Search

Archive for the ‘Knitting’ Category



PostHeaderIcon Loom Knitting

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Also referred to as French knitting, reel knitting, spool knitting, box knitting, rake knitting, ring knitting, bung knitting, frame knitting etc.; loom knitting is an ancient art that has recently seen resurgence. Knitting, today is popular the world over. And the foray of knitting looms in the world of knitting has given all knitters a reason to smile.

Looms were used extensively in the medieval age in countries like Britain, France, Germany and many other places in Europe. People used the technique of loom knitting to knit bags, purses, tasseled caps, petticoats, shawls, hammocks, curtains, nets, petticoats etc. A popular belief is that guild apprentices knit carpets for their masters on frame boards i.e. knitting looms.

Knitting looms can be bifurcated in three basic types- the round loom, the rake and the knitting board. The round loom is not necessarily round. It could be a square, rectangle, an oval or even diamond-shaped. All pegs of this loom are required to be continuous without any specific starting or stopping point. The distance between the pegs of this loom determines its gauge. A lot of distance implies a lot of gauge.

There isn’t much difference between the round loom and the rake. However, the rake, second type of knitting loom, has continuous pegs which have a starting and a finishing point. Again, the gauge of the pegs in this loom is determined by the distance between them. Only flat knitting can be done on this type of knitting loom.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

A knitting board is a loom with two parallel rakes. These parallel rakes are used to knit across the loom. A double knit fabric can be produced with the help of a knitting board. The gauge of this type of loom is determined by two factors- the distance between its pegs and the distance between its rakes. A larger gauge is created by a large distance between either of the two.

Loom knitting is facilitated by the various devices on a knitting loom. The knitting looms that have single rows of pegs are called single rakes, while those having double rows of pegs are called double rakes. Knitting fabrics that have a distinctive right and wrong side can be created with single rakes. A double fabric with both ?right’ sides can be created with the aid of double rakes.

The purpose pegs serve in loom knitting is same as the purpose needles serve in hand or machine knitting. Each peg in a loom is like a knitting needle which is used to create different patterns and stitches on a loom. Gauge is the distance between the pegs of a loom. It is this standard of measurement that determines the size of the stitches that can be produced, as also the thickness of yarn that would work the best for a particular loom.

Loom knitting has not only made a comeback but also is gaining popularity. It is easy to learn and the knitting looms are simple to use. Those who have given up crochet and needle knitting owing to arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or other such ailments can enjoy loom knitting instead. It does not involve use of needles and is quite user-friendly.

The trend of loom knitting is taking the world by a storm and is surely doing a lot good to the world of knitting.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, now giving away Free Adsense eBooks for a limited time only

PostHeaderIcon Knitting Patterns

When you think about Knitting, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Knitting are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Gone are the days when knitting was all about making monotonous patterns. Today is the age of vibrant and multifarious knit patterns. Knitting truly is conquering new heights with the rise in the number of knitting patterns. In fact, one can create his/her own knitting patterns by applying creativity and imagination.

One can combine knits and purls in an array of ways to form unique knitting patterns. In case of two stitches, the former stitch is called the knit stitch whereas the latter one is called the purl stitch. Both these stitches create a unique effect whereby a particular stitch appears to be a purl stitch from one side of the fabric and a knit stitch from its other side.

The different visual effects created by the knit and purl stitches help in creating several types of designs and patterns. Knit stitches generally look like ?V’s stacked vertically. Purl stitches look like wavy horizontal lines running across the fabric. Rows of long and short stitches can be created to form interesting knitting patterns. They create an appealing visual effect.

Stockinettes are simple fabrics in which all the stitches are either the knit stitches or the purl stitches. Both these stitches are twisted to create unique design patterns. Right and left plaited stitches create beautiful visual effects. One can knit attractive patterns of jewelry from fine wires of metal by using plaited stitches.

The different types of purls and knits include box stitch, basket weave, garter stitch, moss diamonds, moss panels, rice stitch, seed stitch, parallelograms, windmill, mistake rib, twin rib, triangle squares, triangle ribs, single chevron, close checks, elongated chevron, pavilion, purled ladder, weave, pique triangles etc. All these create interesting 2D and 3D effects on the fabric.

The best time to learn about Knitting is before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable Knitting experience while it’s still free.

Interesting knitting patterns can be created through several types of stitches. The various types of knitting used for creating beautiful types of patterns include shadow knitting, slip-stitch knitting, fair-isle knitting, drop-stitch knitting, cable knitting, lace knitting, bias knitting etc. All these types make use of purls, knits and wales to create a variety of design patterns.

Each pattern of stitch can be created keeping in mind the stitch multiples required for that particular pattern. A multiple of 7 means that one can cast on a certain number of stitches that are divisible by 7. A multiple of 9+2 stitches means that one can cast a certain number of stitches that are divisible by 9 along with two extra stitches.

Reversible stitch patterns are of two types. In the first reversible pattern, the stitches on the cloth look similar on both its sides. The stitches on the fabric look different when seen from its both sides in the second reversible pattern. These visual effects add interesting dimensions to the fabric. The different types of reversible stitch patterns include layette, diagonal rib, little pyramids, purled ladder, moss stitch, diamonds etc.

