Monday 24 October 2011

Which Knitting Accessories Are Essential?

Article Summary: Knitting can be a fun and fulfilling hobby which mixes fun with a genuine learning curve and a real sense of necessary concentration. However, if you've just got started then it's important to ensure that you purchase everything you need when you get started.
Knitting can be a fun and fulfilling hobby which mixes fun with a genuine learning curve and a real sense of necessary concentration. However, if you've just got started then it's important to ensure that you purchase everything you need when you get started. This little guide should help you out:



Needles. Needless to say (see what we did there?) it's important to ensure that you obtain more than enough needles if you're looking to get into knitting. Without it, you'll be rather lost - knitting with your fingers is not an option! Fortunately, there are a wide variety of different models available created from different materials. Plastic needles are quite pliable and easy to manipulate, where as metal needles will last for a much longer period of time, but are also less easy to bend and move to allow for more convenient knitting. Wooden needles are also available, but these are often more because they look rather stylish than because of any particular technical benefits!



Yarn is also a very important factor when it comes to beginning your knitting life. As with the needles, there are a wide variety of different yarns that can be used, all of which have a different effect and are easier (or more difficult!) to use. One of the primary things to consider is the thickness of the yarn, as this has an impact on the how tricky it is to create different patterns. Thicker yarn is traditionally the best choice for beginners, with double knit and aran being good examples. However, once you're more enthusiastic and have been knitting for a year or two, then thinner yarn might be a good idea.



Scissors are also a good idea, as they will enable you to make the necessary snips and the like that will keep your patterns looking at their most precise. Needless to say it's important that you buy a pair with high quality steel blades, as these will not only be very efficient, but will also last you far longer. After all, always buy the best that you can afford if you want to get the best value!



Crochet hooks are a very good idea for an investment if you're looking to get into crochet as well as traditional knitting. They're a very good tool for picking up dropped stitches, creating provisional cast ons, as well as adding crochet borders to blankets and other garments. As they're not too expensive, they can definitely be seen as a bit of a knitting no brainer.



Row counter. Whilst it's primarily a creative hobby, there are definitely bits of knitting that would suit a mathematician more than anyone else. One of the main issues is the potential problems that can be encountered when counting the rows. After all, if you've been concentrating all day it can be tricky concentrating once you've got to around row 79! A good row counter is always a sound investment.

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