Uh Oh the K word, come on say it with me K N I T T I N G , Whew ok we are all still in one piece right ? I’m not trying to convert you but I do want to point out how knitting can put a nice touch to a crochet sweater and other projects that are in your crochet basket or bag. It can be a little awkward at first but the good news is that you won’t have to learn a new way to hold your yarn. Did that help peak your interest just a little? By learning the basic knit and purl stitches, you will be expanding your crochet possibilities and it can be fun learning something new. One of the best uses (but not the only use) a crocheter has for knitting is making ribbing (which consist of the knit and purl stitch ) for your necklines, wrist, and waistlines. Yes we can make ribbing using our crochet hook but at times a knitted ribbing can create a very snazzy looking finish and it is a little bit more giving or I guess stretchy would be a better explanation. I use this a lot on sweaters I make for my 8 year old, you know the age that is ALWAYS in a hurry and completely convinced that you must stretch and pull everything to get it on. It is also a great way to finish up your hats, arm or leg warmers and in most cases you won’t need to weave in a piece of elastic to keep them up. How about Free Form, oh think of the nice additions you could add to your scrumbling projects with just a few rows of garter stitch which is just doing the knit stitch back and forth. You can use your crochet hook to cast on with (putting the beginning row on your knitting needle) and as I mentioned above you can hold your yarn exactly like you do for crochet.
Do you find it hard to use two needles ? Don’t worry there is more than one way to do a little knitting. I know some of you have tried to knit but have a little difficulty with it. Surprise , I want to introduce you to a new gadget (yes I love gadgets) a knitting board. These are actually a very old concept but with the help of Décor Accents they have perfected these boards so that you can do a vast number of projects in different gauges. You will be able to make a hat, socks, scarves, and yes even a sweater. There is really no end to what you can make. You are no longer limited to using thick or two strands of yarn. The fine gauge board makes it possible to use thinner yarns and that includes making a nice pair of socks with actual sock yarn. Take a look around their website for free patterns, tips, and a nice short video. They have a board for just about everything but for me I am very partial to the adjustable board because you can adjust it to any “in the round” size (hats, socks, and sweaters) or you can insert the spacers for just a plain double knit board . You can also do Fair Isle (picture knitting) which I have not been able to try yet. I have two so far but maybe Santa will bring me another one. I can’t express it enough on how easy this is, even the kids will be able to use it. This would be a great item to put on your Christmas list. Another pretty nice gadget is The Amazing Needle. It looks like a crochet hook with a hole in the end but you can actually knit anything including cables, with this needle. There are so many possibilities that you can do with it, crochet a little, knit a little and then tat without changing hooks. I have used mine and trust me the name fits it perfectly because I was certainly “amazed” that it was actually possible to do knit with it. There is a pattern available on their site for making socks that I have also wanted to check out. This is also another good item to put on your Christmas list or how about your “I’ve been very very good so I deserve it” list!! I honestly have no idea where this method came from but it is just another reminder to me that there is so much out there that I still don’t know about.
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