Why You Must Subscribe To Knitting Magazines (and the best ones)

Creative Knitting MagazineKnitting magazines are a great way to learn more about the world of knitting. Like any other magazines focused on crafting, there are a variety of topics covered that are of special interest to knitters. Regardless of your experience level with knitting or other fiber crafts, reading magazines about the craft can inspire and teach you. You can find information in these magazines that you’ve never learned, such as tips and tricks, brand new patterns, fun new product reviews, and many more. If you’ve never subscribed to a magazine dedicated to knitters, you may want to consider adding one or two to your monthly reading list, just for fun.

Why Knitters Love Magazines

If you’ve never perused a magazine for knitters before, you don’t know what you’re missing. Whether you are a brand new knitter or have been knitting for years, there is something for everyone in these magazines. Some benefits to reading these magazines include:

• Find out about new yarns
• Find new beginner and advanced knitting patterns
• Find specific knitting machine patterns
• Read about knitting designers
• Read articles about other fiber arts such as spinning or dying
• Find businesses that sell interesting findings such as buttons, zippers, appliqués, and other fun additions to knitting.

In addition to finding this information, most of these magazines come out either monthly or seasonally, so you’ll get plenty of new information throughout the year. As with fashion magazines, craft magazines, or even store catalogues, knitting magazines focus on seasonal appropriate themes. This means that around the holidays you may find patterns for knitting Christmas stockings or a tree skirt. In the summer you might find some cool projects you never thought to knit during the summer, or you may get a sneak peak at fall trends. There are so many fun things to read about in these magazines; you’ll find plenty of inspiration for your next project there.

Vogue KnittingThe Most Popular Knitting Magazines…

If you go to your local craft store or yarn store, you’ll probably find yourself bombarded with a large variety of fiber arts magazines. It may be hard to decide which magazine you want to try. When you’re in doubt about it, the best bet is to pick up one of the top sellers. Some top selling magazines for knitters are Creative Knitting Magazine, Vogue Knitting, and Knit ‘n’ Style. These magazines have proven themselves time and time again to have the best articles, patterns, information, and advertisements according to seasoned knitters. Perhaps picking up one of these magazines would be a great place to start!

Creative Knitting Magazine is one of the most popular magazines among knitters. Their tagline “Knits with a Timeless Twist,” describes their content perfectly. In this magazine, you will find creative knitting patterns, tutorials, tips and tricks, and seasonal projects in each issue.

Vogue Knitting, another popular magazine among yarn addicts boasts a 30 year reputation among knitters. Their loyal followers love the free patterns, discount codes, how-to’s, and product previews available between the covers.

Knit ‘n’ Style, which claims to be “Real Fashion for Real Knitters,” is not your grandma’s magazine. If you pick up this magazine at the newsstand, you’ll find some great information on hand-dyed yarns and even articles discussing yarn bombing and offering inspiration on the subject! They also have both knit and crochet patterns to offer to a variety of readers. If you’re a young knitter looking for more unique content, this magazine is the one for you.

There are many great knitting magazines available today. If these three don’t capture your interest, there are plenty of other options available. Perhaps you should try picking up one with an interesting cover and see how you like it!

Knitting is a craft that you can easily dive into and want to learn more about. If you love knitting and want some new inspiration for your next project, you may just find it in a new magazine. You can find tutorials, free patterns, knitting accessories, and information on a variety of fiber-related topics by simply opening the cover to one of these magazines. If you haven’t checked out a knitting magazine yet, you should consider it.

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How to Use Knitting Fabrics

Knitting FabricsKnitting fabrics are a great alternative to woven fabrics, especially when making winter clothes and accessories. While you can create hats, sweaters, socks, and other knit goods by knitting them on needles, many companies use knit fabrics and sew up the clothing instead. Regardless of how the garment is made, it basically looks the same, and these garments are very popular for a variety of goods. If you have seen some great knit fabrics in the store that capture your attention, maybe you want to know what you can make with them, or maybe you want to know how to use them. Either way, continue reading for plenty of ideas and instructions on using these fabrics.

Garments Made with Knitting Fabrics

There are many garments that work really well made with knit fabrics. Some advantages to using knit fabric in your garments include:

• Better drape
• More stretch in the fabric
• Better resistance to tearing
How to Knit IncreasesUse Knitting Fabrics

If you’re considering using a fabric that is knit to complete a project, some garments that are ideal include sweaters, scarves, hats, slippers, leg warmers, socks, ear warmers, mittens, and just about anything else that could also be made with knitting.

