WHAT IS KNITTING Knitting is a fun activity for everyone When you knit you create and interlock many loops of yarn called stitches The stitches form rows on special needles The more rows you add the longer the result You can use different kinds of stitches to create different textures and looks for the final product There are also many different types of yarn and needle sizes You can make clothing accessories and other items from knitting Knitting is a great way to relax You can knit while watching TV or chatting with your friends Many places have knitting clubs where people get together in groups to learn how to knit and to meet other knitters Maybe you could join or start a knitting club at your school Yarn comes in many colors textures and
THE HISTORY OF KNITTING Knit Bit Many believe that knitting started with ancient people using knots to create fishing nets But it is hard to figure out exactly when knitting first began because the yarn used for knitting breaks down and decomposes very quickly The oldest piece of knitting was a pair of cotton socks discovered in Egypt Experts believe that the socks are from 300 499 C E They are on display in a museum in London England Most of the early pieces of knitting were made from cotton or silk These materials were easy to get in the Middle East where many believe knitting began Paintings from the 14th century show that knitting became more popular in Europe around that time Yarn bombing or graffiti knitting is a type of street art created by mystery knitters Knitters cover large objects such as trees statues lampposts bicycles and even buses with colorful yarn to create art How To USE THIs Book art by learning the stitches then try the projects Each project tells you what size needles to use and how much yarn you need Knitting is a skill that requires a lot of practice Master these projects and you will be well on your way to being a knitter Many of the projects would make great gifts so you can make more than one of each and get even more practice The more you knit the better you will get at it You can knit anywhere All you need to get started is a pair of needles and a ball of
TOOLS AND MATERIALS Ol You can buy yarn and the tools you need fo knitting at yarn shops sewing and craft stores and department stores Many yarn shops also offer free help to knitters YARN Yarn weight refers to the thickness of yarn Changing yarn weight or needle size makes a big difference to the finished project so standardized systems have been created Yarn comes in many different shapes and sizes The type of yarn you choose to use will depend on the project you are working on Yarn also comes in different thicknesses If you are knitting baby clothes or blankets you will want to use very fine yarn that is soft to the touch Thicker yarn is good for blankets and sweaters while bulky yarn is perfect for scarves and rugs Yarn can be made from a variety of natural fibers such as wool and silk cotton and linen Synthetics are human made fibers and are also known as acrylic fibers Acrylic yarns are lightweight soft and warm and feel like wool YARN PACKAGES Knit Bit A hank is a long loop of yarn twisted into a bundle Hank Worsted weight yarn medium weight is named for the village of Worstead England Worstead was a center for manufacturing fiber both yarn and cloth in the 12th century A skein is an oblong shaped ball of yarn A skein is ready to use and no winding is necessary Skein A ball is the round shape that results from hand winding yarn A cake is a cylinder with a flat top and bottom that comes off a ball winder A ball winder is a small machine that changes hanks of yarn into cakes O Cake
KNITTING NEEDLES Knitting needles come in different diameters and lengths They can be made of bamboo or other wood plastic steel or aluminum The type of project you are working on will determine what size of needle to choose For example the thicker the needle the larger the stitches you will make The result will be a loose fabric Smaller needles l will create tighter fabric If you are making a small project you might want to use shorter needles Wool comes from many different types of animals including sheep goats lamas alpacas camels rabbits muskox and opossums In fact yarn can be made from the furor hair of any animal People have even knit with the fur that their pet cats and dogs have shed The most common needles used are straight needles They have one pointed end and a knob on the other end to stop the stitches from falling off Cashmere wool comes from goats and is very luxurious and soft It takes the hair of more than two goats to make one sweater One sheep can provide enough wool for many sweaters Alpaca wool is IND A BALL FROM A HANK soft and warm Some yarn that you buy comes in a coil called a hank If you knit First find the end of the yarn Lightly wrap the yarn hank your yarn using the will the around your fingers Remove the wrapped loops and keep wrapping the yarn around loops become tangled so you need to wind the hank into a ball Change directions every 15 to 20 rounds Continue until you have around ball of
