When you think about it, knitting and 3D printing are based on very similar concepts. You deposit a string of material layer by layer following a pattern in order to achieve a certain shape. Whereas 3D printing uses filament and heat, knitting and crochet use yarn and knots to build forms. So in a way, 3D printing is like the grandchild of knitting.
A great way to combine both, and possibly make your knitting time more productive, is to get some 3D printed accessories. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best accessories for knitting and crocheting. Besides needles and crochet hooks, you’ll find other goodies that may make your crafting habit a bit easier.
If you see something you like but aren’t jazzed about printing anything at the moment, try Craftcloud by All3DP. Upload your design and pick the material, finish, and vendor of choice, then let Craftcloud’s printing partners handle all the tricky bits.
Yarn Bowl
An ever-present issue when knitting or crocheting is where to put the yarn. On your lap? On a table? As you pull on the yarn, it moves and is bound to fall over. It can be annoying and a hassle, especially if it falls and becomes a tangled mess.
This good-looking design keeps the yarn in place, preventing bothersome accidents while also offering a guide that lets the yarn flow freely. You’ll need supports for the yarn guide, so make sure to remove them carefully to avoid breaking the bowl.
- Who made it? MegaAndy
- How printable/popular is it? Eight people have printed this design.
- Where to get it? Thingiverse
Wool Winder
Re-spooling yarn is a long and boring process. This is a good excuse to embark on a new project, namely this wool winder. The creator includes all the 3D printed parts but recommends an acrylic or wooden base.
You may notice that the transmission is made with an O-ring. In order to connect the design’s parts, you should first verify the position at which the O-ring is correctly tensioned, then and only then make the perforation to fit the crank. This is why, if you look at the makes, the position of the crank may vary slightly, as it depends on the diameter of the O-ring you get.
Besides the O-rings, you’ll need some additional elements, including Ø6-mm nuts and bolts. The makes look great, and there’s even one user who remixed the model to make it machinable in metal.
- Who made it? matthewlaberge
- How printable/popular is it? This model has 21 makes combined from both sites, and 5 remixes from Thingiverse.
- Where to get it? Thingiverse, Printables
19-mm Crochet Hook
If you take a stroll around the interweb, you’ll find many 3D printed crochet hook options, but pick them wisely. Crochet hooks, by design, have a very narrow side, and if printed in a 3D printed filament that’s not very strong, they’re prone to breaking. So, you need to be on the lookout for that.
In this case, the narrow part of the hook doesn’t look thin enough to pose a threat to the integrity of the part, so it’s a better bet. Plus, with a 19-mm diameter, this is a very thick hook from the get-go. These types of hooks are great for crocheting blankets, baskets, carpets, and bags, or for yarn types such as merino wool, fuzzy yarn, or Bernat blanket.
This crochet hook size is usually hard to find and very expensive, so 3D printing may be a lifesaver. It’s recommended to use a high-density infill and, if possible, a stronger material like ABS.
- Who made it? StringGoddess
- How printable/popular is it? Over 30 people have downloaded this design so far.
- Where to get it? Cults
Crochet Grip
You can get very beautiful, classical pieces using lace crochet yarn. Mantelpieces, shirts, and scarves – you can never go wrong with some Aunt Lydia’s. However, crochet hooks for these kinds of yarns are extremely slim. Even 0.1-mm hooks are available, but that may require a grandma’s level of skill.
These hooks can be difficult to grip and tiring to use for long periods of time. They can even lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, so handles are a great way to make the grip more comfortable and even improve dexterity.
Hooks with handles can also be considerably more expensive, but you can get your own handle at home if you have a 3D printer. Make sure to try the creator’s recommendation of using the fuzzy skin setting in Cura to improve the grip even more.
- Who made it? function3d
- How printable/popular is it? This model has over 750 views and 14 downloads.
