Make Your Own 'Wraps Per Inch' Tool

This is the one where scrapbooking meets knitting! 

I have been wanting a WPI (Wraps Per Inch) tool to check the thickness of my wool for some time and I didn't get around to buying one so I made one from chipboard and patterned paper.

WPI Tool

For those of you who don't know, although I think you all probably do know, a WPI tool is used the determine the thickness of the wool you are using and it is particularly useful when you have some wool that seems to be a different thickness to that which you were expecting or when you have lost the ball band and don't know what the yarn is. By wrapping your yarn around a WPI tool you can count how many times the yarn has been wrapped within the inch and this will help you to determine what weight the yarn is.  Here is a little guide:

Yarn Weight Guide

Here is how I made it (Click images to enlarge them).

Step 1

 Draw a 4" x 1" rectangle onto a piece of chipboard and mark a 1" notch on one side and a 1/2"notch on the other side.

Step 2

 Carefully cut out the chipboard piece using a craft knife.  Do not try to cut through the entire thickness in one swipe of the knife, instead press more lightly and make several passes along the line (against a ruler) until you have cut right through the piece, this makes a much neater edge.

Use the chipboard piece as a template to cut out two pieces of patterned paper.  Remember to flip it over to cut the second piece so that the notches are in the correct place.

Step 3

 Paint the edges of the chipboard with some white acrylic paint. Allow to dry.

Step 4

 Cover the chipboard piece with Mod Podge. 

Step 5

Attach the paper to the Mod Podge and smooth it on using a brayer (or a rolling pin).

 

Step 6

When you have attached the paper to both sides, cover the entire piece with Mod Podge and allow to dry.

 

Step 7 (Optional)

 

Round the corners with a heavy duty corner rounder such as a We Are Memory Keepers Corner Chomper or a Bind It All corner rounder.

 

Step 8

 

Punch a hole in the top of the tool and thread with a ball chain so that you can attach it to your knitting bag.

 

Step 9

 

If you want to further protect your WPI tool make a little cover for it using a CD wallet and some pretty washi tape :)

 

Enjoy your new WPI tool :)

Comments

[http://www.resume-examples.org/]

Nice design!! Thanks for sharing the tutorial. Looking colorful.

[barbaraleen8@gmail.com]

what is the 1/2 inch notch for?

[Sarah]

Hi Barbara, when you are trying to determine the WPI of very fine yarn like lace weight it can take forever the wind it around. I you do it on a half inch notch you can see what half the wraps are and double it for the WPI total. Does that make sense? Sarah x

[Anne]

How deep are the 1 inch and 1/2 inch notches in the tool? Your site is a great find because I have a huge box of my mothers wool I need to gage.

[Sarah]

Hi Anne, the notches are just under 1/4 inch but as long as the depth is enough to keep the wool in place it will be fine :)

[margaret]

YOU ARE CLEVER TO MAKE THIS WONDERFUL WPI TOOL KIT. YOU ARE A LEGEND. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK WITH YOUR IDEAS FOR KNITTERS. THANKS, MARGARET

[Sarah]

Thank you Margaret 😊