anonymous asked:


Knitting is a great hobby. Many people enjoy knitting because of its many benefits. Knitting is considered as a form of art. A completed piece of knitted item is in fact the creation of a piece of art. The knitter gets to feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment in completing such an item.

Living in a fast paced society, many people need to do something to distress and relax. One of the great benefits of knitting is that it is a splendid stress reliever. It helps to free the mind and hence, it is regarded as a wonderful outlet for an overworked brain. It is no wonder that some people use the activity as a retreat in stressful situations. The craft can slow down a hectic life and enable a person to unwind after a hard day’s work.

In a world filled with mobile phones, computers, televisions and videos, escaping for an hour to knit something soft and warm can be incredibly rejuvenating. There are people who even believe that knitting can actually fuel the creative process in other areas of their lives. They believe that the craft allows the creative part of the brain to work more effectively and find creative solutions to other areas of their lives.

Another benefit of knitting is that it is very portable and can be carried along to any place. Unlike other hobbies like weaving or cooking, the craft can easily be thrown into a bag and pulled out anytime when it is required. As such, the knitter can bring the craft along and do it during bus or train journeys, air flights or even in traffic jams. In this way, hours of waiting and traveling are not wasted away as they are used to accomplish something useful.
One benefit of knitting is that there are various choices of items to knit such as hats, socks, sweaters, jackets, shawls, scarves and pullovers. There are plenty of projects and designs to choose from to suit all levels of knitting expertise, time and budget. Besides, these pieces can be created to beautify homes or serve as special gifts for loved ones. Knitwear garments are beautiful and attractive, and many people like them. Presenting them as gifts is always well loved and appreciated.

Crafts go through phases. Many crafts are built more for speed and fad than for longevity. One benefit of knitting is that it can create long lasting items. Home accessories that are hand-knit with love and care often become heirlooms and family treasures. They are always a source of pride and joy. Besides, these invaluable items are inexpensive to make.

What is knitting? It is simply the process of forming a fabric by making interlocking loops from a continuous strand of yarn using two or more needles. Knitting is an easy craft to learn. Besides, it only requires simple materials, which are two knitting needles, some string or yarn, and a little instruction. For certain items, there are some accessories needed. For example, if you are knitting a sweater, then you will need some buttons. The choice of buttons has a great impact to a sweater. They can make the difference between an attractive garment and a stunning one.

Knitting is a popular craft among the young and old. In fact, the pool of knitting enthusiasts keeps growing. Despite the machine age eliminating the need for hand-stitched items, the popularity of knitting still continues. It is evident that many people have experienced its benefits and recognized its worth to want to continue using this craft to enhance their lives.

If you are interested to start knitting as a beginner, there are many resources available with step-by-step knitting instructions to enable you to learn doing simple projects. When you have learned the simple projects, you can proceed to do the more complicated ones. After some time, you can try to create more pieces using your own ideas. Instead of following closely to the selected knitting pattern, you can add something of your own to make the design unique.

Happy knitting!



DARRYL

Gina Williams asked:


You will find a knitting bag is as important as any needle you use for knitting. These bags make your handy work easy to carry and portable. You should always have a good knitting bag which will cater for your knitting needs. It is vital before you purchase a bag, that you make sure it has all the special compartments for your needles, yarns, that you will need.
When choosing your knitting bag, always keep in mind the type of work you will be undertaking. If you decide to make sweaters, such as Afghans, then you will need a much larger one than if you were to decide to make socks, or other small items. When choosing a bag you should always keep in mind, that your bag will be used for carrying your knitting material from place to place, so the stronger the bag you decide on, the more objects you can carry.

If you wish it to serve a dual purpose, such as a knitting bag that also serves the purpose of a purse, then look for knitting bags which come in leather, or suede. There is a large variety available in to days market. Some of them are intricately designed, while the others are simple but smart looking. So you can choose a knitting bag that satisfies your mood or is a treat for an eye.

When choosing your knitting bag, you should always keep a track of the latest fashion and what will be your requirements. While shopping for one, it is always better to purchase a bag which has hard sides as it is easy to carry and more durable.

