What is this device?

A knitting needle size gauge!

?

I have one of those.
It was my mum's , and must be getting on for an Antique now.

Oh how amazing! I had a feeling it might be for sizing something. Then I thought maybe you could weave something in and out of the holes. Then maybe the bell shape was something to do with Christmas. I've been racking my brain. Thank you so much, problem solved! ?

Knitting needle gauge. I have several of a various kinds, as does DD. If you are a knitter they are really useful.

Agree with yarn gauge

Love the shape!

I have the same, from my Nan’s sewing machine drawers!

I've got one of those, Chestnut which belonged to my grandma. I've been told I could get £9 for it if I wanted to sell it on the 'net! I'll hang on to, it though it is completely useless as the numbers on it do not correspond to any of those on my knitting needles, old/new, metric or Imperial. It's just an old keepsake.

Oh! what a lovely needle gauge!

I wonder whether these may have been free gifts from the Betterwear or Kleeneze Man?

From a family who, I clearly recall, would all undo woollies, wash and rewind the wool (where my hands would come on useful??), I can't imagine any of the womenfolk buying anything like this.

If only I could ask my Mum?

Free with Woman's Weekly, maybe?

Oh dear, I just found some knitting needles and tried them in the gauge.
Needle 5 fits somewhere between 5 and 6.
Needle 4mm (Aero) fits hole 12 as does needle 8.
I have no idea what these sizes are!

My late Mum had one that I think was exactly like that. I think it was for old style knitting needle numbers ( not the mm we have nowadays) though.She was not a great knitter so I wonder if it may have originally been my Gran’s.

The numbers sound like the older knitting needles. The sizes went from large numbers for very fine needles to smaller numbers for very large needles. Modern sizes go the other way and define the thickness in millimetres (so a 5 is 5 mm, a 3.25 is smaller and is 3.25 mm, and so on.)

Yup, it is definitely no use. Needles are numbered now and I haven't knitted for 50 years! Mind you, I will have to teach my granddaughter to knit as it is my grandmotherly duty to do so. I used to make my own clothes in the 1970s and knitted a jumper around 1972. I really need to show her how to sew and knit, if I can even remember how to do it.

I have one as well. Also came fromy mother. Very useful. I love using it.

Chestnut, I haven't been upstairs to check, but I think how it is used is that the needle fits in the narrow bit, and will tell you the size, not going into the circle . If you see what I mean!!

I have one of these and wouldn't part from it for the world. Definitely not no use! If you have double pointed needles that get separated from each other, how do you get them back into the right set without one of these?

Size 8 is 4mm. Double knitting takes 10s for Rib and 8s for stocking stitch. You're not looking for an exact fit into the holes. Once your needle doesn't fit into a hole, that means it's real size is the size it will just fit into.

Handy conversion table can be found here:
www.laughinghens.com

Save it for posterity!

Like many people my knitting needkes come with 'old series' numbers and metric numbers. These are still ideal for checking what size metric needles are in 'old series' when knitting 'old sereis' patterns.

I have several knitting needle gauges and at least one has 'old series' one side and metric the other.

My mum had a rectangular one, which I have now. As a child I was jealous because the nice lady next door had a bell shaped one.

Well I shall keep mine as a novelty item but a) it doesn't match the needles I have and b) I haven't knitted in 50 years so am unlikely to be worrying about needle sizes.