While knit fabrics are usually made out of wool, they can also be made out of cotton, acrylic, bamboo, or a blend of several types of fiber. Each type of fiber will result in a different look, making them ideal for different types of projects. However, due to the thickness and warmth of most knit fabric, it is best used for garments to be worn in cooler weather. The only real exception to this is if the fabric is made from a thin cotton fiber, it may be breathable enough for warmer weather. It is all a personal preference.

How to Use Knitting Fabric

If you’ve bought fabric that’s already knit in a store and you are unsure how to use it, that’s understandable. After all, it’s pretty common knowledge that if you cut a garment that has been knit, it will unravel pretty quickly. However, the difference between machine made knit fabric and knitting done by hand is that the machine made knit fabric is made with a different strand of yarn for each needle, which makes it much harder to unravel than traditional knitting.

So, knowing that it is less likely to unravel, you can easily cut through commercial knitting fabric and sew it into a garment without worrying. The only thing to take into consideration when doing this is the thickness of the fabric. You need to make sure that your sewing machine and thread are adequate to form a strong enough seam in your work that it doesn’t snap easily.

How to Make Your Own Fabric

Many DIY crafters prefer to make things themselves rather than buying it in a store. If you want to make knit garments without purchasing fabric from the craft store, you can make it yourself.

Creating knit fabric can be as simple as casting on your stitches and knitting on regular knitting needles. It will take considerably more time to do it this way, but it is possible.

Another option if you don’t want to learn to knit is to purchase a knitting machine made for individual use. These are not as big or expensive as the knitting machines used by big companies. There is a learning curve but once you’ve figured it out, you’ll be able to make your own knitting fabric in no time at all.

Knit goods are all the rage these days. Everyone wants a nice knit sweater or hat. However, hand-knit goods can be costly, and not everyone has the budget for these items. If you want a sweater or other garment that has that nice knit look without breaking the bank, consider making something yourself the old fashioned way. If you don’t know how to knit, or don’t have the time to learn, you can also consider using fabric from the store and a sewing machine. With commercial knitting fabric, you can save time, money, and frustration. The best part is that the end result will still be a beautiful knit garment that you made yourself!

What to Find in a Knitting Kit

Beginners Knitting KitsThere are many different types of knitting kits available on the market today, to suit many different purposes. You may be wondering why you might need one, and if you’ve been knitting for a number of years, you probably don’t. However, while many of these kits are intended for newer knitters, there are sets available for everyone. Whether you are learning the craft for the first time, getting ready for a big trip, or picking up a gift for a crafty friend of yours, there are many reasons to purchase a knitting kit. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can find the kit to meet your needs at most craft stores or online. Here are some of the most common kits that can be found in stores.

Beginners Knitting Kits

There are many kits available for beginning knitters. These are designed for people who haven’t bought any needles, yarn, or patterns, and don’t know what to buy. Usually there is a pattern for a beginners knitting project included as well, so these make a great gift for a crafty friend that’s expressed an interest in knitting. It’s also a great purchase if you want to learn to knit and don’t have anyone to teach you and show you what to buy! These kits may include some of the following:

• Balls of yarn
• Simple pattern and instructions
• Knitting needles
• Project bag

Luxury Needle Kits

While an experienced knitter will most likely have every size needle that they possibly need, there are also luxury needle kits available. These kits include all of the most common sizes of needles all in one medium. You can find them in expensive materials, with ergonomic handles, or fancy carrying cases. These kits make great gifts for a knitting friend, of for a knitter that just wants a nice upgrade.

Knitting To-Go

The best thing about knitting is that it gives you something to do instead of just sit still. This makes it a great craft for long plane rides, but the rules on planes are so strict these days that it’s hard to know what is allowed in your carry on and what isn’t. If you purchase a knitting travel kit that is TSA approved, you can rest assured that it will be allowed on the plane, offering you something productive to do during your flight.

best thing about knitting

These travel knitting kits include:

• Small tape measure
• Stitch markers
• Thread cutter or point protected scissors
• Crochet hook
• Darning needle

With one of these travel kits, you just need to add your set of needles and a skein of yarn and you’ll be all set to knit on the plane.

