

Hold one craft stick against the outside of a cardboard tube so a couple inches of the stick comes up over the edge of the tube and tape in place. Tape a second craft stick on the opposite side of the tube. Add four more sticks, spacing them evenly around the opening of the tube.

Add another strip of tape around the entire tube to make certain that the sticks don’t wiggle.

How to Use a Spool-Knitter

You will need some worsted weight acrylic yarn. A smooth yarn helps you see the stitches. You may also want a sharpened pencil or skewer to help lift the stitches.
Take the end of the yarn and slip it into the top of the tube. Add a bit of tape to anchor the end inside the tube.
Wrap the yarn clockwise around one craft stick.
Turn the tube clockwise by one stick and wrap the yarn clockwise around the next craft stick. Continue with this pattern until you have yarn wrapped around each stick. This is your foundation row.
Turn the tube clockwise and wrap the yarn around the next stick. Take the pencil, skewer, or your fingers and lift the first (bottom) stitch up and over the second stitch so you are moving the loop of yarn toward the center of the tube.
Note: If the yarn is so tight that you have difficulty lifting the stitch over the stick, undo your foundation row and try again without pulling the yarn so tight.
Keep going! After several rows, the knitted material will work its way to the bottom of the tube.
If you run out of yarn, tie on more yarn.
When you have created the length of material that you want for your project, you will need to cast off. To do this, lift one stitch off its stick and slide it onto the stick next to it, moving clockwise. Lift the bottom stitch up and over, as if you were knitting. Keep carrying the loops over interlocking the loops.
When you have one stitch, cut the tail of yarn connected to the ball, leaving three inches or so. Pull the tail through the last loop and tug tight. Tuck the tails at the start and end of the project into the knitted material, weaving the tail in and out of a few stitches to anchor it in place.

Easy Spool Knitting Projects

Bracelet or Belt – Keep knitting until you’ve knitted a tube long enough to wrap around your wrist or waist, including enough cording to knot it in place.

Scarf – To make a skinny scarf, just keep knitting around the spool-knitter until the piece is as long as you want. If you want a thicker scarf, braid three skinny scarves together.

Garland – Make a garland to decorate a tree or to drape around your windows by knitting a very long tube. Try this with fuzzy yarn.

These projects don't require much yarn. Start collecting scraps and Create a Yarn Stash for these and simple Yarn Wrapped Crafts. Creating a cardboard tube spool-knitter is an easy way to make simple knitted projects. For future projects, try using different types of yarn or look for wider tubes and use more sticks.

The copyright of the article Turn a Paper Tube into a Knitting Spool in Kids Crafts is owned by Susan Caplan. Permission to republish Turn a Paper Tube into a Knitting Spool in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.