- Where to get it? Cults
Knitting Needles
3D printed needles make a good gift for a knitting aficionado. The creator of this project designed and successfully 3D printed these needles, which have already been tried and approved by his wife. He printed them in ABS, which is a smart choice considering knitting needles usually have to withstand some strain from the fabric; weaker materials could cause the needles to snap in half.
The creator recommends using ABS, rafts, and a maximum layer height of 0.2 mm. This may even be a good application and easy enough model to experiment with different stronger filaments, such as PC or a carbon fiber composite, and discover which one works best.
- Who made it? jgoss
- How printable/popular is it? A user has shared a make of this design, and 35 others have made remixes of it.
- Where to get it? Thingiverse
Sock Knitting Machine
If you’re looking for a new and engaging project, this sock knitting machine is it. Printing all of the components and assembling the machine may take a lot of time, but once you’re done, you can have full socks much faster than if you just knitted them by hand.
There are many sock knitting machines available online, but this one has been successfully made 10 times already. You can see it in action in this video before making up your mind about it. If you decide to give it a go, you’ll need many additional materials such as needles, metal rods, nuts and bolts, and some grease for lubrication.
- Who made it? MrRoboto19
- How printable/popular is it? This model has 10 makes and 11 remixes.
- Where to get it? Thingiverse
Knitting Loom
Knitting looms are great for making hats, infinity scarves, or other shapes. It saves time and simplifies the knitting process a lot, and it also can make figuring out sizes way simpler. This loom comes in three different sizes and can be assembled to achieve a round shape. You simply need to print the same part four times to create a complete circle.
Some users also assemble it in a kind of ‘8’-shape to achieve different results. Because you can take it apart, it doesn’t take up much space in a bag, so it’s easy to take on the go.
The model doesn’t require supports, and the creator designed a custom internal structure to make the individual part more resistant to the pull of the yarn. According to the author, it would be very hard to break it. Since the parts fit together like puzzle pieces, you may require some sanding to make them snap properly.
- Who made it? 3dYeti
- How printable/popular is it? This loom has 10 makes as well as a remix on Thingiverse.
- Where to get it? Thingiverse, Cults
Crochet Basket Bottoms
Crochet and knitting aren’t limited to producing wearables. You can make basically anything: plushies, blankets, and in this case, even some house decorations such as beautiful crochet baskets. These bottoms are flat disks with a holed pattern so you can start hooking your yarn and build the walls of the basket. This makes crocheting a basket much easier, as figuring out the turn from the flat surface to the vertical part is always tricky.
The design includes eight different options varying in diameter and thickness. It’s easy to print and doesn’t require too much filament or supports. It may be susceptible to warping, but it’s unlikely since the print isn’t too tall.
- Who made it? annarama
- How printable/popular is it? This project has over 200 views and nearly 50 downloads.
- Where to get it? Printables
Crochet Block Board
Granny squares may look easy and you may want to jump on the trend, but once you have 200 of them and are nowhere near done with your blanket, you’ll start to lose the thread – get it?
This design is a simple board to keep your granny squares organized. It’s suitable for different sizes of squares, and the rods allow you to pile them up and come up with your own organization schemes. Not working on granny squares? No problem! You could also use it for any other project in progress that has a bunch of pieces.
The rods aren’t included in the design, so the creator recommends dowels with a 4-mm diameter. The model does include tolerance so that they fit into the holes properly.
- Who made it? Richard H
- How printable/popular is it? This model has nearly 1,000 views and over 200 downloads, and you could be the one to share the first community make.
- Where to get it? Printables
Holder
You’ll need somewhere to put all of the needles and hooks you’ve printed, not to mention the ones you already bought. This design is like a pencil holder except much cooler because it’s for all your crochet and knitting needles. It has some extra slots for clips, scissors, and other accessories. It even has different hole sizes to be able to keep your needles organized by size!
If oriented properly on the print bed, it can be printed without any supports.
- Who made it? AdamsLab
- How printable/popular is it? This model has six makes.
- Where to get it? Thingiverse
License: The text of "3D Printed Knitting Machines, Crochet Hooks, Bowls, & More" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.