Whilst looking for something entirely different yesterday, I came across the vase containing all my straight knitting needles. I had to look at my finished projects page to work out when I’d last used them. I think it could possibly be 2006, which means they’ve been sitting in that corner of the spare bedroom (aka dumping ground for everything that might be useful one day) for nigh on three years.

The thing is, I use circular needles or dpns for everything these days. I’m either knitting in the round, or knitting large flat items that work best on a circular where the stitches don’t get bunched up.

So I have this jar of various needles, mostly unexciting bamboo and metal, but there are some prettiful Brittany Birch ones in there, three pairs of colourful Pony Pearl needles bought because they were, well, colourful, and the gigantic 15mm plastic ones I bought back when Rowan’s Big Wool first came out and I made a fetching lilac and lime green striped scarf. The one main advantage of straight needles over other kinds is that they look so nice in a jar together. Circs are great, but you can’t use them as art.

I doubt I’ll do anything but put them in a corner again for another three years. But don’t let me forget where they are. Just in case…