Several websites provide information about knitting patterns with beautiful illustrations and step-by-step guides. One can also avail the books and magazines on designs and patterns.

Be it a cute teddy bear or a chic shawl; cozy little mittens or smart cardigans, one can incorporate interesting knitting patterns to add that extra style to the stuff he knits.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this List Building Guide, on how to build a 1000 member list in a month

PostHeaderIcon Circular Knitting Needles

Circular knitting needles are a perfect option if you want to create something like a seamless garment. Making seamless bags, sweaters and other objects becomes with the use of circular knitting needles. These needles come in various sizes and shapes. But for the beginners who are not aware of what these circular needles are, here is a brief introduction.

Circular knitting needles are not much different from an ordinary straight needle. But the only difference is that the two hard tips of a needle are joined with a flexible cord. These needles are made from the same material as the straight needles. Hence you can buy your circular knitting needles, in your favorite materials like plastic, bamboo, metal and resin.

These needles can be bought in a fixed format or an interchangeable one. In the fixed format the needle is permanently attached to the cord, while in an interchangeable system you can change needles according your needs. The circular needles can be bought as a part of needle set which includes all the needles necessary for knitting.

Circular knitting needles generally range from size 3 to 15, the chord can buy according to your circumference of the object. Commonly the needles are available in sizes 16,24,29,36 and 40 inches, but different producers make needles of the odd sizes like 11 and 34. The length of the needles depends on the pattern you are planning for your object.

Working with the circular knitting needles is a pleasing experience. The chord attached to the needles holds most of the stitches, and hence you can cast on a fairly large amount of stitches on the needles. As the weight of the stitches is well distributed in a circular knitting needle, you can easily carry on large projects or work with heavy yarns.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Circular needles prove beneficial when it comes to working round, joining the two ends to create a circular knit can be difficult on straight needles. But with the circular needles it can be done in a jiffy. Stitches like the stockinet stitch are mainly used for circular knitting. But knitting enthusiasts can make use of the garter stitch.

To create a stockinet stitch you will have to knit ever row, while for a garter stitch, you will have knit one row and purl one row, which is to be repeated. You can create a reverse stockinet stitch, by purling every row.

The circular knitting needles facilitate the knitters to try out different stitches without any trouble. By using these needles for circular knitting you can easily create different patterns and variations.

Along with circular knitting, the circular knitting needles can also be used for flat knitting. If you want to knit a big afghan or warps then these needles prove beneficial. These needles hold the stitches in place, so that it becomes easier for you to knit large objects. While working on flat objects, do not join the ends in round, instead cast on the stitches and start knitting.

The circular knitting needles help the beginner to carry out big projects, without thinking about the twisting of the stitches. Hence once you are acquainted with the basics of knitting, you can easily use circular knitting needles to produce beautiful objects.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Knitting can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Knitting, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this URL Shortening Service, working exactly like TinyURL.com!

PostHeaderIcon Knitting Bags are Indispensable

The main aim of these bags is to make your project portable and easy. A knitting bag not only makes your knitting organized but caters to your needs while you are on a run. These bags are specially made to provide you comfort, while you are engaged in this recreational facility.

As knitting bags are used to carry your knitting material, is it necessary you consider the type of project you are undertaking. These bags are available in a wide range; hence you are a faced with the problem of selecting the appropriate bag.

If you are on the project of making large afghans, sweaters and so on then you will need a large bag, which can accommodate each and every of your knitting material. If you are enthusiastic enough you can end up making your collection of knitting bags.

There are various kits available in the market, which offer all the required materials and the instructions for creating knitting bags. This kit is for everyone who is looking forward to make his own collection of knitting bags. The bags you make can be carried with you to parties and social gatherings. Once you are through with the basics of knitting bags, you can even pass on your talents to others.

The passion for knitting comes from the ancient times. Though we cannot in point the accurate period of the evolution of knitting bags, we certainly know that it is an ancient art which is here to stay.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Knitting experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Knitting.

Knitting bags are generally made out of thick yarns and using the purl stitch. Both these things provide the knitting bags with the durability and beauty. Many people use simple or complex stitches while knitting bags. These variations provide a personal touch to the home made bags.

The beginners who are interested in knitting bags can try making the simple cable bags. These bags are famous for their beauty and many people consider them of being difficult. But the truth is that, the only skills required for making a beautiful cable is the basic knowledge of knitting. You can use various textures, patterns and stitches to create beautiful cable bags.

Or if you are looking for small but exquisite bag for a party then try knitting bags, using ribbons and laces. Use stitches like the blanket stitch; you can even knit the bottom of the bag with 12 stitches. Generally when you are knitting bags, always try with smaller sizes as they are easy to make and quick. Once you get a knack of knitting bags you can easily create beautiful bags on the basis of your talent.

If you are using a kit for making knitting bags, then you will be provided with yarn, markers, cable needles, and most important instructions. The instructions not only help you in knitting a cable bag but also provide you with training for skills like creating cables using the cable needle, creating single stitch twists without the needle. Making wide button holes and decreasing techniques and so on.

Hence by knitting bags you can practice your knitting talents and also create beautiful bags which will increase the beauty of your party outfit.