I’ve always been a fan of quirky little tools that enhance the knitting experience. WPI tool on a keyring? Check. Needle gauge on a ring? Just tell me where. Which was why I was rather excited to stumble across the AbLet on Ravelry.
Just like it says the AbLet is an abacus that you wear as a bracelet and for knitters who don’t want to carry a notebook around to mark down each row or keep losing row counters it’s perfect.
When it arrived it was nicely (and rather professionally) packaged with a clear explanation right there on the box as to how to use it, on the right you have the units column for beads 1-9 and just like an abacus you would slide a bead up the bracelet to mark each completed round/row. On the left is your tens column again numbered 1-9 meaning it can be used to count up to 99, more than enough I’ve found for keeping track of pattern repeats or even knitting the leg/foot of most socks.
The AbLet comes with an adjustable clasp meaning it can fit a variety of wrist sizes from 6 to 8.5 inches, though it’s worth noting that Sharon who makes these can also extend the length if needed to fit a larger wrist size. My wrists are somewhat smaller than the 6 inch minimum size it claims to fit but I still had no problems getting it to fit. The idea is to wear the AbLet close fitting to your wrist like a watch or cuff rather than a loose fitting bracelet. Doing this makes it much easier to move the beads up and down and means you won’t be endlessly chasing them round your wrist. You only have to adjust the fit once attaching the clasp onto the relevant link of chain. After that you simply fit the bracelet using the bar each time. The one thing I noticed about this method was that because of the lobster clasp it can be a little fiddly to pull the bar all the way through the hoop to secure it. I did find that pulling the chain through with my free hand then holding it in the palm of the hand that was wearing the AbLet while using my free hand to encourage the bar through did help. But it’s still much easier with two hands, this made it slightly less appealing to me as I like to take excess jewellery off before I go out for a run or to take the dog for a walk. After using the AbLet for a couple of projects now I’ve found it’s a skill that takes a bit of practice.
Using the AbLet is simple enough, you move the beads up and down the ribbons to make each completed row/round. Because of the way it’s constructed, to move each bead has to be a very deliberate motion. Easy enough to move with the finger and thumb of one hand, but not so easy that the action of putting your jacket on will move beads and send your count wrong. This is quite reassuring if you need to take it off between knitting sessions seen as as long as you know which is the tens and which is the units column you won’t lose track of your place. In fact for the past few days I’ve been keeping mine loose in the pouch I’ve got my current sock project in without it tangling, losing or gaining a row. Slimmer wristed knitters may find the length of the chain a little annoying however, I’ve found that the chain gets in the way a bit while washing my hands for instance. Of course you could always move the bracelet up your arm slightly to the other side of your watch for example, but this would involve going back and readjusting the links to fit.
All in all I’m really impressed with the AbLet, it’s a nifty little item that comes in a range of colours, solves a crafter’s problem in a fun new way and looks good enough to wear while not knitting. I’d definitely recommend it to someone looking for a gift for a knitter/crocheter though the customs charges to have it shipped from the USA to the UK are extortionate (a comment more on Royal Mail than anything else). So buyer beware, if your parcel’s value is more than £15 you’re likely to be slapped with a customs charge plus an £8 Royal Mail handling fee for your trouble.
Lyssie Page Knitwear Designs 