08-25-2008, 03:35 AM
Knit Looming
Knit looming is actually an age old method of creating a stretch material without the need of long sticks or hooks. It’s knitting without the need of knitting needles. Sometimes called Rake knitting, Loom knitting, Knitting Nancy knitting, circle looming etc. It’s all involves the same method.
Knit loom and its kind go back to medieval times when women could sit with a loom or comb and wrap yarn. They used any number of “picks”, a crooked stick, a bent needle or other tool to pick the yarn over the peg.
A modern version is the same as the old version. Just the materials have changed.
A knit loom is nothing more than a peg set in a hole at a specific distance. Yarn is wrapped in a small e shape around each peg and then the bottom yarn is lifted over the top wrap of yarn, you then wrap another round and do the same.
If doing this on a Rake loom, which is either two rows or a single row you create a piece of flat material that’s stretchable. If doing it on a circular then you are creating a tube.
The spacing of the pegs determines if the material will be fine, coarse or bold.
That is one reason why the newer looms have removable pegs to create different textures.
Doing knitting like this has many health benefits and other benefits too.
First there is proof that doing something creative keeps the mind sharp.
Second it has been shown that when you are doing something repetitive hand eye coordination picks up and brain waves drop. So you are in a ZEN mode, a silent meditation of activity.
The start and finish of project is a great mood elevator. To show off what was accomplished is nothing short of miraculous in many people with depression and mobility problems.
Unlike knitting with sticks or a hook, this is a set piece. No general holding is needed. If you can hold a piece of yarn and wrap, you can knit loom. So it’s a great Physical therapy aid for hand work.
Knit looming is perfect for little kids too. They can have a feeling of accomplishment in making something small. Doll and baby caps are the most common for a child to start with. Another type that’s a much smaller knit loom is called a spool or knitting nancy. Early versions literally were old spools with four brass tacks or horses shoe nails pounded around the top. As the yarn or thread was wrapped it dropped down the hole, hence Spool knitting. Horse’s reigns or ropes were very commonly made this way, as this created a softer method of reigns and coverings for leather straps. Now we use this method not only for horse gear, dog gear, cat gear and sports gear but its commonly home applications are many. With this type of smaller method you can create one very long tube. Then it is placed on a flat surface where its wound now depending on the amount you have for your rope you can stitch it together and create a rug, place mats, pot holders, trivets or other flat needed item.
I know of a few men who really get into designing complicated patterns. They prefer the rake type where they can create a flat piece. Some have even created beautiful works of art as scenery using a knit loom. Some have custom made looms as wide as 8 feet across!
Loom knitting is not as cheap as needle knitting or crochet. Often you will lose the pegs. But creating new pegs is relatively easy and obtainable from the hardware store.
If you’re curious about doing this, get a simple single knit loom. Circular is most common. They run about 4 or five dollars and a few skeins of a cotton yarn or blend worsted weight yarn. Nothing flashy or fancy, as that takes patience to work with.
All knit looms come with instructions. The most common wrap is the e wrap, it’s pretty much done for everything to create a plain stocking knit pattern.
Then choose a project. Ski hats are the most common as are baby caps, Fingerless gloves, easy even neck roll pillows, eye tension covers, glass cases, change purses etc.
Take a look at some of these for inspiration. The first link the magazine has many creative ideas for any size loom.
http://www.loomknitterscircle.com/
http://cputzier.tripod.com/id1.html
http://loomknittinghelp.com/
Knit looming is actually an age old method of creating a stretch material without the need of long sticks or hooks. It’s knitting without the need of knitting needles. Sometimes called Rake knitting, Loom knitting, Knitting Nancy knitting, circle looming etc. It’s all involves the same method.
Knit loom and its kind go back to medieval times when women could sit with a loom or comb and wrap yarn. They used any number of “picks”, a crooked stick, a bent needle or other tool to pick the yarn over the peg.
A modern version is the same as the old version. Just the materials have changed.
A knit loom is nothing more than a peg set in a hole at a specific distance. Yarn is wrapped in a small e shape around each peg and then the bottom yarn is lifted over the top wrap of yarn, you then wrap another round and do the same.
If doing this on a Rake loom, which is either two rows or a single row you create a piece of flat material that’s stretchable. If doing it on a circular then you are creating a tube.
The spacing of the pegs determines if the material will be fine, coarse or bold.
That is one reason why the newer looms have removable pegs to create different textures.
Doing knitting like this has many health benefits and other benefits too.
First there is proof that doing something creative keeps the mind sharp.
Second it has been shown that when you are doing something repetitive hand eye coordination picks up and brain waves drop. So you are in a ZEN mode, a silent meditation of activity.
The start and finish of project is a great mood elevator. To show off what was accomplished is nothing short of miraculous in many people with depression and mobility problems.
Unlike knitting with sticks or a hook, this is a set piece. No general holding is needed. If you can hold a piece of yarn and wrap, you can knit loom. So it’s a great Physical therapy aid for hand work.
Knit looming is perfect for little kids too. They can have a feeling of accomplishment in making something small. Doll and baby caps are the most common for a child to start with. Another type that’s a much smaller knit loom is called a spool or knitting nancy. Early versions literally were old spools with four brass tacks or horses shoe nails pounded around the top. As the yarn or thread was wrapped it dropped down the hole, hence Spool knitting. Horse’s reigns or ropes were very commonly made this way, as this created a softer method of reigns and coverings for leather straps. Now we use this method not only for horse gear, dog gear, cat gear and sports gear but its commonly home applications are many. With this type of smaller method you can create one very long tube. Then it is placed on a flat surface where its wound now depending on the amount you have for your rope you can stitch it together and create a rug, place mats, pot holders, trivets or other flat needed item.
I know of a few men who really get into designing complicated patterns. They prefer the rake type where they can create a flat piece. Some have even created beautiful works of art as scenery using a knit loom. Some have custom made looms as wide as 8 feet across!
Loom knitting is not as cheap as needle knitting or crochet. Often you will lose the pegs. But creating new pegs is relatively easy and obtainable from the hardware store.
If you’re curious about doing this, get a simple single knit loom. Circular is most common. They run about 4 or five dollars and a few skeins of a cotton yarn or blend worsted weight yarn. Nothing flashy or fancy, as that takes patience to work with.
All knit looms come with instructions. The most common wrap is the e wrap, it’s pretty much done for everything to create a plain stocking knit pattern.
Then choose a project. Ski hats are the most common as are baby caps, Fingerless gloves, easy even neck roll pillows, eye tension covers, glass cases, change purses etc.
Take a look at some of these for inspiration. The first link the magazine has many creative ideas for any size loom.
http://www.loomknitterscircle.com/
http://cputzier.tripod.com/id1.html
http://loomknittinghelp.com/