knitting

Article by Alex Kaleb

Knitting is a centuries old way to make cloth that has made quite a comeback in recent years. It’s no longer considered a pastime for grandmothers alone. More and more people of all ages have been learning to knit, and this simple needlework craft lets people express their creativity by making items that are both functional and beautiful. Whether you prefer low maintenance, machine wash items or luxurious and posh, there’s always something new to knit.

Most people envision bulky sweaters and tiny baby booties when they think of knitting. But knitting isn’t just limited to these items. Many knitters enjoy the process of exploring a variety of knitting projects. They might, for example, create a scarf and hat set one week, and a delicate sweater the next. Other knitters enjoy specializing in one type of item, like socks. Hand knitted socks can be a simple but enjoyable luxury.

Still others combine knitting with other arts. By knitting large versions of patterns for mittens, slippers and handbags, the finished pieces can be shrunk in the washing machine to create durable felted items that will last for years.

Some of the most incredible works of art are created by skilled knitters. For example, lovely and delicate spiderweb shawls are beautifully intricate, and seem as though they are made of gossamer. These shawls are typically crafted from the softest, most luxurious yarns like soft wool, mohair, and cashmere.

Most kinds of knitted articles can be crafted using either fine wool yarns or acrylic yarns. Fine wool is bit pricier and requires extra care, whereas acrylic is inexpensive, and durable to last through many rounds of re-stitching. This makes acrylic the ideal yarn for beginners. Once you’ve become more proficient with your knitting, you may want to try a luxurious yarn like fluffy, soft merino wool. Superwash merino doesn’t shrink, so it’s a great choice for knitted socks.

Wool blends that include angora, mohair or cashmere are wonderful for hats, sweaters, scarves and other warm items. Wool yarns come in all weights and colors just like acrylics, so you are limited only by your imagination and your budget.

If you are new to knitting, you may want to obtain a helpful beginner’s guide and kit that will take you through some basic stitches and teach you how to read knitting patterns. Just about any craft shop sells kits for scarves and hats. Once you’ve mastered the basic knit and purl stitches, you can move on to a more involved project. Most of the intricate designs that you see in knitting are created from these two basic stitches, or simple variations of them. As you become more confident, you can try an even bigger or more detailed project. Don’t overlook the finishing touches. This can make the difference between creating a lovely and eye catching piece, or ending up with something that looks sloppy and unfinished. Small finishing tasks like blocking the final piece in the proper shape and weaving in the tail ends of the yarn are important.

Knitting useful and beautiful pieces will bring you a sense of pride and satisfaction, especially once you begin to wear your creations. You’ll soon be creating lovely gifts that friends and family members are sure to cherish for years to come.

knitting