Once you begin to graduate from merely knitting and purling stitches you are going to begin to learn a few other little tricks that can really make a difference in whether or not you can do some of the more complex knitting patterns. Increasing and decreasing rows is certainly one of those types of techniques. A yarn over stitch is one example of a way to increase stitching.
Yarn over also makes a small hole in the row and is often combined with a knit two together stitch to create a little arched gap in your knitting. You must always use an increase along with a decrease like this if you want to keep the same number of stitches in a row and not actually increase.
The do a yarn over all you need to do is loop the yarn around your right hand needle counterclockwise, or back to front. You will then just make the next stitch as you normally would. The extra loop will still be there in the next row, just treat it as if it were a regular stitch.
You can do a yarn over when purling as well. In a knit stitch the yarn comes around the needle and is left in the back, in a purl stitch the yarn comes all the way back around to the front so that you can catch it in the purl on the next row.
There are other terms by which the yarn over is known such as: YO (for Yarn Over) and yarn forward (as well as abbreviations of these words like yf, yfwd) and even yarn forward over needle (yfon). but regardless of the name, the technique above is the same every time.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Continental Knitting
Continental knitting is the process of knitting with the yarn in your left hand, as opposed to the right hand. Because continental knitting cuts down on the actual number of hand motions you have to do it is often preferred by people who knit a lot or do so professionally. It is certainly more efficient, but fell out of favor during WW1 and WW2 since it was also knows as German knitting - war extends even to yarn at times it seems.
Continental knitting is very easy to learn for those with some experience with crotchet methods since the motion is similar. In continental knitting the right wrist is employed to slip the right needle into the stitch and the scoop the yarn onto the right needle. The needle in the right hand can be held a little like a pencil grip, which can be a bit of a transition from both English knitting and crochet. These days most people will hold both needles under the palm instead.
Continental knitting will take a little getting used to, but it is much faster and more efficient than the right handed or english method once you get the hang of it. You will still do the same stitches, knits and purls, it's just that the location of the yarn and how you pick up the yarn on the right needle has changed. It actually requires less hand motion overall, making for faster knitting with less movement.
Continental knitting is very easy to learn for those with some experience with crotchet methods since the motion is similar. In continental knitting the right wrist is employed to slip the right needle into the stitch and the scoop the yarn onto the right needle. The needle in the right hand can be held a little like a pencil grip, which can be a bit of a transition from both English knitting and crochet. These days most people will hold both needles under the palm instead.
Continental knitting will take a little getting used to, but it is much faster and more efficient than the right handed or english method once you get the hang of it. You will still do the same stitches, knits and purls, it's just that the location of the yarn and how you pick up the yarn on the right needle has changed. It actually requires less hand motion overall, making for faster knitting with less movement.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
How to Knit
There are two way of going about nearly anything. There is a hard way, and an easy way. Keep in mind that I didn't say there was a hard way and a way that requires no work, everything requires some amount of effort, but what we are talking about is the amount of effort required to get something done. In the realm of learning how to knit there is a hard way and a much easier way. You'll still have to learn how to do certain things regardless of which you choose, but one way is far simpler.
One way of knitting is to use needles, this is the hard way. Now, that doesn't mean it's the wrong way, there are millions of people out there who love knitting with needles and will never do it any other way regardless of how many other ways there are to do it. Knitting with needles is an ancient and traditional method and allows for a great degree of potential craftsmanship and handmade quality. But I say potential because very few individuals ever reach the stage of true craftsmanship when it comes to needle knitting.
Certain things, such as round objects and large projects such as sweaters are not to be tackled by the beginner. Knitting in the round and making things out of panels is a lot more difficult than it looks. So it can take years of practice to get to the point where you are ready to even attempt certain types of patterns. But that doesn't have to be the case.
