What Is A Knitting Loom And Should I Use One?

A knitting loom is a device you use to make handcrafted items such as afghans, socks, scarves and hats. Although some people prefer knitting needles, many love the ease of a knitting loom. A knitting loom is a frame, with evenly spaced pegs attached.

You will discover using a loom is much easier on your hands than knitting needles. One of the nest benefits is kids can have just as much fun using a knitting loom as adults. You use a loom for weaving yarn or thread together to make fabric.

Once you start, you will be amazing at the wide variety of beautiful items you can make. Looms have been used by everyone from Europeans during the middle ages to American Indian tribes.

Knitting looms are increasing in popularity in modern society. The technique enables you to create sensational wall hangings, lovely hats and just about everything in between.

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis or your hands ten to become sore, you are going to love the sensational art of loom knitting. A lot of people prefer looms to needles because it is a lot faster.

You can choose from a wide selection of techniques and looms to make unique and beautiful gifts. If you enjoy snuggling under a blanket, you can make a soft and comfortable afghan. You can even make socks for yourself or baby booties.

Learning the basics is not difficult. Before you realize what happened, you will be creating gorgeous projects you probably never dreamed you could make. Your first step is deciding which type of knitting loom will work best for your specific needs.

The Different Types of Knitting Looms

The right knitting loom is dependent on the project you intend to make. If you are interested in knitting a hat, you will need a circular loom. A rake loom is ideal for anything requiring a flat panel such as a blanket or afghan.

You do not have to limit yourself to just one knitting loom. Having a selection of different types will enable you to knit a mich wider variety of items. One of the most popular knitting looms is called a round or circular loom.

A round loom is different because there is no definitive stopping point. You can continue weaving until you have achieved your desired size and shape. The type of loom you purchase depends on the shape you are interested in.

You will find round, square, heart-shaped, triangular and square looms. A lot of people enjoy making tube-shaped items on a round loom because the loom is ideal for knitting in the round.

You can make anything with a circular or round shape including cowls, sleeves and socks. Another popular knitting loom is called a long loom or a rake. This type of loom has one row of pegs for creating projects requiring flat panels.

A rake loom is perfect for knitting scarves or afghans using single knitting. If you place two rakes next to each other, you have created a knitting board. There are some rake looms available with an extra peg at each end and two rows as opposed to one.

You can use this type of loom for working in the round. The fabric you make using a rake loom is just like using knitting needles because you have the same knit and purl sides.

The gauge of a rake loom depends on how far apart your pins are set. When your pins are placed closer together, your knitted fabric will be much finer. Another excellent loom is called a hat loom.

You can configure this loom for four different sizes. If you want even more sizes, you can simply purchase extra connectors. You will be able to make a much larger oval this way.

You will not have to worry about any loose connections or pegs because everything snaps together. You can make all different types of hats, cowls and scarves. If the item has flat panels, you can knit it with this loom.

The serenity or S-loom has a figure-eight structure. You will find this loom is exceptional for knitting large fabric panels. You can sew your panel together to create incredible blanket and afghans.

A weaving loom is different from a knitting loom because there are no pegs. You will see a warped threads series instead. Your yarn is woven in the framework. You can create magnificent tapestries and wall hangings with a weaving loom.

A sock loom uses an adjustable gauge, so you can decrease or increase the size for infants, adults and everyone in between. You can make classic socks or adorable baby booties.

The best part is you can make a lot more than socks on a sock loom. The adjustability enables you to make small projects like stuffed animals or dolls. Understanding the difference between single and double knitting is important for all looms.

Single knitting is accomplished using a loom with just one row of pegs. Depending on the loom, you can knit different shapes such as ovals, rectangles and circles. You can work in the round using single knitting to make tubes and hats.

You can also make flat panels to create blankets and scarves. A long loom is necessary for double knitting because you need to work your stitches using both sides simultaneously. A long loom is referred to as a rake or board.

You will need this type of knitting loom to work flat panels. Your fabric will be thicker, with the majority of stitch patterns exactly the same on both sides. This means your fabric will not curl when you are double knitting.

You will only find metal pins on knitting boards because they are only used when double knitting. You can use a knitting board containing metal pins to single knit. The issue is the process is a lot more difficult.

Looms containing nylon pegs can be used for either single or double knitting. If you look closely at the pegs, you will notice there is a small groove going down the side. The tip will slide to catch your loop.

Different kinds of pegs are used by certain knitting loom manufacturers. You will find it easy to work with some, where others are more difficult. Some pegs have either a bump or a knob at the tip to prevent your stitches from sliding off accidentally.

If the knob or bump is too large, you may have a hard time getting your stitches off the peg. You will find picking up your loop is much easier if your pegs have grooves. Every knitting rake and board is a type of knitting loom.

On the other hand, not every knitting loom is considered a knitting board. The point is all of them are looms. You use some for single knitting and others for double knitting. Some give you the ability to do both.

Is Using a Knitting Loom Cheating?

Although knitting looms date back numerous centuries, they have not always been called loom knitting. During the late 14th century, they were referred to as peg frame knitting.

During the 16th when Queen Elizabeth was reigning, looms were called stocking frame knitting. As the name implies, the looms were used for knitting stockings. According to history, individuals using needles to knit were upset by this concept.

Depending on the specific location and era, knitting looms have also been referred to as wheel, French, ring, rake and spool knitting. During the last twenty years, the popularity of loom knitting has substantially increased.

More and more companies are manufacturing knitting looms for sale on the retail market. You should not have any difficulty finding the type of knitting loom you are interested in purchasing.

Between the middle and the end of the 20th century, knitting looms were harder to find. In most cases, they had to be purchased in a craft set for children or by mail order. Due to the popularity of the internet, the instructions today are much better.

Some looms offer video tutorials, while others provide written instructions. You will also find the number of patterns currently available has substantially increased. Both knitting looms and knitting needles are considered tools.

Regardless of which tool you choose, you are still knitting. Anything not made using a machine is considered handmade whether you use a loom or needles. The term hand-knit is often misunderstood.

Hand-knit simply means the item was crafted by hand as opposed to a machine. Technically, the same thing is achieved using different methods. There is absolutely no difference between each purl or knit stitch regardless of how the item was made.

The yarn is worked into the fabric in the exact same way whether the item was created by a machine, knitting needles or a knitting loom. If two people made the exact same item using the exact same yarn with needle and a loom, you would not see a difference.

This means the answer to the question is loom knitting cheating is a resounding no.

In Conclusion

So, should you use a loom? You certainly don’t have to, but if you find that it’s easier to knit with a loom then go for it! It’s all about having fun and enjoying your knitting. Do what’s fun for you!