french knitting?

Question

i had a knitting kit from my nan years ago, basically it was a wooden doll with four pins at the top and a hole right through the middle. you threaded some wool through the hole and wrapped the other end around the pins twice and lifted the bottom layer over the top layer to knit. does anyone know where i can get one from?

Answer 1

It's also called a spool knitter, knitty knobby, or knitting nancy. They make I-cord (also called corking or knitted cord).

One brand name is Pony French Knitter. Another is Galt French Knitter:
http://www.galttoys.com/ind_products.php?id=A3952B

Lion Brand sells them:
http://pages.e-yarn.com/6030/PictPage/1921179169.html

To buy them in the UK:
http://www.rainbowsilks.co.uk/ProductDetails.cfm?SubCatId=563&Code=PONYFK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Galt-French-Knitter/dp/B0002X7XT6

Pictures & instructions:
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/knittingnancys.html

Answer 2

I use the wooden cotton reel and tacks. I have most recently made lots of green ropes for the corner at the bottom of my stairs.

I have a large waste pipe from the toilet coming through under the ceiling and rather than box it in I used strips of newspaper to papier mache the pipe into a branch shape working in some real twigs sticking out. I made a papier mache trunk coming down the angle where the wall turns and some thinner 'vines' coming down the walls. Painted it brown and with some green and yellow splotches for lichens.

I added various silk leaves and flowers, clip on parrots and a furry monkey and made a small pool at the base between the roots with frogs and some artificial rushes.

The green french knitted ropes are looped and hang from the
disguised pipe to represent lianas.

Answer 3

I remember my Nan making me one of these from an old cotton reel (wooden) and four nails!

I think I was upgraded to a real plastic french knitter one Christmas.... I am positive I have seen these in kits (Galt?), go to your local toy shop and look in the hobbies/crafts section.

Answer 4

You can still buy these kits from BOYES sometimes but if you have any wooden cotton reels, you could make one by tapping in some panel pins to an equal height. I did this for my kids when they were young and my daughter did the same when her kids were small.

It works just as well.

Answer 5

Try a craft shop, seen them in woolworths around xmas time, or you could make your own, use a wooden bobbin, put 4 tacks in the top, and use a crochet hook to work the wool. I want one now!!

Answer 6

I think a company called Galt makes plastic ones which are available to buy from most toy shops

Answer 7

oh i loved doing that. try ebay, i have had some toy catalogues put through the door that sells all sorts of things like this but cant for the life of me remember what they were called, try putting a search into google for them. early learning centre might be worth a try, they have craft things as well as toys.

i taught my kids to finger knit, sort of similar but using one finger and they love it, keeps them quiet for ages.

Answer 8

Many toy stores also stock them.
And the cheap stores, (pound land, dollar shop, action, oriental trading company?) also often sell them.

And I recently saw them in a shop specializing in embroidery.

Answer 9

try online it helps because theres many disihgns to look at and just go to an antique shop

Answer 10

prob from any hobby craft or knitting shop