The other way to knit is on a loom. And we're not talking about some gigantic monster loom, just a small handheld loom. Looms aren't much more than a stick with a bunch of pegs in. You wrap your yarn around the pegs, pul it over and you're knitting rows and rows of stitches. Knitting on a loom is much faster and easier to learn than knitting with needles, and it also makes knitting round objects just as effortless as flat and square ones.
knitting loom is more efficient and you can use on e for longer periods of time than needles. There is very little finger fatigue and looms require a far lower threshold of dexterity than needle knitting, especially when it comes to knitting in the round. In other words, using a loom can turn you into a knitting machine. You'll learn to make more complex patterns and make them faster than you ever thought possible.
And even if you've been using needles for years and can knit like a tornado, you'll go faster and end up with a much better finished project on a knitting loom than you could ever achieve with needles. Learning how to knit on a loom is the easy way, needles are the hard way. And even if you've already learned to knit, you've only just scratched the surface of what you can really do when it comes to knitting. So put down those needles and grab yourself a loom - you'll be shocked just how much easier it really is.
One way of knitting is to use needles, this is the hard way. Now, that doesn't mean it's the wrong way, there are millions of people out there who love knitting with needles and will never do it any other way regardless of how many other ways there are to do it. Knitting with needles is an ancient and traditional method and allows for a great degree of potential craftsmanship and handmade quality. But I say potential because very few individuals ever reach the stage of true craftsmanship when it comes to needle knitting.
Certain things, such as round objects and large projects such as sweaters are not to be tackled by the beginner. Knitting in the round and making things out of panels is a lot more difficult than it looks. So it can take years of practice to get to the point where you are ready to even attempt certain types of patterns. But that doesn't have to be the case.
The other way to knit is on a loom. And we're not talking about some gigantic monster loom, just a small handheld loom. Looms aren't much more than a stick with a bunch of pegs in. You wrap your yarn around the pegs, pul it over and you're knitting rows and rows of stitches. Knitting on a loom is much faster and easier to learn than knitting with needles, and it also makes knitting round objects just as effortless as flat and square ones.
knitting loom is more efficient and you can use on e for longer periods of time than needles. There is very little finger fatigue and looms require a far lower threshold of dexterity than needle knitting, especially when it comes to knitting in the round. In other words, using a loom can turn you into a knitting machine. You'll learn to make more complex patterns and make them faster than you ever thought possible.
And even if you've been using needles for years and can knit like a tornado, you'll go faster and end up with a much better finished project on a knitting loom than you could ever achieve with needles. Learning how to knit on a loom is the easy way, needles are the hard way. And even if you've already learned to knit, you've only just scratched the surface of what you can really do when it comes to knitting. So put down those needles and grab yourself a loom - you'll be shocked just how much easier it really is.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
How to Knit a Hat
My husband is always talking about using the right tool for the job. Honestly, sometimes I have no idea what in the world he's talking about, but there are some things where I can certainly see the old saying coming in handy. You wouldn't use a sponge to clean a toilet if there was a toilet brush nearby, right? It turns out that there exists in the world of knitting a tool that I just didn't know existed, and now that I've used one to knit a hat, I'll probably never do it any other way. I had always wanted to know how to knit a hat (baby hats and such), but until I discovered the joy of using a knitting loom I had never even attempted it.
My fingers aren't what they once were, and I can't knit for long periods of time anymore. Besides that I was never quite what you would call a fantastic knitter. I mostly stuck with dishrags. I've made a lot of dishrags. But every now and again I would get the hare-brained idea to do something a bit more complicated, clearly forgetting that more complicated things are, well, more complicated. One of two things would end up happening. I would either find the instructions (for something like a hat) and very wisely decide to never start, or I would get halfway through, realize I was creating nothing but a disaster and just pull it out. generally the yarn ended up becoming - another dishrag.
So you might have figured out that knitting in the round was completely out of my league, and that would have been absolutely correct, until a few months ago when I discovered the knitting loom. Once I learned how to knit a hat on a knitting loom a whole new world of potential projects opened up that would have been impossible before the loom. Needless to say, the needles are in the bottom drawer these days, but I haven't given up knitting at all. I'm knitting more than ever, and doing things I wouldn't have even attempted before.
