Knitting is a great way to make your own clothes and accessories. Hats or scarves, sweaters or socks, you can make some wild comfy clothes. And isn’t just for old people and it isn’t just for girls, knitting is for everyone.
Maybe you think of your Grandma when you think of knitting, and maybe that doesn’t make you want to jump into it right away. But, you’ve probably never heard of yarn bombing. Yarn bombing is knitting graffiti where signposts, statues, bike racks and any public installations are coated in colorful yarn. Unlike spray paint, yarn can be easily removed, but the skill and technique to install it makes it more than impressive.
So now that you’re itching to go knitting, here are a few things you should know about knitting.
Methods:
There are two methods of knitting. One is the English Method where working yarn is held in the right hand and the other is the Continental Method where working yarn held in left hand. They produce very similar knits, so it only depends on how the technique feels.
Needles:
Needles come in a variety of sizes. How big the needles are determines how spaced out the stitches will be. Needles can be made out of wood, metal or plastic.
The Process of Knitting: Vocab
Cast on: The foundation stitch, where your knitting will start.
Knit: Stitch where needle is entered front to back.
Purl: Stitch where needle is entered back to front(to get a ribbed effect you alternate between a knit stitch and a purl stitch)
Cast off: When your project is done and you tie off the yarn to keep it all from unraveling.
Ways to Learn:
The best way to learn is hands on. Get someone who knows how to knit to teach you. Most likely they have some needles and yarn you can borrow and some simple projects just perfect for beginners.
If you can’t find anyone, start looking at local sewing shops, embroidery stores, there may even be a yarn store nearby. They may offer courses where you can learn how to knit. And though it’s not the hands on approach, there’s always online tutorials. An amazing website chalk full of videos and tips is www.knittinghelp.com.
Have Your Say
What is or what do you think will be your favorite thing to knit? A scarf, a signpost, a sweater? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
