# Using a knitting fork



## ulrika (Jul 2, 2011)

Why? What would you make with this?


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## suzy-kate (Jan 6, 2013)

They use them to make cords, a lot of the historical reenactment people use them, you can also get them that do multiple cords at once.


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## nitrpat (Apr 1, 2011)

Looks a bit like the "finger knitting" we did as kids!


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## Lynnhelen (Aug 5, 2013)

I have one. I make cord on it. I learned at local fiber festival this Spring. 
It is very old method of weaving cords for trimming clothes etc. 
I use the cords to make the ties I use when I wind my warps for weaving.


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## Easternsho'gal (Jul 17, 2011)

Yes. I had one as a child 70 + yrs ago. I think all it did was make a chain. Good way to keep a child busy.


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## suzy-kate (Jan 6, 2013)

http://www.thelucet.co.uk/lucet_vocabulary.htm

Shows a new twist to a very old idea.


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## shan (Jul 29, 2012)

There was a discussion here on Lucettes a Cpl months ago.


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## shan (Jul 29, 2012)

I think I spelled it wrong! lol


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## Abi_marsden (Aug 5, 2012)

I've just ordered one so can't wait to give it a go.wish me luck.


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## fatkitty (Jun 23, 2011)

I have one but haven't really used it. I find what we used to call French knitting faster.


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## suzy-kate (Jan 6, 2013)

fatkitty said:


> I have one but haven't really used it. I find what we used to call French knitting faster.


I know, but I do like the look of some of those fancy cords, just don't know if I'd either use it or have the time to use it.


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## Donna Williams (May 22, 2011)

I've never seen one before, I watched the video that is different, kinda neat.


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## ManyClouds (Sep 29, 2012)

Fascinating but it looks a long, slow process :?


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## JulesKnit (Dec 30, 2012)

I recall the old wooden thread spools with 4 nails on the top that we made I-cords with as kids...have a new plastic one now, but I hadn't seen these! Thanks!


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## suzy-kate (Jan 6, 2013)

Kerry Anne said:


> Fascinating but it looks a long, slow process :?


DH's cousin uses one, yes he's one of those that dresses up in costumes, you wouldn't believe how fast he can use it, bit like us knitting or crocheting.


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## Irish knitter (Mar 29, 2011)

Anyone on here sells them?


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## ManyClouds (Sep 29, 2012)

suzy-kate said:


> DH's cousin uses one, yes he's one of those that dresses up in costumes, you wouldn't believe how fast he can use it, bit like us knitting or crocheting.


Uuumm ... sounds interesting. Might look into it more. Does Hubby's cousin make his own costumes? Perhaps with the knitting fork? lol! :thumbup:


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## suzy-kate (Jan 6, 2013)

Kerry Anne said:


> Uuumm ... sounds interesting. Might look into it more. Does Hubby's cousin make his own costumes? Perhaps with the knitting fork? lol! :thumbup:


The group make nearly everthing, DH's cousin is an amazing artist and has done loads of posters etc. He took his love of doing both and set up a business going round schools etc. You may like to know they knit their chainmail.


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## ManyClouds (Sep 29, 2012)

suzy-kate said:


> The group make nearly everthing, DH's cousin is an amazing artist and has done loads of posters etc. He took his love of doing both and set up a business going round schools etc. You may like to know they knit their chainmail.


That's really impressive. My dad used to be involved in jousting during the 1970's and he had to make his own clothes. We went to watch him and it was really good fun. Making one's own chain mail must be hard work and time consuming, but he obviously enjoys it.


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## skinny minnie (Jan 4, 2012)

Irish knitter said:


> Anyone on here sells them?


If you go to his bio, there are links in side bar for buying


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## tatesgirl (Mar 27, 2011)

Irish knitter said:


> Anyone on here sells them?


At the end of the video it said you can order from www.littlewoodlanders.com/etsy.


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## Lynnhelen (Aug 5, 2013)

Kerry Anne said:


> Fascinating but it looks a long, slow process :?


It goes very quickly once you get the hang of it. It is also very portable!


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## Mevbb (Sep 5, 2011)

I was intrigued with it at a yarn festival and bought one. It has never been out of the package. I think it was 3 years ago.


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## rose haft (Jul 30, 2011)

Thanks to NRoberts' post, I just ordered 3 for my granddaghters' Christmas stockings. It'll keep them busy on road trips. Thanks, NRoberts!


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## evesch (Apr 3, 2011)

Kerry Anne said:


> Fascinating but it looks a long, slow process :?


Is a bit of a long slow process but you get pretty quick at it with a bit of practice. Considering that when this was first invented, somewhere in the murky past of our world's history, it was an improvement on what they were doing at the time. Considering that EVERYTHING was hand made the slow way. We are extremely spoiled in our time and need to remember where we have come from and where we could have to return to if certain things happen in our world now. What would happen in our world if there were a worldwide Electromagnetic Pulse? Those people with the "old slow" skills would be in a lot more demand. And wasting things all the time would have to stop. ooops step off of soapbox and return to normal.....


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## Gram9 (Aug 7, 2012)

A good while ago I showed this to my husband and he promptly went into his wood shop and made one for me. Have not used it yet but the day will come when I will need to.


