Knitting Tips and Tricks From the Experts

Knitting is a method through which we create a fabric by interlocking yarn. This art has existed for years. Moreover, women create warm fabrics throughout the world through this method. Also, this is a creative skill. Furthermore, this art has numerous forms and techniques. Today, we will be introducing this amazing art to you and will discuss some easy knitting tips with you!

History of Knitting: How it Started?

The art of knitting started in the Middle East. Also, Historians say that this art started in the early 5th century. From the Middle East, it traveled to Europe. This process happened because of the wool traders. They exported the raw material to Europe. Moreover, Egypt’s history has also revealed evidence of knitting.

Knitting Practice in Egypt

Furthermore, the people of Egypt used cotton fibers for knitting, instead of wool material. In this part of the world, the people used to knit various Arabic scriptures on the knitting material. According to them, these scriptures brought good luck to them. They used to knit various Arabic verses or phrases of blessings. It was a very common practice to evade evil thoughts and bad luck.

By the 14th century, fishermen started using the art of knitting too. For them, knitting helped them make warm jumpers. Moreover, they used to wear these jumpers during their sea trips. It helped them stay warm during the cold journey.

Knitting in the 16th Century

In the 16th century, knitting reached the elite class as well. Royals started to have their own knitting machines. Through them, they got their personalized hosiery knitted. Thus, it became a symbol of elitism.

In the areas of Scotland and the Highlands, men got employed for knitting. They used to knit stockings. These stockings started being exported to the remaining part of Europe. As people gained more expertise in this field, they created more and more items. For example, they created hats, shawls, jumpers, bags and many other things. Also, the market started booming with knitted products.

Knitting in the 18th Century

In 1816, the world’s first knitting loom came in. Moreover, proper mills for creating woolen garments got ready soon enough. Eugene Rodier started the first-ever woolen factory. The setup’s purpose was to commercially create the textile. It started in the year 1853.

Knitting in Recent Times

Now coming to the 20th century. In this era, knitwear had become part of the mainstream industry. Knitted outfits were being used by the fashion industry. You know if an item comes in fashion then it becomes very popular around the world. A similar story happened with knitting and knitted garments. Moreover, the most famous brands of the world like ‘Chanel’ took it up. These fashion labels started creating fashionable, modern and sophisticated knitwear. These creations included jumpers, cardigans and jerseys. This launch officially brought knitwear to the market itself. Also, the elite started wearing it.

Slowly, this market penetrated to the middle and lower strata of the society too. Replicas of these outfits with their copies, inspired creations and mix-matched items arrived. Furthermore, the knitwear market started booming in this era for sure. Even till the present 21st century, knitwear continues to be popular. Moreover, both global and local fashion brands prefer to launch their items in knitwear. Along with being comfortable and stylish, people prefer knitwear because they are warm. It basically ticks all items in the list for everyone.

Popular Knitting Artists

Knitting is a time-consuming and slow process. It makes you sit, slow down, breath, think, and create. If you are looking for creative inspiration for knitting, then we recommend the following artists. Their work and knitting tips will certainly inspire you to re-create their designs:

Gaye Glasspie – @ggmadeit

She has a fondness for orange shades and fall colors. She started knitting when she got depressed. Also, it helped her come back to life. Her Instagram showcases colorful creations. She creates scarves, sweaters, and hats.

Black Girl Knit Club – @blackgirlknitclub

Kludje and Koranteng collectively founded this club in 2019. The purpose was to connect all black knitters under one online community. They use this platform to share knitting tips, tutorials, sales, and updates on knitting.

Alexandra Tavel – @twoofwands

Tavel launched her knitting brand in 2014. She decided to give a modern look to this art. Her days are spent knitting various items. Also, she creates handcrafted sweaters, scarves, and shawls. Moreover, her products are available on her online store. She even provides knitting kits and patterns. Thus, people can use them to create their own designs as well.

Jacqui Fink – @jacquifink

Coming from Sydney, Fink works with big needles and chunky yarn. She uses organic wool which is naturally dyed and high-grade. Moreover, she started her own company by the name of Little Dandelion, in 2015. It is an online store where you can find yarns and knitting needles to work with.

Andrea Mowry – @dreareneeknits

She has been displaying her knitwear since 2014 in London. Furthermore, she created her own online store by the name of Drea Renee Knits. On this platform, she offers knitting supplies and patterns to knit on. Moreover, her unique creations are regularly posted on her Instagram handle.

