How to Make a Clay Needle Protector

A needle protector holds the yarn onto your needle when you aren't knitting.

As you create your knitting projects, the smaller ends of the needles move in and out of your work. However, when you put your work down, the yarn can slide off of the needles over the points. If the yarn slides off the needles, it is a challenge to reinsert the needles and resume your work. Instead of risking losing your place in your knitting project, you can create your own needle protectors from clay.

Things You'll Need

• Polymer clay
• Cookie sheet
• Foil
• Oven

Instructions

1. Roll a ball of clay about 1 inch in diameter between your hand to soften the clay.

2. Shape the ball of clay into whatever shape you want for your needle protectors. You can leave the clay in a ball or create any shape you want. However, the shape you make should be at least 1 1/2 inches long and twice as wide as the diameter of your needles.

3. Position one of your needles in the middle of the clay shape, and press the needle into the clay with a slight twisting motion.

4. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place the clay protectors onto the cookie sheet. If the needles are metal or wood, you can leave the needles in the protectors to bake them. Remove the needles if they are plastic.

5. Cover the clay shapes with additional foil.

6. Preheat the oven to a temperature between 215 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the instructions for your brand of clay because various brands require different temperatures.

7. Place the cookie sheet into the oven, and bake the clay for at least 30 minutes. The rule of thumb is to bake 30 minutes for every 1/4-inch in diameter. For instance, if the clay shape is 1/2-inch deep, bake for an hour.

8. Turn the oven off when the clay is baked. Allow the clay to cool in the oven. Once the oven is cool, remove the clay shapes.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorate the shape with other colors of clay or with a toothpick to draw on designs.

• Avoid making the holes in the clay larger than the diameter of the needle. It the holes are too big, the protectors will easily fall off.