GB2218116A - Hand-knitting accessory - Google Patents

Abstract

The knitting accessory 1, for use when hand knitting in order to avoid tangling of balls of wool or other knitting yarn, comprises an elongate straight shaft 2 suitably having a spiked end 3 and a helical extension 4 at the other end thereof. In use, the spiked end 3 is inserted into a ball of knitting yarn to the full extent of dimension X; the free end of the ball of knitting yarn is passed between adjacent turns of the helical extension 4. The accessory may be made of plastics or plastics-coated wire. <IMAGE>

Description

Hand Knitting Accessory The present invention is concerned with handknitting accessories and, in particular, devices for use when hand knitting in order to avoid tangling of bells of wool or other knitting yarn.

'hen knitting some patterns, it is necessary to use a plurality of-balls of wool; this is a particular problem with so-celled "Fair Isle" patterns, in which six or more colours must be handled simultaneously. It is often a problem that the different coloured balls may be inadvertently entangled. It is an object of the invention to provide a device which can at least alleviate this problem.

According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a hand-knitting accessory for inhibiting tangling of knitting yarn, which comprises: (a) an elongate straight shaft having a first end and a second end, said first end either tapering to a point or being squared off such that said first end can be freely inserted into a rolled ball of knitting yarn to the full extent of said shaft, substantially without snagging of said yard either during insertion into said ball or removal therefrom; and, integral with said second end, (b) a helical extension comprising at least two coaxial helical turns which are so spaced as to permit a yarn from a ball into which said shaft has been inserted to freely pass between adjacent turns, said helical extension having an axis which is either coaxial with, or parallel to, the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

One exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic side elevation of an exemplary knitting accessory according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the knitting accessory 1 comprises an elongate straight shaft 2 having a spiked smooth-surfaced free end 3 and a helical extension 4 at the other end thereof.

As illustrated, the helical extension comprises three coaxial turns A,B,C all of which are of substantially circular section; the axis of the helical extension in the illustrated embodiment is offset from, but parallel to, the axis of shaft 2. Alternatively, the helical extension may be coaxial with the shaft.

The free end 5 of extension 4 is, in the illustrated embodiment, spiked; alternatively it may be squared-off (that is, not spiked). The shaft 2 has, in the illustrated embodiment, a length (dimension X) substantially greater than the axial extent of extension 4. Typically, the ratio of the length cf the shaft to the axial extent of the helical extension is at least 2:1; the abovementioned ratio is preferably in the range 2.5 to 4 The knitting accessory according to the invention may be of shaped wire or, preferably, a pre-formed plastics moulding. When of shaped wire, it is preferred that at least the helical extension be provided with a plastics coating or the like.

In use of the knitting accessory illustrated, the spiked end 3, and thus shaft 2, is inserted into a ball of knitting yarn to the full extent of dimension ; the free end of the ball of knitting yarn is passed between adjacent turns of the helical extension 4. The ball of knitting yarn can then be suspended in this condition, with the end of the yarn passing between adjacent turns of the helical extension; surprisingly, the yarn resists unravelling when suspended in this way. Ihe fact that the shaft is straight (without a barbed or hooked end, for example) ensures that the shaft can be inserted into the ball of yarn, and withdrawn therefrom, without snagging.

A plurality of the knitting accessories according to the invention may be employed; for example, one for each colour being knitted. All the balls of knitting yarn in which a knitting accessory according to the invention is inserted can be suspended, separately, by the user in such a way that they resist tangling.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A hand-knitting accessory for inhibiting tangling of knitting yarn, which comprises: (a) an elongate straight shaft having a first end and a second end, said first end either tapering to a point or being squared off such that said first end can be freely inserted into a rolled ball of knitting yarn to the full extent of said shaft, substantially without snagging of said yerd either during insertion into said ball or removal therefrom; and, integral with said second end, (b) a helical extension comprising at least two coaxial helical turns which are so spaced as to permit a yarn from a ball into which said shaft has been inserted to freely pass between adjacent turns, said helical extension having an axis which is either coaxial with, or parallel to, the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

2. A knitting accessory according to claim 1, wherein said helical extension comprises three coaxial turns all of which are of substantially circular section.

3. A knitting accessory according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said shaft has a length substantially greater than the axial extent of said helical extension.

4. A knitting accessory according to claim 3, wherein said length is at least twice said axial extent.

5. A knitting accessory according to any of claims 1 to 4,which is of shaped wire or a pre-formed plastics moulding.

6. A knitting accessory according to claim 5, wherein saidhelical extension is of shaped wire having a plastics coating.

7. A knitting accessory substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.