Find Joy in the Art of Knitting
Anyone with an eye on the latest crafting trends couldn’t help but notice the resurgence of knitting and crochet. Yarn arts are no longer something left to grandma, as young people everywhere are discovering the crafts. Getting started is easy, with only a few supplies needed. First, buy a set of straight knitting needles. Also, for a first project, a thick, light-colored yarn is ideal.
So you see, it only takes a few bucks to get what you need to knit a project. Free knitting patterns are widely available. The ideal place to find free patterns is to look online. The major yarn manufacturers keep libraries of free patterns on their websites. Often, a free pattern is included on the paper wrapping around store-bought yarn. People running their own yarn blogs write and share patterns for general use. Several major social networking sites also offer sections with free patterns, as well as useful tips and tricks.
Once you’ve got a handle on knitting, it might be fun to give felting a try! Felting supplies are easy to obtain, and you can learn the technique quickly and easily. An important thing to remember about felting is that it shrinks your project, so the knitted piece needs to be bigger than the final product. Felting is ideal for projects that benefit from rigid texturing. For example, felting is popular for knitted toys as well as knitted handbags.
Felting is achieved through the use of heat and agitation. This is why most home felting is done in the washing machine. The hottest water setting and the highest agitation should give you great felted results.
The perfect first project, whether felted or not, is the traditional scarf. Scarves are a great starter project for several reasons. First, you need not worry too much about gauge, or “stitches per inch,” that has a significant affect on the sizing of knitted garments. Since scarves are not complex garments enveloping the body, whether it comes out thinner or wider than the pattern calls for is unimportant. It still keeps the neck warm! They’re also fairly quick projects that provide a quick sense of accomplishment.
Knitting and the other yarn arts are an enjoyable, stress-relieving activity. You can do it anywhere, and easily carry it with you on any kind of outing. If you’re seeking out a new hobby, try out knitting!
