Sunday 30 June 2019

Loom Knitting ~ Another craft to learn

Do you remember the old cotton reels with four nails in the top that we used to use many years ago to do French Knitting? Well, recently I saw a friend's post on Instagram where she showed the gorgeous beanies she has been knitting on a loom. I didn't even realise the looms could be used for that purpose.



So I asked Jane if she would mind sending me some photos of her beanies as I thought I would do a blog post about loom knitting in case there were others out there who hadn't heard of it either. Here are a few samples of her work.




The Knitting Loom kits are available in Australia from Spotlight. I bought mine in store for $20 but I noticed that they are on sale online at the moment for $14. I am not sure if they are on special if you go into the store though but if you are interested in buying a kit it would be a good time to find out. There are four looms in the kit but I have the yellow one in use at the moment so it is not included in the above photo.






 Here is another beanie Jane was working on recently. She uses the yellow loom for a small adult and the red one for someone with a larger head. The green loom fits a three year old child and I think the really small one would fit a baby.




She has also knitted socks. 




I didn't realise these looms were so versatile.




This is my first beanie with the brim just finished. There are a lot of YouTube tutorials to watch which are suitable for beginners like myself. It seems to be the norm to use two strands of yarn unless you are using chunky yarn to start off with. 

I hope to be able to knit up a few beanies to give to charities as I certainly don't need any for myself as I already have two and rarely wear them except when it is extremely cold and windy but normally our winter days are cool in the morning and sunny during the day and a beanie isn't needed. 

I have my new PC back and it has been checked to see if it was hacked but it is okay and the tech guy said he tightened up the security on it. Really? I had paid for the computer to be set up ready to go but he said the blue screen was a problem that comes with Windows 10 and had nothing to do with the antivirus program which cost the earth and also that perhaps some of the software updates hadn't been completed as their WiFi is really bad. He also couldn't guarantee it wouldn't happen again.  Hmmm! I wasn't happy but what can you do and now I just hope that I don't get any more blue screens that shut my computer down. 

Technology :-( You just have to live with it these days unfortunately. 








13 comments:

  1. I have a set of the looms too but have to admit that I tried them when I first got them and haven't touched them since.

    Maybe I need to get my act together

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  2. Yvonne, I hope I don't give up too quickly as I often do and go on to the next craft 😄

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  3. How clever is that, looms, not something I will trying out anytime soon. I need a new PC keep putting it off, don't want to use Windows 10, but one day this one is not going to boot up and then where will I be.

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  4. Deb, the loom knitting is so much easier for me than using needles. No I didn't want Windows 10 either but ended up with no choice when my old PC wouldn't boot up. I much preferred Windows 7.

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  5. When I was a kid, I had one of those wooden ones, shaped like a doll. I didn't know they had upped their game in the loom department though. Your friend is very talented.

    If you wanted to Chel, you could use the smallest loom to knit beanies in appropriate yarn, for the newborns at Toowoomba Base Special Care Nursery. They have a box there, for mothers to sort through for their babies. Some people knit booties and cardigans too. Both my kids spent time in the Special Care Nursery, which is why I know about it. :)

    The "Windows Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) is a known issue with Windows 10. Googling it, will help you to learn more. Briefly though, it's a clash of apps causing the system to shutdown. Rebooting into Safe Mode, can get your computer working again without it shutting down, but won't solve the crash issue in normal mode. But here's hoping you won't have any more issues now. :)

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    Replies
    1. Chris, I intend to make some baby beanies. Thanks for letting me know about the mums at the hospital needing them. I do hope the PC will be okay now. I really don't like Windows 10 :-(

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  6. I know a lot of people in Knit 4 Charities use a loom for beanies, but I didn't know they made socks too.....live and learn. Look forward to seeing your finished beanies. Glad you're back on the web again, I don't want to have to change to W10 either.

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    1. Nanette, I am on my third beanie so far. I will use up the yarn I bought then will check out Vinnies as I now have a fair idea of how much yarn the beanies take up.

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  7. Ooh speedy! Don't forget to show us :)

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  8. my sister sent me one of those kits up too, have made one small beanie so far but when i first started with it i used the recommended 8ply, was not happy with it so went & found some thicker wool, which is the completed beanie, which i did on the green loom, child size; am not overly fussed on it as it makes a very loose weave & in extremely cold weather you need a tight weave, that's just my opinion; have cast on again using another thick yarn doubled on the yellow loom; these beanies will do for the charity knits for now. normal knitting has become quite slow & a little painful when trying to do for several hours, so i swap over to using the loom.
    your friends beanies & socks look great
    thanx for sharing

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  9. Selina, it seems to be the norm to use two strands which I have done after using one strand didn't look too good. I find the loom easier to use than the needles.

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  10. Perhaps I should give the loom knitting a go, as I find knitting with needles a bit challenging at times.I think it would be easier to use in the warmer weather too.So pleased for you that your computer is now working Chel. It is all so frustrating at times.

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  11. Wow I didn't realise French Knitting had moved up from the four nails in a cotton reel that we used as kids. These look great.

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