It’s official, you are cool – knitting and crocheting is back again, and not just for Granny! Pinterest and magazines are full of it! Everyone seems to be grabbing the wool and needles and getting in on the act. And who can blame them? There are so many positives it’s easy to see why people have welcomed the revival back with open arms.
Getting Started With Knitting
One of the best things I love about knitting is that it is so cheap and easy to get started and it can be fun for the whole family even if you’ve never done it before.
If you’re setting up for the first time then check with friends and family to see if they have any old knitting needles lying around that you can have and if not they’re not expensive, you can pick up a pair from Cosy Wool who have several different options available for under a fiver!
Once you have your needles sorted then it’s time to decide what you’re going to make. Knitting patterns come in all shapes and sizes and levels of difficulty so it’s easy to find something to suit your skill level whether you’re just starting out or you’re already a dab hand!
The final thing you need, of course, is the wool! I love picking out wools. Now-a-days there are so many different kinds to choose from and the colour choices are just lush! If you’re following a pattern then it will guide you to the type of wool you need and then you can have fun picking out your favourite shades. I’m like a kiddy in a candy shop when it comes to things like that!
If you like gadgets and are ready to move beyond the basics there are lots of other optional extras you can shop for too like row counters, looms and even knitting machines!
Knitting For Children
Knitting’s a great hobby for all ages. I’m actually putting together a knitting basket gift for my children because I think it’ll be a fun new craft for them to get involved with especially over the winter months when there’s less daylight time to play outdoors. I plan to make some simple Christmas items with them first, which should be fun! I like the look of these lovely free festive designs for the tree!
Knitting’s a fantastic life skill to teach the children and I’m sure they’ll think it’s wonderful that they can create things that are actually useful. Once they’ve grasped the basics I just know they’ll love creating little presents for friends and family too. Nothing beats a homemade gift does it?
Of course once you get the hang of knitting then the sky’s the limit and you can let your imagination run wild and create all sorts of brilliant designs. It’s a fabulously cheap hobby for the whole family too because once you’ve got the needles you only need to top up on wool.
If you’ve got any scraps of wool left over you can even put them to good use with other children’s crafts like our Wool Wrapped Vase.
Do you have any experience of knitting with your children? I’d love to hear how you got on.
(This post is in collaboration with Cosy Wool.)