Knitters’ ingenious measuring tape tattoos—“I got tired of searching for a tape measure”
Where’s that tape measure again? It’s a question that surely troubles every knitter at times—unless you have a measuring tape tattoo. Marja-Leena, Eveliina, Jenni, and Tiia reveal their own measuring tapes and share the unexpected joys these fun designs have brought them.
Minimalist functionality
“I mostly knit wool sweaters for dogs, and at crucial moments, my tape measure was always missing. I thought that having a measuring tattoo on my arm would be useful not only for knitting but also at my cottage construction site, where I’m constantly measuring things. I’ve even used the tattoo to measure screws and nails while building the seaside sauna and terrace at the cottage and to check the widths of moldings.
If you’re considering getting a similar tattoo, think about where you want to place it so you can actually use it as a tool. At first, I thought about my thigh, but then I realized I’d always have to pull down my pants whenever I needed it.” - Eveliina Valtavainio, Pori
“I’ve used the tattoo to measure screws and nails when building the sauna and terrace.”Eveliina Valtavainio
Beautifully simple measuring tape tattoo
“I saw a photo online of a measuring tape tattoo that someone in construction had on their arm, and I realized I needed one just like it. A month later, the image was on my arm. This wasn’t my first tattoo; I already had seven small ones elsewhere.
I wanted a ten-centimeter measure without numbers, with markings every half centimeter. I had an image of a line in my mind. I gave these instructions to the tattoo artist, and they designed an image that I think is perfect. I love the color pink, and it was nice to include that in the design too.
Before, I would always show the leg of a wool sock to my spouse and ask how long it was. Now, I place it against the measure and check it myself.” - Marja-Leena Sierilä, Vantaa
“Before, I would always show the leg of a wool sock to my spouse and ask how long it was.”Marja-Leena Sierilä
Retro measuring tape tattoo
“I had bought and misplaced so many tape measures that I grew tired of searching for them. I had once seen that a fisherman had tattooed a measurement on his leg for measuring fish. When I befriended a tattoo artist, I thought I could solve my tape measure dilemma this way. The artist designed a retro tape measure based on my ideas. I wanted 20 centimeters visible, and in actual size, the spool would have ended up in my elbow crease. So, at the tattoo artist’s suggestion, we placed the measure slightly diagonally.
My tattoo is now a week old, so I’ve only used the tape measure for a short time. I think that if you’re excited about something like this, you shouldn’t worry too much about others’ opinions. Everyone has their own opinion, and not everyone knows how to keep them to themselves.” - Jenni Koponen, Joensuu
“I’ve measured shelf depths and seed planting depths.”Tiia Salomaa
A handy finger measuring tape tattoo
“In addition to knitting, I sew, and measuring seam allowances and hems with a tape measure is a bit tedious—especially since it’s always lost. For ten years, I’d thought that a measuring tape tattoo would be fun and practical, but I couldn’t decide where to put it. The idea for a finger tattoo came from Pinterest.
The tattoo has been useful in many other contexts, too. I’ve used it to measure shelf depths, seed planting depths, and the gaps between planks when crafting things for the garden.
If you’re planning a measuring tape tattoo, you can first draw a rough design on your skin with something like eyeliner. That way, you can test how the image actually works in that specific spot. The finger is quite a painful place, and tattoos there also fade faster. On the other hand, the measurement is always available.” - Tiia Salomaa, Siilinjärvi
