Learn-Along 1: Loom Knitting (wow!)

Who knew?

Who knew that loom knitting can make such gorgeous things! I can honestly say that I didn’t know. I just can’t seem to get the picture of the spool knitter out of my head – and before today I really never thought that loom knitting could produce anything besides rope trim, scarves and hats. I thought that everything had to be knit in the round and that your design choices were limited.

I was so wrong. Actually, I couldn’t be more wrong. And I am really glad that I decided to learn more about loom knitting.

So here is the story – loom knitting has been in existence for almost as long as people have been knitting. And according to loomknittinghelp.com, there were alot of things knit using this method – even in the Middle Ages – hats, bags, curtains, rugs… you name it. And it has gone by a lot of different names (maybe you know one of them?) like french knitting, frame knitting and knitting board.

And today, apparently there are whole lot of people going back to loom knitting again, and for good reason. According to Isela G. Phelps (in an article for knitty.com), loom knitting (or no needle knitting) has many advantages over regular needle knitting in that it is easier for people with arthritis or hand mobility issues to knit this way, and it is a simpler way for new knitters to get a feel for knitting. (I like the idea that if you use a knitting board, you end up with a double thick fabric with no wrong sides, but the other reasons for loom knitting sound good to me too.) Anyone, of any age, (and pretty much anywhere) can loom knit – what could be better?

Knitting looms come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and gauges. You can still get those old-fashioned spool knitters of our youth (or at least my youth) and then of course, but loom knitting is also made of 3 other types of looms: the round loom (which co-inci-acci-dentally can also be square or triangle or oval or any old shape really), the rake (which is just like the round loom except the pegs are aligned in one single row) and the knitting board (it looks like two rakes attached together, but is the only loom that can make a double knit fabric with no wrong sides).

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will talk less and share more about the patterns that we can try on this learn along and just how to get your own loom (and how I will get my own loom too). That, and we also have to decide what loom to use… do you have any thoughts? Which one strikes your creativity most?

[Via http://dayliliescreative.wordpress.com]