Loom Knitting: Part 1
You presumably already know how to weave on a loom and knit with needles, but have you ever tried the opposite? Not only is it feasible, but loom knitting is also a quick and enjoyable way to make a variety of exquisite knitted things!
It’s simple to get started and an excellent method to introduce kids to loom knitting to learn the fundamentals of the craft. They can watch the knitted material take shape after only a few easy steps! However, this is not just for kids. The same kinds of crafts as conventional knitting, including elaborate motifs like cables, can be created by knitting on a loom.
There have likely been thousands, if not hundreds of years of loom knitting. The first trustworthy information comes from the 16th century when a framed knitting “machine” was developed in an effort to develop an alternate manner of knitting. You’ll recognize the similarities if you’ve ever attempted finger knitting or spool knitting, which may even be how this larger type of knitting on a loom came to be.
Knitting looms can be described in a multitude of ways, including as a knitting board, rake, frame, or the traditional loom. They also come in a range of sizes, forms, and materials. Some are adjustable, while others have a predetermined number of pegs. Even better, create your own!
The size or gauge of your knitting is determined by the size and spacing of the pegs on your knitting loom, much like it is by the thickness of your knitting needles, which varies. Thinner pegs spaced more closely produce finer or tighter knitting, whereas larger pegs spaced more apart produce bulkier or wide knitting.
The number of pegs on a loom also affects the outcome because each peg retains one stitch. For a project, you don’t need to utilize every peg, but you do need enough to knit something of the desired size. For instance, you would want a lot of pegs, which are found on looms shaped like a huge S or a figure 8, to produce a blanket without sewing numerous parts together.
It’s critical to make sure you have the right loom for a project since the size and shape of the loom have a significant impact on how the knitting will turn out. The type of loom to use, the number of pegs, and the spacing are often specified in patterns.
Originally published Miriam Mades website.