Knitting Loom Kits

Knitting looms are another popular knitting craft, especially with children and new knitters. Many people never learn to knit with needles because they enjoy knitting looms so much. In fact, if you have enough practice, you can make just about anything on a knitting loom that you can with needles. Many knitters even claim that it is much faster than knitting on needles. If you want to try your hand at knitting on a loom, you won’t have a hard time finding a kit with everything you need to start.

Knitting loom kits come in different types. You may be looking for a loom kit that has all of the basic looms you will need to finish a variety of projects. However, maybe you just want to try one project and see how you like it. In that case you’ll want to find a learning kit that includes a loom, instructions, a simple pattern, and possibly some yarn. If it doesn’t have yarn included, don’t fret. Usually these kits are located very close to the yarn section in most craft stores!

Knitting is a very social and relaxing activity. Whether you are just learning the craft yourself or you are hoping to get a friend interested, there are knitting kits to fit every need! Experienced knitters may be interested in a kit of high-end knitting needles and accessories; new knitters might just want the materials they need to finish their first project. Whatever knitting need you have, you can find a kit for you. Check your local craft store or yarn shop today to see what kinds of knitting kits they offer that might interest you.

My Favorite Websites for Knitting Help

Knitting helpWhile knitting is an age-old craft, there are many people today that struggle to find reliable knitting help when they first start out. Even if you know someone personally that can knit, not everyone has the ability to successfully teach the skill to a new knitter! Luckily, we live in a day and age where everything we need can be found on the internet. If you find yourself struggling through knitting techniques, there are plenty of websites available that offer a wide array of knitting help. Read on to find out some of my favorite knitting websites offering help for new and experienced knitters alike.

Top Knitting Websites to Add to Your Favorites

Today there are so many options when it comes to anything on the internet. There is no shortage of websites offering knitting help, but some websites are better than others when it comes to teaching new techniques. There are some very popular sites that have been around for a long time and have a loyal following. These websites are a great place to start for dependable knitting help.

One of the most popular knitting websites available is knittinghelp.com. On this website, you can find help in the form of video tutorials, community forums, advanced tutorials, free patterns, and a great knitting glossary. There is something for knitters of every skill level on this website, which makes it a popular stop for many knitters.

Another popular website that offers help for both crocheting and knitting is knitwitch.com. This website is famous for their great video tutorials on YouTube and their unique patterns. You can even buy knitting supplies here, which makes it a one-stop-shop for everything related to knitting and crocheting.

Ravelry.com is another great knit and crochet community. Membership is completely free, although some of the patterns available on the site are for purchase. These patterns are designed and published by members of the community, which means that when you purchase patterns on Ravelry, you are supporting another member of their community. This site also boasts an extremely tight-knit community with groups designed to help just about everyone. Some examples of the groups you can find on Ravelry include:

• Groups for knitting help
• Groups for knitters with children
• Groups for pattern designers
• Groups for beginners
• Groups for self-taught knitters

General knitting Tips

Ravelry is another website that has everything a knitter may need. You can ask advice, make friends with fellow knitters, find the perfect pattern, browse and buy yarn or other knitting and crocheting supplies, or even purchase novelty items such as coffee mugs, project bags, sweaters, and other products designed by members of the community.

Find Knitting Help in Your Community

If you don’t like the idea of getting help with your knitting online, you may have some options right in your community. There are many knitters that advertise that they can teach lessons that you may want to look into. However, going with a professional knitting teacher, you’ll have to expect to pay out of pocket to learn their tricks and tips. Some options that may be available in your community may include:

• Knitting groups that meet on a weekly or bi-weekly basis
• Knitting classes offered through your local yarn or craft store
• Knitting lessons offered by individuals

These are all options available locally for those looking for knitting help. However, if you aren’t willing to pay for your lessons, you will most likely have to deal with unpredictable results.

If you want to learn to knit on your own time without spending a lot of money, your best bet is to learn through one of these online websites. Experienced knitters hoping to help others develop their crafts run these sites, which means that you’ll get advice from others that started out where you are now. Everyone teaching on these websites started out not knowing how to hold their needles, either, so they are a great place to start. There are plenty of online options available for knitting help, but the three websites listed here in this article have all been around for a very long time and have a large, loyal following. Online tutorials and videos are a great place to start for knitting help, whether you are a beginner or have been knitting for a long time.