Moms are mostly hooked into knitting. After doing all the chores, stitching something out of some strings is what their hands typically find to do. They say it’s a minimalist’s hobby. They may be right because really, you only need three basic things so you could start knitting: a ball of yarn, two needles, and a pair of scissors.
Do you know what this means? If you’re trying to find a new hobby or try your creativity in this kind of craft, knitting is a great choice. The best part is, you won’t be needing some too expensive tools in order to get on with it. We know that you can get so much excited as you start on your new activity for recreation purposes, but you don’t really need to do panic buying especially in terms of hoarding some fancy yarns.
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What Every Knitter Needs
What you do need is a couple of essentials that will enable and help you begin with your very first knitting project. Because we strongly support you and your new-found hobby, we have prepared the Top 12 knitting essentials that we thought you might need most of all. So, without further ado, beginning with the three most essential, let’s proceed with the rundown!
- Yarn
Who has not seen a ball of yarn yet? Yarn is a long thread of interlocked fibers, a material generally used for knitting, weaving, sewing, crocheting, etc. The different types of yarn will give you wider options. In knitting, yarn plays the largest and most important role as it forms into a garment or fabric throughout the process.
- Needle
A needle serves as the instrument for knitting the strips of yarn. It has three types: straight, circular, and double-point. Straight needles are designed for projects that are rectangular in shape such as scarves. Circular needles are capable of holding more stitches; thus, they are best used for bigger-sized work like comforters and blankets. They are two-needle heads. Lastly, double-point needles are used for small areas of the fabric, mostly on details.
- Pair of Scissors
A pair of scissors is an all-season tool for many craft hobbies. It can surely go a long way through your knitting! Use it to cut and form your yarn, switch colors, remove unnecessary threads, or mold the structure of your project. Work with a variety of scissor sizes so you won’t find it difficult to cut different sizes of strings as well.
- Tapestry Needle
A tapestry needle is a primary tool for weaving the ends of yarn. Basically, it does the sewing part as it is a huge sewing needle. Why is it large? Because the yarns are mostly bulky and heavy.
- Measuring Tape
Will you guess why measuring tape is an essential tool? Measurement promotes accuracy. As you work on your project, you will need to calculate and assign the right dimensions (length, width, depth) to the clothing or the material you are trying to create via knitting. For utility purposes, everything must be accurate in measurement.
- Stitch Markers and Holders
What are stitch markers and holders? As you create patterns in knitting and stitching, you will need marks that will identify your stopping and turning points, or where you will start another pattern. To cut it short, because of the same colors of yarns that you use, chances are you will get lost along the way. So definitely, you will need the help of markers.
After marking them, you use holders to set them as to how you formed them, and as you go back and work on them later on, you will only need to remove the stitch holders from the thread.
- Row Counter
To help you count the number of rows that you have knit already, a row counter can be your best buddy. Row counters sit at the end of your needle and simply do the counting for you. They’re handy and convenient to use!
- Crochet Hook
Why do you need a crochet hook? It is because crochet hooks are good at picking up dropped stitches, which commonly occur during the knitting process.
- Washi Tape
Washi tapes are also helpful in terms of row reading. It can also serve as stitch markers and a finder in a knitting chart.
- Needle Caps or Protectors
Needle caps or protectors function as a cover on sharp and pointy ends of needles. Also, they are used so that the needles which are within the unfinished knitted fabric won’t slip off the material.
- Yarn Guide
Yarn guide gives room for evenness and balance in knitting. It allows you to work on two colors of yarn simultaneously. They won’t get tangled as long as you use this tool.
- Wash Kit for Wool
Lastly, it’s important to maintain your knits. Wash kits are specially made for knitted stuff. So, ease the fear away, and use wash kits for wool when cleaning your piece of clothing or wool so that thread run won’t occur.
Conclusion
Knitting is a fun and rewarding activity to do. It even induces and develops mindfulness. A physiotherapist stated that knitting is an effective therapeutic practice. It can be very beneficial for you and the people you love! Learn some basic knitting skills and tricks by reading other articles and watching related videos.
With the top 12 knitting essentials, you can begin creating stuff. A knitted blouse, blanket, sweater, shorts, top. You just have to be careful in using them, especially the needles. Knitting requires a lot of patience and time, so just enjoy the process and soon, you will see the fruit of your labor. Good luck!