Kids Crocheting. Name Of This Thing?

Knitting dolly, it’s called French knitting and are sold in many shops including Hobbycraft.

I can remember them my DD'a had one that looked like a woman. Mine was a wooden bobbin with four nails that my dad made. I think it was called French knitting not crochet,try french knitting dolly.

Yes, French knitting.

I bought one a few years ago thinking the DGC might be interested but they weren't.
When I tried to use it, it proved far more difficult (slippy) than with the old wooden cotton reels which Dad used to put nails in.

There may be better ones on the market.

NannyPT

You ended up with a long sausage shape of knitting, which was then round into a flat circle and stitched; these little mats were then presented as gifts to Aunties, friends, whoever!

wound not round

Hi , I've just looked on Amazon and they have lots of kits. You want one that the head of the nail is big enough to hold the wool but not too big to get the wool over as Callistemon says.

We called it " corking" no idea why! And only had the home made sort

I think they were also called Knitting Nancy. I had the cotton reel and nail variety!

I do remember the cotton reel with nails - french knitting as many of you have said.

I also had a knitting loom, a bit like this one but with legs on so you didn't have to hold it:

www.temu.com/1pc-knitting-tools-diy-knitting-loom-rectangular-handmade-knitting-supplies-g-601099513158233.html?_x_sessn_id=va3e7pdg9o&refer_page_name=bgn_verification&refer_page_id=10017_1700226965609_kfcp4o6qmj&refer_page_sn=10017

It had the advantage of having little grooves at the side of the pegs so it was easier to catch the wool loops with the hook.

Squiffy

I think they were also called Knitting Nancy. I had the cotton reel and nail variety!

I has a Knitting Nancy, too.

You need decent wool and a good tool to hook the wool over. My DGD got the hang of it really well aged 6 but lost interest because it was such a fiddle with the cheap, blunt, rough wooden needle included. I couldn't do it with that gadget either.

It was probably blunted off for Elf and Safety. So if you're teaching your DGC, get good quality materials and use a fine knitting needle and rely on their common sense and survival instinct not to poke themselves in the eye.

In German it's called a Strickliesel (knitting Lizzy)

I taught mine to do it with a crochet hook, which my mum had taught me.

Thankyou everyone for your replies. I looked at the hobby craft one but the reviews were a bit iffy. If anyone can recommend a really nice one I would be very grateful.

The main complaint about them seems to be that the inside of the tube is rough, so the wool catches in it. Whatever one you choose, you may have to roll a bit of sandpaper round a pencil or a knitting needle and poke it down to sand it smoother.

I had one which had sort of metal hoops that the wool went round. That was easier to hook the wool over than single nails. Amazon has them as well as Hobbycraft

I found the metal hoops rather slippery; there are some with 'pegs' that look like round-headed nails.

It's just a matter of preference, I think.

A crochet hook would make hooking the yarn over simpler, I think.

If the hoops bend outwards at the top they hold the wool on better.
The best ones are home-made from four nails banged into a wooden cotton reel, if you can get hold of a wooden one - these days they are all plastic.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-240997-71xdtaf3wll-ac-sl1500-.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-460494-642726-1000-1--flower-knitting-dolly-1.jpg

Yes, I agree they were much better.

The first style might be better, the one I bought for the DGC was the second style with hoops and even I struggled with it.

This is how I remember doing French knitting, my dad nailing some tacks into one of my mums empty cotton bobbins.
I wouldn’t have a clue where to start now but it might be nice to revisit this with the younger GC.

Later on I will search for a wooden cotton reel. I'm sure I will have one in an old sewing tin that belonged to my grandparents. One of the contents in the tin that I remember is a mushroom that was used to darn socks back in the day. I will have a look later.

I rummaged through the tin and found a wooden cotton reel, into which I wanged 4 nails into the top. I practiced with it myself but the wool I have is too thick and it would have been too difficult for my granddaughter. I will get some thinner wool and then I will be able to show her what to do.
Thankyou everyone for your input and pictures, it's much appreciated.

Callistemon21 Those are so cute I almost feel like getting them for myself 😄😄 I remember the days of the cotton reel too. I once 'knitted' about two feet of it but had no idea what to do with it then. It ended up in the bin.

Lots of ideas here, AreWeThereYet!

You can make them into all kinds of gifts for Aunties, friends, neighbours and they can say thank you -- but thinking oh, not another one--!

Yes SachaMac I’ve still got one of mine like that sentimentally tucked away. I think I’ll find it and use it 😀