Knitting - an interesting craft

Knitting is the craft that involves two needles and yarn or thread. Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth. Knitting consists of loops called stitches pulled through each other. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them. Knitting is a relaxing hobby. It is one craft that has its own rhythm and where speed is not crucial. Knitters can make thoughtful, special handmade gifts. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine.

Knitting History: The first knitting trade guild was started in Paris in 1527. One of the earliest known examples of knitting was finely decorated cotton socks found in Egypt in the end of the first millennium AD. With the invention of the knitting machine, however, knitting "by hand" became a useful but non-essential craft. American women were eager to help the war effort during World War II in any way they could, and one major thing women were encouraged to do was knit. You will be surprised to know that when the craft was first invented it was mostly men who knit, and the tradition might have come from men working on fishing nets. Knitting has changed a lot through history. Even today, there are different methods and styles in different parts of the world.

Knitting Tools:

• Yarn
• Needles
• Ancillary tools

Types of Knitting:

Flat knitting: Flat knitting is used, in its most basic form, to make flat, rectangular pieces of cloth. It is done with two straight knitting needles and is worked in rows, horizontal lines of stitches. Flat knitting is usually used to knit flat pieces like scarves, blankets, afghans, and the backs and fronts of sweaters.

Circular knitting: Circular knitting (also called "knitting in the round") is a form of knitting that creates a seamless tube. Knitting is worked in rounds (the equivalent of rows in flat knitting) in a spiral. Originally, circular knitting was done using a set of four or five double-pointed knitting needles. Circular knitting is employed to create pieces that are circular or tube-shaped, such as hats, socks, mittens, and sleeves.

Finger knitting. It is not done like knitting on needles, it is done on your fingers. This produces a tube like piece.

Variety of knitting needles

1. Single-point Needles. Single-point needles are the most common knitting needles, used for making flat knit pieces in a wide variety of patterns. They consist of a long, pointed shaft, with a cap on which their size is usually indicated. These knitting needles are straight, rigid, and made of aluminum, steel, plastic, or various woods. Straight needles are the most simple and the oldest one.

1. Circular needles: They are usually made up of 2 short straight pieces, tapered as usual at one end but with the other ends joined by something flexible, usually a strong cylindrical piece of plastic.
2. Double-pointed needles: They come in sets of 4 (usual in the US) or 5 (usual in the rest of the word). They're meant to be used circularly, you use one needle as a spare (ie you'd have your knitting divided into 4 for a 5-needle set) and knit from one of the needles in the circle onto it, then use it as spare to knit with the next one in the sequence. They're very practical really, and it takes no time at all to get the hang of working from one to the next. They come in different length
3. Cable Stitch Needles. Cable stitch needles are the only knitting needles with a built-in bend, specially designed to keep the cable from slipping off.

Types of Yarn: Yarn is a continuous strand made up of fibers or filaments, used for making fabric or textiles of various kinds. Knitting yarn may be made of natural or synthetic fiber. Knitting yarn is also available in blends that combine fibers. Metallics - filaments of metal from a variety of sources are often combined with other fibers in novelty yarns. Knitting yarn is available undyed or may be dyed by the manufacturer or the user. An extensive array of colors is available, including single color and multi-color skeins.

According to the industry group Craft Yarn Council of America, the number of women knitters in the United States age 25-35 increased 150% in the two years between 2002 and 2004. You can always joing a knitting club, check out this website as an example, but l am sure you can find one where you live, all you need to do is a bit of internet searching.  So what are you waiting for start knitting!

(Sources: woolneedlework.com, about.com, wisegeek.com, fuzzygalore.biz)