Thursday, 29 July 2010

An Overview of Knitting

And My Love of Baby Knitting Patterns

 

I still remember the first day my Mother taught me to knit. Things have come a long way since then. She taught me how to use baby knitting patterns to knit a bonnet for my little brother. It was a struggle but on my second attempt things turned out fine. From then I was hooked and have always had an obsession with baby knitting patterns and over the years my baby knitting pattern collection has grown to be enormous.

Knitting is one of the hottest trends at the moment, its popularity only heightened by actors and celebs such as Lara Flynn Boyle, Sandra Bullock and Laurence Fishburne announcing its presence on their lists of chic hobbies. Knitting it appears has become the new yoga for some.

So before we delve into the world of baby knitting patterns lets go over the basics for those new to the art of knitting.

 

What is Knitting?


Knitting consists of loops called stitches which are pulled through each other. Knitting can be done by hand or even by machine. Knitting needles are also known as knitting sticks, knitting pins, knitting wires, or simply wires or rods.

Types of Knitting


There are common types of knitting.

Flat knitting -

Generally used to knit flat items such as blankets, scarfs, and the backs and fronts of sweaters.

Circular knitting -

Used to create the pieces that are circular or tube-shaped, such as hats, socks, mittens, and the sleeves to be added to the flat knitted parts of the front and back of jumpers.


Yarn or Wool


Yarn is mainly used for hand-knitting and is sold in balls or skeins (hanks), although it can also be purchased wound on spools or cones.


Knitting is a technique where thread or yarn can be turned into cloth. Knitting is a method that has been passed down from generation to generation and has recently made a bit of a revival, with yarn.

Guide To KnittingA fairly basic overview and for those interested in learning I highly recommend this book.

It will give you the perfect grounding to begin using even the most complex of baby knitting patterns.