When sewing/quilting, measuring accurately is super important but it’s fairly easy to have a measuring device nearby. We have rulers, we have tables with built in tape measures, we have drawers on our sewing machine tables.
With knitting, we also have to measure often. Measure the swatch and count how many stitches in 4″. Knit til the sleeves measure “this length”. Knit til the body is “this many inches” below the armholes.
Most of us use those inexpensive little round, wind themselves back up measuring tapes. I have probably 20 or more of them and it’s either feast or famine. Not long ago, it seemed like everywhere I looked, I found a tape measure. I thought “I’ll never be looking for one of these again!” Wrong!
When I went to Missouri, I had two . . because I never take one of anything that’s important. I know I have a tendency to lose things. When it was time to leave, I wasn’t sure if the one I had in my hand was mine or Nicole’s but I figured I could get another one easier than she could so I handed it to her to keep. Somehow, I left with two and came home with none.
Since I was knitting in the car on the way to my uncle’s, there’s probably at least one in my car. They end up in the project bag with projects, which is fine until I can’t find one to use. Last week, I needed one and could not find one anywhere! I looked in all the drawers where I thought one might be. No. I looked under my recliner because there are usually 3 or 4 under there. No. I was in the extra bedroom mashing around in the bottom of all the project bags that were easy to get to, trying to feel something hard and round. Nope! I was so frustrated. Trying to measure a knitted item with a wooden ruler is never accurate. I told myself . . I’m ordering enough of these rascals that I’ll never have to search for one.
I ordered some from Eat, Sleep, Knit, then I found some for even less on Amazon, then Vince found some at one of the ultra cheap places he orders things and he ordered 12 more so addition to the 16 shown above (not counting the one that isn’t a roll up type, there are 12 more coming. Probably between now and then, I’ll find half a dozen that were “lost” in this house. One has a unicorn on it so I’ll give it to Addie but I do believe there shouldn’t be a shortage of measuring tapes around here for a while.
Liz says
Thanks for the smile with all of those colors and the story. The biggest laugh came with the info that Vince, the one wanting to do minimalist lifestyle, is the one ordering even more of the tapes for you.
Now, where are you going to put all of those rulers? I would suggest finding a half-gallon mason jar and put them in there. I still have button jars. Put the jar in your quilt room, the bedroom with the WIPs, or where you stash your food. Then, take a picture and tell us where it is.
I’ve been “tidying up” and in my kitchen “everything” drawer, is a small metal tape measure that I found in my aunt’s home when I was taking care of her estate. And in my office drawer is another one that I found at mom’s home. My third one in in the travel case in my quilt room. And I have plenty of those soft sewing measuring tapes. But, those larger metal tape measures that you need for repair work – I know I have about three but I have no idea where they are in the garage. Probably in some box that I can’t see.
Anne says
Be sure to double check that an inch is really an inch. I’ve seen lots of complaints on the cheepie ones that an inch is actually an inch and a quarter or even an inch and a half. 🙂
Judy Laquidara says
After all my years of quilting, that’s the first thing I check on any measuring gizmo. When Vince told me how inexpensive they were, I said “I don’t want ones made in China because I hear they’re sometimes inaccurate.” He said “Where do you think they’re ALL made?”
Susan says
Wow. That’s doing it up royal! I have about 3, and that’s all I use – one of them is a metal men’s tape … but it has a pink cover. LOL
TerriS says
Just think how much money you’d have for yarn if you didn’t have to buy two or three or more of everything! .
Twyla says
I have serveral one in my purse, car, pickup, outside shed, sewing basket, tool box. I give them as Chritmas gifts.
Nelle Coursey says
How funny! You can always use those for Christmas gifts too! That is something everyone needs and like you say, no one can really have too many of these!