We bought some old railway sleepers (aka railroad ties) sight unseen on Facebook Marketplace. When they arrived we were worried about whether they’d been treated with toxic creosote or other chemicals.
Since we want to use these to build some sleeper raised beds for the garden, we didn’t want anything harmful to humans, animals or food in contact with the soil. So, it’s time for some tests and experiments to find out if we can use old railway sleepers to build garden beds. Let’s find out!
I've only just started knitting again and have had to upgrade from my original Symfonie needles (they tend to snap quite easily). I have a set of stainless steel needles from ChiaoGoo and also an ebony set from Lantern Moon.
I like both! The stainless steel was a little hard to get used to but yarn really glides on them. I like the look and feel of the Lantern Moon set too, but unfortunately they don't come in all the sizes I tend to use so I now end up switching between the two sets.
I've tried loads of different single hooks to find the 'perfect' hook. I finally found what I was looking for in the Clover soft touch range. The hook glides well and the thumb rest is really comfortable. Unfortunately they don't seem to be available in a set, so I have a jar full of all the sizes I like to use.
My favourites are these from Lantern Moon, they're super comfortable and glide really well, and the best bit is that they swivel. They are also compatible with the KnitPro Symfonie hooks (these seem less sturdy but also glide well).
I also have a set from ChiaoGoo made from bamboo. These are very lightweight but I find that they can snag on some yarns (a nail file often helps to make the hook head better).
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