Making knitting needles

Supplies:
1/4 " birch dowel rods (available at craftparts.com, caseyswood.com, dowelsondemand.com, saunders brothers, or your local Woodcraft store.) cut into 10-12" lengths (these make size 10 needles). A word about what kind of wood to buy: you can get the cheaper precut packages of dowel rods, or hardwood dowels at craft stores BUT this type of wood has a tendency to split and does not wear as well as birch. One of the qualities of birch is that it burnishes with repeated use, so the more you use it, the smoother it becomes.
Sandpaper in 150 grit, 220 grit, and 400 or finer grit.
Balls for tops with 1/4" holes, or candle cups with 1/4" hole from the craft store, or salvaged wood beads that fit.
Beeswax (I use modeling beeswax because of its softness. Alternatively, use a scented natural beeswax wood polish)
Wool felt

First, "sculpt" the tops of the needles by sanding them on concrete, stones, or bricks outside. You can also do this with the coarsest sandpaper. I tell students to make the point look like a gnome's hat all the way around. They tend to look like a house roof at first. I have them hold the dowel "birds on a wire": thumb underneath, all other fingers perched on top. Then they can wrap their fingers around the top (not like holding a pencil; thumb and forefinger point the same way...like you are pointing at something only pointer rests on the top of the dowel) and the proceed to sand, taking care to turn the dowel as they go.
Once the point has been fashioned this way, then the needle can be sanded. Wrap the sandpaper around the tip and twist it. Start with the coarse sandpaper first, graduate to the finest (the lower the number, the coarser the sandpaper) and sand until the needles are as smooth as a baby's bottom (determined by running the side of the needle along your cheek) 400 grit sandpaper is the best thing since sliced bread and gives a nice smooth finish.
Next, coat the needle with beeswax (or polish) by rubbing a small piece of wax all over as if crayoning a picture. Wax should be visible on the needle.
Once that is done, take wool felt and working in small areas of the needle shaft, start to rub the wax in. Rubbing quickly in a small area causes the wax to "melt in". Rub until the felt is waxy and all the lint is gone. You should have a nice, shiny pair of knitting needles. Smell them.
Glue your chosen tops on the needles. Color the tops with beeswax crayons and burnish (polish) with your waxy felt. If you are using unfinished wood for your tops, you can use watercolors or even silk dyes to color them. Allow these to dry before burnishing. It is easier to burnish them after the tops are securely glued to the needle.
Enjoy!
*give the sawdust back to the Earth*
*something to try*if you want to experiment with different types of wood, ask a local woodworker to educate you on the qualities of each wood.

First Grade Handwork

In a Waldorf first grade, children learn how to finger-crochet and then move on to basic knitting. Children make projects that are meaningful to them, and the projects and stories still hold a bit of early childhood. I found a list from our school's former handwork teacher and thought it would make a good first post for this blog. I added to and edited it a bit.
What is handwork doing for the first grade child?
-Gradually bringing the child into day consciousness...slowly bringing the child out of the dreamy world of early childhood.
-Awakens thinking and the capacity to judge.
-Moves the child from play to work
-The rhythmic activity of knitting builds the etheric capacities of the child
-Builds confidence
-Develops patience and perseverance since a knitting project takes time
-Awakens feelings through working with color and the very act of creating
-Makes a connection between mankind and nature. Materials used are from the earth, and gratitude and reverence for the earth's gifts are inherently appreciated.
-Balances the child in the sense that it strengthens forces that are weak (Strengthens thinking in the dreamy child, feeling in the overly intellectual child, and stimulates activity in the weak-willed child)
-Great practice in problem-solving. Students have to notice mistakes, keep count of their stitches, and focus while knitting.
-Social development: students admire each others' work, celebrate each others' accomplishments, help each other, and give handmade gifts.
-Builds the capacity to concentrate and focus.
-Builds self-regulation. Students may become frustrated with themselves or where they are in a project and learn how to ask for help, figure it out themselves, or how to wait for help.
-Making something useful and beautiful
-Encouraging a sense of reverence and wonder