Knitting looms make creating round objects a snap. So easy, in fact, that your very first knitting project on a loom could very well be a pair of socks of a hat, even if you've never knitted a stitch in your life. It helps a little bit if you have knitted with needles, because you'll understand all of the names for the stitches, but even a five year old can knit a hat on a loom, I know, I taught my granddaughter to do it in just a few minutes.
So when it comes to how to knit a hat, the very best way to do it is on a knitting loom. You can take a small loom and any hat pattern in the world and be turning out hats in just a few minutes. It's so simple I really can't imagine doing it any other way now. So now you know what the right tool for the hat job is, but please don't tell my husband that I used his saying, he'll get a little puffed up about it.
My fingers aren't what they once were, and I can't knit for long periods of time anymore. Besides that I was never quite what you would call a fantastic knitter. I mostly stuck with dishrags. I've made a lot of dishrags. But every now and again I would get the hare-brained idea to do something a bit more complicated, clearly forgetting that more complicated things are, well, more complicated. One of two things would end up happening. I would either find the instructions (for something like a hat) and very wisely decide to never start, or I would get halfway through, realize I was creating nothing but a disaster and just pull it out. generally the yarn ended up becoming - another dishrag.
So you might have figured out that knitting in the round was completely out of my league, and that would have been absolutely correct, until a few months ago when I discovered the knitting loom. Once I learned how to knit a hat on a knitting loom a whole new world of potential projects opened up that would have been impossible before the loom. Needless to say, the needles are in the bottom drawer these days, but I haven't given up knitting at all. I'm knitting more than ever, and doing things I wouldn't have even attempted before.
Knitting looms make creating round objects a snap. So easy, in fact, that your very first knitting project on a loom could very well be a pair of socks of a hat, even if you've never knitted a stitch in your life. It helps a little bit if you have knitted with needles, because you'll understand all of the names for the stitches, but even a five year old can knit a hat on a loom, I know, I taught my granddaughter to do it in just a few minutes.
So when it comes to how to knit a hat, the very best way to do it is on a knitting loom. You can take a small loom and any hat pattern in the world and be turning out hats in just a few minutes. It's so simple I really can't imagine doing it any other way now. So now you know what the right tool for the hat job is, but please don't tell my husband that I used his saying, he'll get a little puffed up about it.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Knitting Looms part 2
Perhaps the best thing about using knitting looms is that they are much easier than using needles. Even people who have knitted with needles for years will find that you just can't knit for hours on end. Your fingers get fatigued and stitches begin to slip. A loom is much easier to control and handle for longer periods of time. Besides that, a loom is also far easier to learn and can be used by both the very young, as well as the very old. Arthritis and lack of dexterity using needles is no problem with a knitting loom.
Knitting looms can be had for as little as twenty bucks all the way up to around one hundred dollars or more, although most of the very expensive ones will be specialty looms for very large projects. You should be able to find a really good loom for around fifty dollars, and a top of the line knitting loom for seventy five bucks. If you've never knitted on a loom, or are new to knitting in the first place, you might want to start with one of the cheap loom kits (such as nifty knitter for about $20) just to see if you like loom knitting at all. If you do find that you like it you'll want to upgrade to a wooden loom instead of one of the cheaper plastic varieties which have a tendency to lose pegs rather frequently.
Loom knitting is much faster than needle knitting and you can make almost anything on one. Flat or round, large or small, you can do it on a loom. And we're not talking about one of those big monsters people make rugs on, most looms are smaller than you might think, from just a few inches to about 18. You can get adjustable looms that will work for everything. The only thing you will need to figure out is how to use a loom.
And there are lots of good online resources out there for learning to knit on a loom. Everything from instructions to video tutorials can walk you through everything you need to know to begin and also to master knitting looms. You'll learn how to translate patterns written for needle knitting onto your loom, and from there the sky is the limit.
