Knitting

Knitting – let's take a look at this ever popular yarn craft - although some would call it a hobby!

Either way it’s decidedly addictive…

Gone are the days of boring styles and colours used only for winter warmth.

Thanks to new wool blends, cottons and funky yarns we can create anything we desire …. all year round. Cuddly wool for winter warmth…cottons, acrylics and exotic blends such as bamboo for summer knitting

Create unique items for yourself, your family, your home, your friends…

Here's your answer to why knit in this mass produced world?

Don’t know how to knit?

It's easy, just a few instructions, a little practice and you too can join the fun....use our free lessons.

You'll learn the basics of casting on, knit, purl, cast off (bind off), rib and some other fancy stitches along the way.

Once you have your beginner instructions take advantage of our beginner patterns and ideas to practice your new skills, then move onto the next skill level - easy patterns

From there the sky's the limit: purses, knit-to-felt bags and totes, hats, scarves, socks, even dress your (or your children's teddy bears) just try every new idea and pattern you can find.

It won't be long before you find your particular niche...my sister's niches are socks, gloves, hats and bear wear.

My passion is for scarves purses, bags and totes - knitted and knit-to felt.

Find you niche, practice, move past the basics, become "good" at your craft and you won't be able to keep up with demand - family, friends, work colleagues will all put their hands up....

Now if you haven't created anything - ever - and if choosing a pattern, needles and wool or yarn all seems a little daunting - buy a kit to begin with.

Kits are great way to join in the fun if you don't already have a yarn stash, they are readily available from a wide variety of sources - online kits can be rather expensive but - look around in your chain stores, many have really good and very economic kits. Pop into our about kits page and learn more about this quick and easy way to begin your new craft.

Once you've completed your project gain the professional finish - wash and block your finished piece.

Learn the best methods to wash your creation - you don't want to spoil your handiwork by stretching or shrinking it at this stage.(unless you're felting in which case pop into our "felted bags" section - you'll learn all about felting your finished bag.

Find out how to give a professional look to your creations by learning how to block hand-knitting.

Not quite ready for "the sticks" but want some fun with yarn?

Discover crone-findlay spool-knitting (Note : a new window will open for crone-findlay, close it to return to this page. If your pop-up stopper won't allow the window to open, hold down your Ctrl key and click the link again.)

Spool or french-knitting will probably bring back memories from your childhood - remember the cotton reel with 4 nails in the top you used to make a snake, or a coaster for your mother…..this is the adult version.

But don’t write technique off as only a kid's craft…we frequently use french-knitting to make handles for our purses and bags they're a fun alternative to dpn i-cording

Speaking of bags….if you’re more experienced you’ll enjoy our patterns for purses, bags, handbags and totes.

You’ll find both quick and easy and more challenging designs ready and waiting for you as you move past the knitting-basics.

Why bother to knit a purse or bag?

It’s a perfect accessory to show your individual style to the world. How often have you bought a new outfit only to find you don’t have a bag or purse to compliment it? Those days are gone….with an abundance of yarns and colours readily available you’re bound to find the perfect pattern.

Once you’ve completed your creation, give it the professional finish it deserves by using our how-to block purse, bag or tote.

Experienced? Our patterns page is the page to visit if you know what category of pattern you're looking for, from there it's one click to see photographs of the patterns we've currently listed.

All our patterns give you explicit do-able instructions – we don’t expect you to guess or figure these out for yourself - as so often happens.

Each pattern details materials required for successful completion. We include relevant Australian and international yarns, accessories, online and off-line suppliers.

If you take a good look around you're bound to find a pattern or technique such as mastering the art of attached or applied i-cord to neaten your edges and other techniques you may not have tried yet, we'll take you far beyond the basics - if you wish.

Us our questions section to find all those answers you've been looking for.

And please remember we give knitting helpand support for all our patterns

To top of this knitting page.

Return to HoughtonAvenue yarn craft ideas home page