Instead of zippers always choose one which has a snap, this is so your knitting does not get stuck in between zippers. It also is always better to purchase one that has a pocket or two for keeping your accessories in. If you decide on buying a large one, then always better to buy one with purse length handles, this will make it easy to carry it on your shoulders, for comfort and ease.

If you are purchasing a small bag to carry knitting materials for smaller projects. Then you need to consider one that has soft sides, this is so that you can fit extra material in it, without harming it. A drawstring or a short strap will make it easier to wrap the bag around your wrist, while carrying. If you carry bigger bags then it is possible that some of your smaller items may get misplaced.

It is not necessity to buy a knitting bag, if you are enthusiastic enough then you can make one for yourself. You could knit a bag, or even make it out of fabric. You will also find there are a lot of free patterns to choose from, if you do decide to make one. You can use any type of fabric or material to make your bag, as long as you choose a fabric that pleases you and is strong enough to carry your load.

A knitting bag not only makes you mobile, but also provides an opportunity to show your talents and latest projects to all your friends and family. Whether you be at your friends, family’s or at your home and people ask you about your latest project or your knitting talents, then you can easily teach them a stitch or two by carrying an extra needles and yarns in your knitting bag.



ROOSEVELT

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


As you know there are many different types of knitting needles available, Circular knitting needles are one of them. With using this type of needle you can create seamless tube. Knitting with this kind of circular needle is also sometimes called knitting in the round.

Use of circular needles was started in the beginning of 20th century and as use of these circular needles increased the long double pointed needles were out dated. With these circular needles you just can’t do knitting circularly but you can knit anything that can be knitted on two straight needles can be knitted back and forth on circular needles with very less strain on shoulder and wrist.

Circular knitting needles are lot fun to work with. You can do lot with this, sweaters, bags or you can do many other fun things with it. These needles can be made of many different types of materials like bamboo, resin, plastic or even metal. There are new glass circular needles they are many designer colors they look simply amazing. Usually this needle has two hard tip joined with a flexible cord. Length of this circular needle is measured tip to tip which ranges from 12 inches to 60 inches. 12″ is length normally used for socks and mittens and 60″ can be used for knit entire bedspread in one piece; you just have to be strong enough to hold it up. For sleeves or caps you can go for 16″ inches needles. For adult sweaters 24 to 32 inches are very good.
For getting started with circular needles; casting on process is same as straight needles. If you are knitting a round project; there are several different methods for joining a project in round. You can simply knit the first stitch very tightly, so there won’t be any gap between first and last stitch in round. ; you can even cast one extra stitch and then just slip that stitch onto left hand needle ; after that just knit first and last stitch together before starting pattern.

When you knit with circular knitting needles you are knitting on only one side of fabric every time, which is not the case with straight needles so that means you have to change pattern accordingly. Usually circular knitting is done using stokinette stitch; which makes circular knitting easier as you just have knit every row. For garter stitch instead of knitting each row you will need to knit one row just purl one row. If you purl every row it would be a reverse stokinette. These are some common stitches around.

While buying circular knitting needles the length of nylon cord between the needles. It can ranges from 6″ to 40″ inches. When you knit with circular needle; circumference is important. For adult sized sweater then go for longer cord.

You can use these circular needles for flat patterns too. Just like two straight needles, cast on and start knitting back and forth. Knitting with circular needles is great for knitting on the road.



RUSSELL

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Knitting is an ancient craft, this craft has been passed on from our ancestors, but this knitting went out of fashion. This is the best way to create the desired pattern instead of buying it from the shop. To create this fabric, if you are new, means that you have to learn simple steps in order to knit.

If you are really interested in knitting, you need not worry because knitting becomes simple when using the correct knitting tools, which are called knitting looms. For this you don’t require many tools. You just have to start with a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles.

To begin with the stitching, your yarn spinners will give you information about stitches, and rows which that particular yarn you can anticipate to knit using specific set of needles. And if you are not getting such information from those yarn spinners, then you should ask a retailer.

Generally the numbers of stitches are found in the area of around 10 cm square or around 4 inches. This will be helpful in case of the small samples in this you can see how many stitches come into view, in 1 inch this will let skip the partial stitches and hence they will not be counted, resulting in a wrong pattern.