Home Body Fibers – @homebodyfibers

This particular brand is from Connecticut. They share their blogs with tips and techniques on knitting. Also, you can purchase their personalized creations too on their Etsy store. Moreover, they create all kinds of stuff like tea towels, sweaters, and jumpers. Also, you can use their patterns to recreate their items too.

Celebrities Who Knit as a Hobby

Did you know how many celebrities follow knitting tips and love the art of knitting? We are here to tell you all about them in this article. These big names include the following:

Julia Roberts

Yes, the famous American actress who has won so many prestigious awards! She knits to her heart’s content. Moreover, she even brought her needles and knitting wool to a red carpet event. Hence, this indicates how much she is fond of doing it!

David Arquette

The famous actor, wrestler, producer, writer, and director are also in love with knitting. He participated in a breast cancer awareness program. For that, he knitted a pink scarf and adorned it around his neck. Moreover, this gesture received appreciation from people around the world.

Amanda Seyfried

The famous actress loves to knit in her free time. Even when she is outside, she does not forget to bring her needles with her. She got photographed several times with her knitting needles.

Audrey Hepburn

Another famous artist is Audrey Hepburn. She used to bring her knitting wool and needles to her film set. During break hours, she used to sit and knit. Also, people have captured her doing knitting during the filming process of ‘The Unforgiven’.

George Lucas

The famous creator of Indiana Jones and Star Wars is also a big fan of knitting. He knits in public too. Also, people have seen him knitting in the morning at a Starbucks outlet while enjoying his coffee. How interesting!

Ryan Gosling

This famous actor has shared in his interviews that the best day for him is the day spent knitting. Moreover, he loves to do it in his free time. Also, he says he feels relaxed while doing this creative activity.

15 Easy Knitting Tips for Beginners

Now you may have this question in your mind about how knitting is actually done. Well, we have all the answers for you here. Moreover, the process of knitting is the process of creating knots and linking them together. This procedure is a continuous sequence of knots, which becomes a garment at the end. Every new loop and stitch secures the previous loop and stitch. Furthermore, this is how the knitwear stays strong and well-connected.

Knitting is a process that can be done manually or through a machine. The manual process is called hand-knitting. Two long and pointy needles are used for flat knitting. The needles are used for creating a linear and straight fabric. In this way, the created sheet is two-dimensional as a fabric. The loops and stitches are kept linear, symmetrical, and aligned. Also, this is done through knitting needles. They keep all knots in an aligned straight line as they are growing on the needle itself. Moreover, another type of knitting is called circular knitting. In this method, double-pointed type needles perform a role to create tube-shaped material. Both of these methods can be used to create a variety of patterns in the fabric.

Let’s talk about some knitting tips given by experts to enhance your skill.

Good Quality Material

Yarn is the centerplace here. You need to get good-quality yarn for your knitting projects every time. Thus, make a good choice here. Also, try to buy locally expensive yarn instead of cheap dollar store versions. Because cheap yarn will produce a cheap-looking item. So, your investment will produce better results.

Knit a Swatch

When following a particular pattern, you need to knit a particular gauge swatch. This will guide you to accurately create the project. Also, each pattern will have a defined gauge which you can use to match. Even if you are away from the pattern from even a half of an inch, it can create a haphazard pattern.

Hold the Yarn

You can get uneven patterns and stitches if you do not hold the yarn properly. Moreover, your yarn needs to be held with tension for creating a smooth fabric.

Same Size Stitches

Another thing that can ensure uniformity in your creation is the similar size of all the stitches. Wrap the yarn around the needle’s fat section, not the narrow side. Moreover, this will help in ensuring uniformity in the design.

Study the Pattern

For creating the perfect design, you need to study the design carefully. Follow these knitting tips to the mark. Think of the pattern as a code to follow. Moreover, understand why they are saying to do this. You will understand how to make the choices and then you can create your own patterns too.

Practice before Starting

A good warmup is always good! If the pattern has some unfamiliar techniques then you can try practicing it on scrap yarn. Furthermore, this will help you become comfortable with the new design and you will not waste the good-quality yearn. Moreover, create at least a 4 inch long pattern. You may repeat it again for more practice.

