Make your own finger turning kit

Thought I'd tell everyone how to make your own finger turning kits. See if you have a hobby store in your town. A hardware store works too but their tubes will be way too long. The tubes at the model train type hobby stores are usually good, they are only about 12" long. Okay, so I've said tubes like three times now- here's the dope on them ... look for a display of brass tubes - some are hollow and some are solid. Buy a hollow brass tube in 1/8 inch diameter, 3/16, 5/32 and 3/32. Then put the smallest one back (I know one was so small it's useless but I can't remember which - I suppose it would be the 3/32). Then you can buy or you might even have these already, wooden skewers like you would use for making shish-ka-bobs. You get these at the grocery store. Blunt the tip of the skewer by banging it on something, clipping the tips with scissors, sanding it, whatever works - the idea here is to get rid of the sharp pointed end. You can also cut it shorter to make it easier to use - then sand the end. Voila - your own finger turning kit. You put the hollow tube inside the finger and use the skewer to hold it in place and then push the fabric up the skewer. Like my earlier tutorial says. If you can only find the really long ones at a hardware store maybe someone can cut them for you. Keep reading for instructions on cutting and cleaning.

My husband does metal work so I have access to a multi-speed grinder and other tools. I usually use a dremel tool to cut the tube to 6 inches. I have a tube cutting tool too but a couple of the tubes are just too small to use it on so I just use the dremel. Then I use the grinder to even out the tubes and I bevel one end. First hold both ends flat against the grinder - this will smooth and level them out. For the bevel, you hold the tube at an angle to the belt. You do have to clean out the end with the bevel though, because it will get burrs. To do that I use a triangular razor edged arrowhead. I just run it gently around the inside of the tube. Sometimes I have to hit it on the grinder again if I make the edges too sharp from the arrowhead (I know - strange tool - but it works). Then I take a scrap piece of fabric and, using the bamboo plunger, work it in and out a few times to clean it and give it a bit of a polish. Oh - nearly forgot - I blunt the tips of the skewers on the grinder too.

Here's how to make your own stuffing fork .. take a long thick doll needle and clip the end of the eye off - just the very tip. That leaves you with a fork. Take the pointed end and stick it in a cork. Wrap the bottom part with electrical tape or something. That should hold the needle in the cork. You should try to use the longest needle you can find, it doesn't have to be a doll needle, just something at least 10". The only needles I know of that long are doll ones. Not sure where you'd find these though except on the internet.