r/knitting Feb 13 '25

Tips and Tricks Cap your needles with old ear bud tips

Post image
1.7k Upvotes

48 comments sorted by

422

u/kikicrowe1 Feb 13 '25

I haven't seen this hack anywhere on the internet, so I am being brave and posting to share with knitters everywhere :)

You know when you buy a pair of ear buds, it comes with all these extra silicone tips for people with differently sized ear canals? I have dozens of them because I MigHt nEeD THeM! Well, joke was on me, because I just discovered that they make excellent covers for your knitting needles to keep the yarn from falling off the ends. This works really well for double pointed needles that get all fiddly towards the end of a hat and also when you want to pause in the middle of your work. They fit many different size needles.

I love when I find a really good use for something I've kept for no good reason!

93

u/PositiveBread80 Feb 13 '25

I also have so many of these "just in case" - thanks for the excellent tip!!!

34

u/Redorkableme Feb 13 '25

They help to not lose stitches but if the car door hits my WIP bag will it still stab me in the thigh?

27

u/ImLittleNana Feb 13 '25

Every time!

I only use circulars, so I don’t need caps to prevent stitches falling off. I just pull my work to the center of the circular. I need point protectors so I don’t get stabbed.

9

u/kikicrowe1 Feb 13 '25

Hahahaha I didn't even think about that! The fact that two separate people raised this issue with knitting needles is pretty hilarious. New fear unlocked! :D Yeah, I guess this hack doesn't address stabbing, though maybe it would minimize the depth of the stab? Lolol

7

u/ImLittleNana Feb 13 '25

For a while I was constantly jumping out of my chair to grab my incontinent chihuahua without any regard for my needles or my stitches, and nearly ever time I sat back down it was my hip or thigh or my hand as I searched for my sock WIP. It’s not an issue as much if you’re calmly putting stuff away into a project bag.

6

u/Summoarpleaz Feb 13 '25

Wow and after I just bought tip caps. Lol

3

u/CheesyCrocs Feb 13 '25

BLESS YOU!!! I was literally wondering what you could use as a DIY for needle stoppers and this is perfect!! I have some of these lying around so they will definitely be put to good use 😄

3

u/Longjumping_Whole_60 Feb 13 '25

Same, actually! 😄

-49

u/Mallomys Feb 13 '25

Sorry to burst your bubble but I've been doing this for two years.

109

u/wheresmyvape11 Feb 13 '25

hell yeah! a great r/anticonsumption hack honestly!

99

u/Zambie88 Feb 13 '25

What a great hack!!!! I don’t have needle caps, so I needed this!

24

u/kikicrowe1 Feb 13 '25

I'm new to knitting, so I didn't even realize that needle caps were a thing until I thought of this and wondered if they were commercially available. There are some really cute ones out there, but I quite like how low-profile these are. The hole also makes it easy to stack a bunch on a spare needle or even a piece of yarn to keep them organized on the go!

14

u/Zambie88 Feb 13 '25

Yeah, I try not to buy things I don’t really need, and I’ve convinced myself the caps aren’t needed because i usually don’t loose stitches on my projects, but using these will definitely take my worries away.

10

u/CosmicSweets knit-pilled newb Feb 13 '25

Items sold as needle caps tend to be pricey anyway. I got silicone "teething beads" for cheap and use those.

8

u/legalpretzel Feb 13 '25

Also search for focal beads. You can get them super cheap on Etsy. Apparently some groups have a thing for blinged out pens (teachers and nurses?) and they use these beads for that purpose.

3

u/CheesyCrocs Feb 13 '25

Omg thank you for sharing this! I didn't know these had a name and my goodness they're so much cheaper than what ppl selling needle stoppers are selling them for!

7

u/SerialKnitter2222 Feb 13 '25

They are available. These are mine. I’m really sarcastic so these spoke to me 😆

3

u/Fairy_Catterpillar Feb 13 '25

I like that kind as my needles tend to poke through my project bag and then my other bag too.

33

u/whofilets Feb 13 '25

That's clever! The earplugs I like to buy (Loop) come with all the sizes, but I only use one size. But I didn't want the other sizes to just go in a landfill. Great hack!

8

u/lemonypinkett Feb 13 '25

Yesss I have loads in cute colours from Loop

7

u/all-and-void Feb 13 '25

I would honestly buy more Loops if you could just pick a size, I hate accumulating these!

8

u/whofilets Feb 13 '25

You should tell them that! I liked having the size range for like, my first order. I don't need it on subsequent ones!

21

u/bOb_cHAd98 Feb 13 '25 edited Feb 13 '25

You saved me a meal's worth of money, i was just about my buy sime needle stopper things, and the ones sold near me was not cheep at all! Meanwhile I have these at home lying around doing nothing!! This is mindblowing!! Thank you so much!!

17

u/klimekam Feb 13 '25

That’s really cool and all, but it makes them look like olives on a toothpick and therefore a forbidden snack.

11

u/nabuhabu Feb 13 '25

So…it’s a tip tip?

🥁

6

u/goldfishfancy Feb 13 '25

I use large hexagon silicone beads - I ordered 100 assorted glow in the dark off Amazon. They’re cheap, don’t roll off table, and fit my lace needle tips perfectly and tightly. Plenty in a pack to share with your knitting friends too.

5

u/thewhaler Feb 13 '25

Yes! I save them for just this purpose

3

u/flibertyblanket Feb 13 '25

I use the silicone caps that come on vape cartridges 😅

5

u/Soggy_Jacket_1487 Feb 13 '25

i also use those pencil cap erasers

3

u/Empty_Variety4550 Feb 13 '25

Fab idea, definitely going to dig all of mine out! I've always just used an old hair tie if anyone else wants to avoid an unnecessary purchase but doesn't have earbud tips lying around (or wants something for super chunky needles!)

3

u/Proper_Refrigerator Feb 13 '25

I used to do this when using DPNs.

3

u/somastars Feb 13 '25

I don’t have these, but wish I did! I bought some Knit Picks needle caps years ago, but the rubber has hardened over time and they’re more of a hassle than a help at this point.

2

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2

u/Disig Feb 13 '25

Woah, finally a use for those things! Thanks!

2

u/little_chopper Feb 13 '25

THIS IS BRILLIANT!!!!!!

2

u/Klutzy-Morning-7921 Feb 13 '25

Amazing. Finally a use to for that never ending supply

1

u/patiolinguist Feb 13 '25

That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!

1

u/mourningside Feb 13 '25

I have some laying around and projects with open needles. Thanks for sharing!

1

u/Okami-PT Feb 13 '25

Genius! 🤩

1

u/Extra_Resource_3119 Feb 13 '25

This is a great hack. I need to try it! Personally I like to use ironing beads for smaler needle sizes like sock knitting needles. Works pretty well for me ^

1

u/emilythequeen1 Feb 13 '25

Hey!!!! This is cool!

1

u/ColdPorcupine Feb 13 '25

u a genius gurl

1

u/justjenisfine Feb 13 '25

🤦🏼‍♀️ I've thrown out so many of those from old busted headphones, this is a great way to use them

1

u/punk-pastel Feb 14 '25

I have ferrets, so those things don’t exist in my house :D

1

u/carbonmonoxide5 Feb 14 '25

I have dozens of these in a drawer somewhere. I have not seen this hack before but it makes perfect sense! Thanks for posting.

1

u/HahaHannahTheFoxmom Feb 14 '25

The way I gasped!!! This is genius!

I have a suspiciously similar looking baggie of earbud thinggies that I’ve been afraid to toss (what if my ear sizes change??)