Tiny Stockings

While in Durango, I bought a pattern for some knitted Christmas stocking earrings and a set of size 0000 double-pointed needles to make them. Here is my work in progress along with a finished stocking.

This was my third stocking and the best one so far

Mom said that, instead of using the needles, I could just use toothpicks. Unfortunately, these needles are thinner (!) than toothpicks -- only about 1.25mm. Toothpicks would not be strong enough, anyway -- the tips need to be able to withstand a lot of pressure. Typical needles are made from aluminum -- these tiny ones are made from steel. My first effort didn't come out as well as I had hoped (manipulating these TINY needles and TINY stitches is hard!) and took me three hours to make. By the third attempt, though, my stitches looked much smoother and I had the time down to an hour. Still, this is definitely not something that I will be mass-producing any time soon.