Read the Design

Try to figure out how the pattern is making sense, which stitches are being done where. This will help you effortlessly move your fingers. You will not have to think every time you are making a stitch.

Make Mistakes and Learn

It is okay to make mistakes, particularly if you are a newbie. Keep in mind that these mistakes will help you learn the art better. Moreover, you should know that every time you make a mistake you should observe it carefully. Furthermore, you should see where you went wrong so that you do not repeat the same mistake on your yarn again.

Keep a Watchout

Do not blindly continue to knit. Keep a careful eye on what you are creating. Check the row regularly and observe it for mistakes. Are there any weird stitches? Identify if something is not looking right.

Maintain Notes

Every time you start a new project, you should keep notes for yourself. Write all the information to keep a check. The things you should know here include the following:

Target of the Project
Material of Yarn
Brand of Yarn
Color of Yarn
Length of Yarn
Washing Instructions for the Yarn
Needle Size and Type
Pattern Being Followed
Modifications Made to the Pattern
Time of Starting the Project
Time of Ending of the Project
Things You Found New in the Pattern
The Things You Did Not Like About the Pattern
Things You May Want to Try Differently

Finishing the Row

It is really important to finish the row you have been working on before you take a break. If you leave it in the middle of a row, you will notice a difference in the tension. Moreover, it can ultimately become apparent in your final fabric.

Using Smart Fingers

Keep your fabric under control by the use of smart fingers. Press the first stitch with the left needle. Then keep the tension going by putting it up against the other needle. You can use the left hand’s middle finger for this purpose.

Keep Movements to a Minimum

The lesser you move, the tighter knit your fabric will be. Stitching movements need to be swift and small. This will make your work efficient too. You will get more things done in the minimum possible time.

Ripping is Learning

If you make mistakes, you can rip the entire yarn as well. All pros recommend that ripping is okay, as long as you are learning from that mistake. You can always unwind and start all over again.

Practice Without Looking

Your eyes may get tired with long staring at the fabric and needles. We recommend you familiarize yourself with the pattern. Try to do the work without looking much into it. This will help you in becoming better at your art. This knitting tip will help you do two things side by side. You may talk to others sitting with you, or you may watch a movie – anything is possible.

How to Make Money With Knitting?

Though knitting can be a hobby, it can be a career choice too. There are a variety of ways through which you can earn money via knitting. They are as follows:

Sell Items Online

There are numerous stores online, which can showcase your created items online. You can sell them through Etsy, Daraz, Blog or Facebook. All these platforms can effectively promote your items too.

Sell Items Offline

There will be many local stores that sell crafted items who will be willing to use your items. You can take your work to them and make a deal for yourself.

Sell Knitting Patterns

If you create a new pattern, even that pattern could be sold online.

Offer Tutorials/Courses

You can sell your knitting skills too. People would love to learn it from a good instructor. You can organize online or offline courses. People would register, pay and join. Through word of mouth, your classes will be promoted within weeks.

Offer Services

You can offer your particular knitting services to others too. For example, you can guide people in their knitting projects. Also, you can knit for textile companies. And, you can proofread others’ knitting patterns. You can provide knitting consultancy.

Create a Club

You can create an entire online community from your country. This community can share their ideas about knitting. You can share interesting ideas and create group meetings. This club can get together to create a business too!

Start Your Blog

You can regularly post your new creations online. You can either create a blog for yourself or post on instagram. These creations will help you establish the worth of your craft.

10 Basic Knitting Stitches

Here is a List of 10 Basic Knitting Stitches which anyone can easily create:

Knit Stitch
Bamboo Stitch
Stockinette Stitch
Basketweave Stitch
Garter Stitch
Seed Stitch
Netted Stitch
Linen Stitch
Herringbone Stitch
Tiles Stitch

You can easily find their visual tutorials online and knit along with the instructors. They are easy to learn and within minutes you will be able to knit them!

We hope this article helped you to learn knitting tips. It is a great hobby to adopt. You can create so many new and interesting things. Not only are these things useful but they can be given as precious gifts. Handmade things are always prized possessions. You can even start your own business once you get the hang of it. You have seen how people are earning a living through knitting. Even celebrities love to do some knitting too. Basically, it is a limitless art with thousands of possibilities. So jump into the bandwagon of knitting and start creating. Have a good time!