When people think of knitting, a particular image might come to mind of a grandmother stitching cute bonnets or baby booties while sitting on the favorite rocking chair of hers. This is a picture that comes to the minds of most of us when we hear the word knitting but believe me; knitting in the modern world is far from this. You will see many people wearing knitted accessories and clothes nowadays including the glitzy celebrities in Hollywood. In fact, you will even find that knitted items are a part of the leading designers' collections.
No one can actually point out the beginning of the art of knitting accurately. However, historical records say that the oldest identified remnants were few pairs of socks which were made using the nalebinding method. Such a method shares some resemblance to the present modern technique of knitting. In the 1600s and 1700s, most of the families in the Scottish Isles were taught the art of knitting. The reason is that people used these sweaters to protect themselves from cold during the cold season. Actually, you can say that the two techniques (the Fair Isle and the cable stitch) that people still use at present were designed by the Scots.
Most people do not have any problem wearing knitted dresses or shirts because such clothes are always trendy. However, not many people like to knit. Do you want to take up a new hobby in your spare time during the weekends? You can consider the art of knitting as a productive hobby. Many individuals are of the opinion that such a hobby does not require much attention and you feel relaxed while knitting. It is possible for you to watch the television when you are knitting. The most amazing thing about the art of knitting is that you do not need to invest a lot of money to start knitting. All that you will require is patience and quick hands, a knitting needle and yarn. The knitting pattern that you choose should be simple if you want to be able to knit successfully when you first start out.
I am sure you love it when you buy a knitted shirt to add it to your wardrobe but just imagine how great you would feel to actually own a shirt or dress that has been knitted by you! When you start knitting, you would slowly and gradually start to get better at it. Once you know how to knit you can make customized sweaters for your near and dear ones. You can also try out various patterns to reflect the interior decoration of your home and to provide a homey country feeling. You can have a lot of fun and enjoyment while knitting and you would find it to be a great past time once you develop a knack for it.
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There are a different styles and types of knitting. Of these various types of knitting, felted knitting takes more time than any other kind of knitting projects but it is lot less complicated. You are guaranteed that you will find felted knitting to be highly addictive if you are taken with ordinary knitting. Felting is a great way to unleash your creative energy and imagination. You'll be surprised with the number of things you can create with this technique. You can make hats, coasters, dolls, placemats, purses, slippers and a lot more.
The process of felted knitting
All-natural animal fibers are wool, alpaca and angora. The process of felting is about breaking down these all-natural animal fibers. Heat and moisture is induced to the fibers by putting the yarn in a washing machine. They are then agitated to loosen up the bond that wraps around the hair and ultimately makes each of the individual fabrics to expand. The felting surface becomes smoother because of it.
Basic guiding tips
The whole process of felted knitting is all about using combination of animal and synthetic felt. When you go to buy yarn, you have to pay attention to the percentage of synthetic ingredients in the yarn. Having not more than fifteen percent is ideal. While purchasing wool look at the label to see whether the wool is machine-washed or not. If the wool is machine washable then it is not good because it is less receptive. If you are using your washing machine for the felting purpose then be careful not to damage the machine. You should keep the yarns in a pillowcase or any bag with a zip closure. The loose fabric might clog the machine otherwise.
How to start
You can start by following the instructions that are provided with the pattern and complete the project. After you have completed the project get it ready for the felting process. While doing this, you should keep one important characteristic of felting in mind. Felting tends to shrink the project. So to get the right size, do not forget to make the original project larger than the required finished size. The general guideline that should be followed regarding size is 2-3 sizes larger than suggested. Gauge needles should be used. Test a swap to check for the required effect before working on the entire project. Just toss the small swatch in with a small load of laundry and check it for shrinkage.
Now you can look forward to making unique projects that will not only give you a sense of satisfaction but also enhance your skill.
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