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## knitzandknotz (Nov 11, 2011)

I love the lucet! Very fun, fast and addictive. I learned about it at a colonial reenactment. Bought one thinking I found a better way to make the dreaded I cord. Once I made some I cord with yarn I was inspired! I now make jewelry with various semi-precious stones woven in. I sell the jewelry and give as gifts. The lucet is such a brilliant yet simple tool.


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## knitzandknotz (Nov 11, 2011)

Oh, and one more detail about the lucet; the Vikings used them. They have found lucets made of bones  in archeological Viking sites.


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## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

In Medieval times clothing was laced together with the cord made on a lucet, the sleeves were laced to the bodice, the skirt to the bodice, vests and jackets closed with a cord, to tie back the hair, there were few sewing needles available and people used cords to hold things together. I like the finished cord for finishing off embroidery pieces and have used mine with pearl cotton,floss and sock yarn. Using one is a good exercise for your hands and improves dexterity, I wouldn't be surprised if it is used in occupational therapy.
My father made us knitting knobbys with wooden thread spools and little nails and we learned the basics of knitting with them, called them "horsey reins".
Piecework had a very good article on lucets years ago and that is where my husband got the pattern for one. I am going to teach using a lucet at our next EGA meeting, he made them each one.

Carol J.


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## -knitter (Aug 22, 2011)

nitrpat said:


> Looks a bit like the "finger knitting" we did as kids!


I had the same thought.


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## Abi_marsden (Aug 5, 2012)

Mine came today looking forward to playing with it.


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## Bunbun (Feb 13, 2013)

this is the best video I've seen in using the lucet. I have a beautiful birdseye maple one I bought at a craft show years ago (thinner than the one on the video) By time I got home I couldn't remember how to make it work. It wasn't until YouTube came on the scene that I tried again. I make little around the neck purses from extra wide embroidered ribbon and use the cords from the lucet for the cord to hang the purses that way you can get a lightweight cord but attractive, depending on your yarn.


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## tootsie001 (Jan 23, 2011)

This past summer to keep an 8 and 9 years old boys busy, we took plastic picnic forks, removed 2 middle tines and made figure 8's around the outer tines that were left, pulled the first wrapping over the second wrapping and made friendship bracelets, key chains eyeglass strings. They had lots of fun. Even sold them at the beach. Left over yarn and embroidery thread, even ribbon and beads worked wonders. They came up with some neat designs. Just follow the youtube video, same principle.


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## Parrishththgt (Aug 20, 2012)

Kerry Anne said:


> Fascinating but it looks a long, slow process :?


D....I....T....T....O....!.....!....!


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## laurelk. (Jun 4, 2011)

I make lucet cording which is also called Viking braiding , a very old braiding technique. I that the kind of "fork" you are talking about. Will look at the u tube.
Laurelk in S. CA


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## spinnerbee (Sep 13, 2012)

__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/138767232240075274/
The site above shows 2 ways to use the lucet. I think one could make lovely necklace/scarflets by using an eyelash yarn or some other frilly yarn and then the 1st method with the loose cord. What do you others think?


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## phylled1 (Jun 19, 2011)

I have one used it to make long cords I bought mine at a knitting show mine does not have the hole in it also it has a small wooden stick to take the loops over


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

These aren't the same as knitting knobbies or French knitters, which make I cord. They make a square cord which is fairly solid, rather than a tube. You can cut the cord and it doesn't unravel. I use mine for drawstrings on purses, and the cords make great replacement shoe laces. Steven Willette makes some with holes large enough to use super bulky yarns to make rugs with. I've had lucets for several years. The cord goes very quickly, I made better than a yard of cord during town meeting not long ago.


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## JulesKnit (Dec 30, 2012)

Thank you for posting the video! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

Learn something new over day. Spinnerbee,thank you for the link. I will have to learn to do the figure 8 method using both tines now. I will be teaching the lucet use at our EGA meeting this month but I have only done the method using one tine and the result is the square cord. I like the larger one and will practice it today.
Using the lucet keeps your hands and fingers moving, and looks like a good exercise for the hands.

Carol J.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

>>> it looks a long, slow process<<<

Not really. Once you get it going, it goes really fast and, if one is doing a simple cord, it gets pretty mindless. Great to do to relax or while riding in a car, listening to TV or business meetings. We teach it to grownups and kids at Medieval reenactments and people pick it up really quickly. But one has to have a need for cord to make learning worthwhile. I've seen it used for lacing for Medieval gowns and shirts, boot laces, anywhere you need a good, strong cord - advantage being you can make them in any color you like.you can make round or flat cords or make them in 2 colors.


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## Sue Fish (Mar 12, 2011)

Interesting


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## B.THETFORD (Mar 7, 2012)

I watched the video and thought you would need very flexible fingers to do any work on this. Certainly not for me as arthritis is playing havoc with my hands.


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## Carol J. (Jan 27, 2011)

The right hand gets most of the action using the lucet and it is good exercise. There are two ways to use the lucet, to make the small braid, both hands work but the double braid uses the right hand the most. Any exercise you do with your hands is good for them. Just as knitting and crocheting are.

Carol J.


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## FionaN19 (Nov 5, 2019)

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