Knitting Basics – Understanding the Equipment
Before you begin knitting it is important to get prepared. This includes knowing what equipment you need and getting it all prepared before you begin. We are going to look at the basic accessories as well as some other essentials that you may need.
Knitting Needles
Obviously the most essential piece of equipment you will need are knitting needles. The needles you choose will depend not only on the type of knitting you are doing but also your budget and preference. Knitting needles come in a variety of different materials, types and sizes. The common materials you will see needles in are plastic, metal, bamboo and a variety of wood. Usually you will find that plastic needles are the cheapest but also can be harder to knit with due to the lack of quality. The Bamboo and wooden needles can vary significantly in cost depending on the quality but are usually fantastic to knit with. There are also different types of needles that you need to be aware of and they are detailed below:
1. Straight Knitting Needles – these are standard knitting needles that can only be used for doing flat knitting. They are the most common type of needles and what most people think of when they think of knitting. They come in a pair where each needle has a point at one end and a fixing at the other end. They are straight and come in different lengths, so make sure you get a pair that are long enough for the work you are doing.
2. Circular Needles – these can be used for both flat knitting and also if you want to make a circular object. They are used for a variety of things including, as an example, the edging of a cardigan where you need to go up one side, round the neck and back down the other side. They can also be used for flat knitting where you have a large number of stitches and straight needles would be too cumbersome.
3. Double Pointed Needles – these are the same in appearance as straight needles but have points at both ends. They usually come in sets of 4 or 5 and are used for circular knitting. However you can also put a stop on the ends and use them for flat knitting.
Knitting Accessories
There are a large number of knitting accessories that you may or may not need for a pattern but here are some details for you:
1. Cable Needles – these are small, double pointed needles that are needed of you are going to a garment that includes any cable at all. The stitches can easily be slipped on to the small needle and held at the front of back of your work, depending on the pattern, while you knit other stitches.
2. Row Counters – these are an invaluable tool and should always be used in my opinion. They slip on to the end of your needles and can be turned round to indicate the number of rows you have completed. They will ensure you don’t lose your place, just make sure you remember to update them.
3. Crochet Hooks – these can be used in a number of techniques including adding edging to a garment. They are also invaluable as a tool for picking up dropped stitches.
4. Stitch Holders – these are like giant safety pins and are used to hold stitches while you work on another area of a garment.
5. Markers – these come in a variety of forms but can be slipped on to the needle to show where a change in pattern occurs.
6. Pins – if you are making a garment that has more than one part you will need pins to join them together before you sew them.
7. Wool Needles – these are sewing needles with a very large eye so that you can thread wool through them when joining a garment together.
8. Tape Measure – this is vital for any knitter to ensure your work is the right size.
9. Scissors – every knitter will need a pair of scissors to cut off any lengths of yarn that are remaining once all the finishing had been done.
10. Knitting Bag – it is always a good idea to have a dedicated knitting bag where you can keep your work and all of your accessories together when you are not knitting.
There are a wide range of other accessories that you may come across in your knitting life but these are the ones that we would consider essential before you begin.
About the Author
This article has been supplied by Mercedes Aspland for the Knitting Shop where you can <a href=”http://www.theknittingshop.co.uk”>buy wool online</a>.
There is a lot more information on our site and you can buy <a href=”http://www.knittingwoolandyarnshop.co.uk/shop/products/wools_yarns/debbie_bliss_collection”>Debbie Bliss yarn</a> and many more.
TNNA Yarn Group Spring/Summer 2009 Fashion Show, Groups 9 – 12
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