Knitting looms can be had for as little as twenty bucks all the way up to around one hundred dollars or more, although most of the very expensive ones will be specialty looms for very large projects. You should be able to find a really good loom for around fifty dollars, and a top of the line knitting loom for seventy five bucks. If you've never knitted on a loom, or are new to knitting in the first place, you might want to start with one of the cheap loom kits (such as nifty knitter for about $20) just to see if you like loom knitting at all. If you do find that you like it you'll want to upgrade to a wooden loom instead of one of the cheaper plastic varieties which have a tendency to lose pegs rather frequently.
Loom knitting is much faster than needle knitting and you can make almost anything on one. Flat or round, large or small, you can do it on a loom. And we're not talking about one of those big monsters people make rugs on, most looms are smaller than you might think, from just a few inches to about 18. You can get adjustable looms that will work for everything. The only thing you will need to figure out is how to use a loom.
And there are lots of good online resources out there for learning to knit on a loom. Everything from instructions to video tutorials can walk you through everything you need to know to begin and also to master knitting looms. You'll learn how to translate patterns written for needle knitting onto your loom, and from there the sky is the limit.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Knitting Looms
It's actually pretty amazing to take a look at all of the different ways people put strings together to make cloth. There are such a wide variety of different types of looms and other techniques I can't even begin to understand. It is actually just a little mind-boggling to say the least. But even though there are million dollar machines that can make five bagillion socks an hour, and other machines that can produce oodles of cloth a minute, all of them are based on a few pretty simple principles and the old knitting loom is one of them.
Knitting and looms have been around since before there were Pharoes in Egypt, and that's like a really, really long time. There was even an egyptian goddess of knitting more than 5,000 years ago (she also showed up for wars, but it seems like all the demigods in Egypt had to moonlight from time to time). And if you can figure out how to knit when all you've got is a couple of sticks of wood and a bunch of smaller sticks that you can smooth a bit with your bronze knife, what you end up with is a small hand loom. Te great thing is that you can make almost anything on one.
If you've ever tried to make anything round with knitting needles, such as socks and hats, you will soon figure out just how complex it can be knitting in the round with multiple needles. To make it worse, the needles are pointed on both ends, which makes it even trickier to keep everything in place and flowing smoothly. Knitting with needles also leads to lopsided creations until you get a feel for keeping things straight and true, and even then you'll end up having to block most things to square them up and even them out. But since a knitting loom is, quite simply, a bunch of evenly spaced pegs, it tends to create much more symmetrical things quite naturally.
Knitting looms can also be used to make anything you can find a pattern for. It might take you a couple of sessions to figure out how to do certain stitches, like knit and purl, but once you figure that out you can make anything from any knitting pattern, even if the pattern was created for needle knitting. A loom is simply fantastic for larger projects such as blankets. You can even make really big blankets by knitting large blocks and then stitching them together.
In part 2 we'll discuss just how much easier knitting looms are than other methods of knitting.
Knitting and looms have been around since before there were Pharoes in Egypt, and that's like a really, really long time. There was even an egyptian goddess of knitting more than 5,000 years ago (she also showed up for wars, but it seems like all the demigods in Egypt had to moonlight from time to time). And if you can figure out how to knit when all you've got is a couple of sticks of wood and a bunch of smaller sticks that you can smooth a bit with your bronze knife, what you end up with is a small hand loom. Te great thing is that you can make almost anything on one.
If you've ever tried to make anything round with knitting needles, such as socks and hats, you will soon figure out just how complex it can be knitting in the round with multiple needles. To make it worse, the needles are pointed on both ends, which makes it even trickier to keep everything in place and flowing smoothly. Knitting with needles also leads to lopsided creations until you get a feel for keeping things straight and true, and even then you'll end up having to block most things to square them up and even them out. But since a knitting loom is, quite simply, a bunch of evenly spaced pegs, it tends to create much more symmetrical things quite naturally.
Knitting looms can also be used to make anything you can find a pattern for. It might take you a couple of sessions to figure out how to do certain stitches, like knit and purl, but once you figure that out you can make anything from any knitting pattern, even if the pattern was created for needle knitting. A loom is simply fantastic for larger projects such as blankets. You can even make really big blankets by knitting large blocks and then stitching them together.
