Another Handy Handwork Helper -- Magnetic Board

When I'm ready to move on to a new project, the first thing I like to do after putting everything away from the previous project is to gather all my supplies in one place. First I get my pattern and yarn. Then I see what size needles the pattern requires and pull those out of my needle box. For a knitted infant sweater, that would seem like enough. But I have one more little thing that makes a world of difference when following a pattern with lots of instructions.


Besides scissors and glasses, the other item I pull from my cabinet is my magnetic board. I purchased this board, along with a bigger one, many years ago when I first started doing counted cross stitch. It proved invaluable in keeping track of all those tiny symbols on those tiny charts. Now I use it for keeping track of other types of patterns too.


I place the board behind my pattern and place the magnets on top. I used my magnets so much that the originals that came with the board broke into smaller pieces which I still use, and I have added others of my own over the years. I use one straight magnet piece to mark the line I am on and the others to hold the pattern to the board.


For a pattern such as my Tunisian Crochet Duck Pattern I would print out the pattern and place the paper over the board. Then I would fold over the top and bottom of the paper and place all but one of the magnets on the top.

I would save one magnet to hold the paper on the back side of the board.

These boards are available at your local stitchery shop or online at Keepsake Needlearts, as well as other places. Sometimes you will find them packaged together with a little stand so that your pattern stands upright which makes it even easier to follow.

This is one of those items that I thought was a bit of a frivolous purchase when I first bought it, but it has proved well worth the expense and has saved me from so much frustration when following patterns. I used the larger board and the stand when working the Daisies and Butterflies cross stitch for my mother-in-law and the Let Us Give Thanks cross stitch for my own parents. I have also used it for many knitting and crochet patterns and quite a few other cross stitch patterns.

If you have never used one of these handy helpers, give it a try and see what you think. I know you won't be disappointed!

Happy Stitching!

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