For this purpose you need to purchase a type of yarn that will be able to make about 20 to 22 stitches in an area of 10 cm or 4 inches for about 28 to 30 rows about 4 inches in stocking stitch. Beginner often prefer to work with 100% acrylic.

For knitting purpose another requirement is knitting needle. You must have a pair of knitting needles. To start with and for life long buy aluminum and nickel plated brass knitting needles. Other types of needles are also available in the form of bamboo, plastic, rosewood and any metal. The needles which you are purchasing must be smooth as well, not easily bendable.

Once you have all the required things, then you should learn how to make a slip knot. This knot is generally preferred for sweaters, socks and scarves. For this, first of all take a end of yarn and unwind around two to three yards. Next, hold it in between thumb and finger such that the ball end is going away from the thumb across inside of the finger. At this stage wind it around finger.

Now insert the needle point under this circle. Tip the needle over by lifting the crossing over strand back up through the loop. This is the loop now to carefully lift (the yarn) from your finger and draw it up. Making use of this loop, now start with the desired stitch. Make use of the knit stitch or purl stitches.



VALENTIN

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Knitting is a traditional art and craft most generally associate with using wool and yarn. These two materials are used for different patterns of tops, scarves, socks, etc that can be crafted via knitting.

Knitting is very traditional, generally used by grandmothers to do all kind of things, but today many women are getting interested in this activity. Though knitting seems to some to be boring, once you get into it, you definitely gain an interest in it.

There are different patterns and designs for knitting. Being by using two needles plus learn some basic instructions.

Usually there are two types of stitches to use throughout your patter or other instructions; the knit stitch and the purl stitch. On the whole, knitting is nothing but the combination of these two stitches.

The details of these instructions about how to knit stitch are as follows:

Knit stitch:

First of all you have to hold the knitting needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand. Now push the tip of the right needle, in middle of the front of first and second stitch now the needle must be pointing to the right which will fed the point in the course of first stitch by keeping it under the left needle. While doing this, the yarn which is in use must be at the back of the work.

Now take the yarn which is in use. You have to loop this around the right knitting needle such that it should come from back to the front by resting the knitting yarn in between the needles. At this point pick up the yarn on the end on the right needle and pull it through first stitch to the front side of the work. The next step is to slip off the old stitch from left needle so that the new stitch would be on right needle.

While working or knitting generally keep the knitting yarn swathe over right forefinger, this arrangement will help you in keeping the yarn on back side. Until you get all the stitches on the right needle, keep knitting and when all the stitches will come on the right needle turn this right needle around, and hold it in left hand. At this situation will be the first row now again follows the same steps for second row.

Knitting instructions for purl stitch:

The first knitting needle must be with the cast on stitches in your left hand. Here the yarn must be hanging in front. Now push the tip of right needle in to front of first stitch in right to left direction. Now enclose the knitting yarn, around right needle point by crossing two needles so that it will hang in front again. At this position slide right needle downward and back by taking new loop the yarn from front to back through old stitch.

By following these steps you will get a purl stitch on right needle and yarn is hanging again in front side. Again follow the steps for all stitches and once you get all the stitches transform them on left needle and again repeat the steps.

Enjoy your new craft. Here’s to your success!



CLIFFORD

JENNIFER M asked:


I just bought a knit stitch reference book, and I’d like to use some of the stitches for mittens and socks. How do you convert a regular knit stitch pattern for knitting in the round? Do you only work right-side rows? Thanks.
Okay, I’ll give an example. Maybe I wasn’t clear. For example, on a flat piece of work, you would work stockinette st by knitting every stitch on the right side and purling every stitch on the wrong side. On circular needles or dpn’s, for stockinette st, you knit every round. So I’m wondering how you would convert a more difficult pattern stitch to work for circular needles or dpn’s.

LESLIE

makemagazine asked:

I caught up with Shelly Hatton at Maker Faire Austin, where she was demonstrating antique circular sock knitting machines! She writes, “Circular sock machines have been around since the early 1900’s and were built so sturdily that they still survive and work to this day. The machines were originally advertised as a way for homemakers to make money at home by cranking out socks, but the learning curve was really high. Currently, there are a number of enthusiasts around the globe who help each …

NICKOLAS