In part 2 we'll discuss just how much easier knitting looms are than other methods of knitting.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Knifty Knitter part 2
Knifty Knitter - part 2 (469 words)
The Nifty Knitter system does have a couple of drawbacks, the most prominent of which is the lack of clear instructions. everywhere we look at customer reviews we see the same thing over and over again - the instructions were almost impossible to understand and follow, and the only instructions you get with the basic kit are for the scarf. That's fine if all you want to make is scarves, but if you want to make socks and hats you're going to have to do what everyone else does and find instructions for loom knitting a hat online. Which is actually not all that bad since there are some terrific loom knitting resources online.
The next point about the nifty knitter is that it's plastic. and we're not talking about the sort of plastics you might find in car parts, we're talking about the kind of plastic you might find in dollar store kids toys. It will work ok for a while, if you're not too rough with it, but overall you need to make sure that your expectation are in line with the amount of money you spend. It's that way with most things. A Lexus and a Yugo are both cars, but you get what you pay for.
In the end we can certainly recommend the Nifty Knitter, even if it sounds like we don't like it all that much. What it does, it does well enough to get the flavor of loom knitting. Make a couple of projects on the nifty knitter until it breaks on you and then go spend some real dough an a really excellent wooden loom with all the features. You'll spend less than $100 for a top quality adjustable loom made from the very best materials, but we don't really recommend you doing so until you know whether you even like loom knitting in the first place, and for about twenty bucks it's a great way to do that. As a matter of fact, the only way we know of to spend less money figuring out if you like a new hobby or not is needle knitting.
So if you think you want to begin learning how to knit, or needle knitting has become difficult (or never was very easy in the first place) you should certainly give loom knitting a try. The nifty knitter kit is a cheap way to learn a new skill that you might just enjoy for years to come. Just keep in mind that twenty bucks doesn't go very far and you shouldn't expect the nifty knitter to win any quality awards against a real wooden loom, but it might just keep you from blowing money on one of the more expensive looms while you decide if you even like loom knitting in the first place.
The Nifty Knitter system does have a couple of drawbacks, the most prominent of which is the lack of clear instructions. everywhere we look at customer reviews we see the same thing over and over again - the instructions were almost impossible to understand and follow, and the only instructions you get with the basic kit are for the scarf. That's fine if all you want to make is scarves, but if you want to make socks and hats you're going to have to do what everyone else does and find instructions for loom knitting a hat online. Which is actually not all that bad since there are some terrific loom knitting resources online.
The next point about the nifty knitter is that it's plastic. and we're not talking about the sort of plastics you might find in car parts, we're talking about the kind of plastic you might find in dollar store kids toys. It will work ok for a while, if you're not too rough with it, but overall you need to make sure that your expectation are in line with the amount of money you spend. It's that way with most things. A Lexus and a Yugo are both cars, but you get what you pay for.
In the end we can certainly recommend the Nifty Knitter, even if it sounds like we don't like it all that much. What it does, it does well enough to get the flavor of loom knitting. Make a couple of projects on the nifty knitter until it breaks on you and then go spend some real dough an a really excellent wooden loom with all the features. You'll spend less than $100 for a top quality adjustable loom made from the very best materials, but we don't really recommend you doing so until you know whether you even like loom knitting in the first place, and for about twenty bucks it's a great way to do that. As a matter of fact, the only way we know of to spend less money figuring out if you like a new hobby or not is needle knitting.
So if you think you want to begin learning how to knit, or needle knitting has become difficult (or never was very easy in the first place) you should certainly give loom knitting a try. The nifty knitter kit is a cheap way to learn a new skill that you might just enjoy for years to come. Just keep in mind that twenty bucks doesn't go very far and you shouldn't expect the nifty knitter to win any quality awards against a real wooden loom, but it might just keep you from blowing money on one of the more expensive looms while you decide if you even like loom knitting in the first place.
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