Knitting Yarns - Get Started Spinning Your Own Yarn for Craft Projects

Get Started Spinning Your Own Yarn for Craft Projects

Any knitter can vouch for the importance of a good yarn. It makes projects turn out better and gives them the desired weight and texture. There are lots of yarn options out there, but what if you can't find one that suits you perfectly? Well, you could spin your own.

Spinning yarn is not a complicated process. You can do it with a spinning wheel or a drop spindle. Spinning wheels are larger, quicker and more expensive, while using a drop spindle is slower, but they are smaller and cheaper.

Both do a fine job at creating yarn, so which one is best for you will depend on your budget and preferences.

One other advantage of drop spindles is that with a little practice and a good set of instructions, you can often figure them out on your own. Spinning wheels, on the other hand, require a great deal of coordination and concentration, especially when you're starting out. If you have trouble, spinning classes are available in most areas.

Selecting and Preparing Your Fiber

Besides your spinning wheel or drop spindle, you'll need some fiber. Wool is generally regarded as the best fiber to start out with. You can find it in craft stores, on eBay, or from online craft suppliers. These places often sell wool that has already been carded, which means that all knots have been worked out and it's ready to use.

Fiber that comes straight from the animal will need to be washed first. Dishwashing liquid and hot water should get it nice and clean. The wool should not be agitated, just soaked in the water and dish soap for about 30 minutes. After that, add some cold water, let it soak again, then remove and press the water out without rubbing the fleece together.

If you use fiber that you've gotten straight from the animal or buy fiber that hasn't been carded, you'll need to card it before you begin. This can be accomplished most easily with an electric carding machine. Paddle carders require more work on your part, but they are less expensive and work just fine.

Time to Start Spinning

Once you've prepared your wool, you can start learning how to spin it. There is a learning curve with either method, but once you've gotten the hang of it, it's like second nature. If you'd like to get a feel for things before spinning from scratch, you could spin two yarns together to create plied yarn.

Spinning yarn is an age-old process, and one that is mostly done in factories these days. But doing your own spinning can be quite rewarding. It allows you complete control over your yarn, making your finished products turn out better. Why not give it a try?

For easy and fun knitting projects, have a look at Knitting Essentials

Easy Knitting Projects - Knitting Machines

The Pros and Cons of Using a Knitting Machine

Even though knitting has become popular again, knitting with a knitting machine is still a viable option. The imaginative use of a knitting machine can produce lovely end products.

Hand knitting is believed to have originated prior to the eleventh century. References to knitting in historic literature, as well as knitted artifacts, have been found in Europe, Egypt, and other locations around the world. The first primitive knitting machines began to appear just prior to the Industrial Revolution.

Knitting machines have evolved tremendously over the years. Once requiring the operator to do most of the work, many of today's machines are computerized and motorized. Here are some of the pros and cons of knitting machines.

The Pros Of A Knitting Machine:

• A knitting machine makes knitting much faster. A piece that would take days to do by hand can be completed on a machine in no time. This is especially beneficial for those who sell their knit items, because they can produce more products in less time.
• Pieces that are knitted by machine tend to be more uniform than those that are hand knitted. The machine's tension provides a nice, even texture that even the most experienced knitters are hard pressed to replicate.
• Motorized knitting machines are good for those with arthritis and similar ailments. They greatly reduce the need to use one's hands, allowing those who physically cannot knit by hand to create knitted items.

The Cons Of a Knitting Machine:

• There are certain stitches that knitting machines do not do well. These must be done by hand for maximum quality, so if a piece contains a large number of such stitches, it might make more sense to knit it by hand.
• Each knitting machine is designed to work with a specific type of yarn. The needles are set according to which type is to be used. So if you want to work with a different type of yarn, you can't use your machine to do it.
• Knitting machines are rather expensive. So unless you're going to use one fairly frequently, it may not be worth the price.
• You can't really take a knitting machine with you like you can hand knitting. It must be clamped to a table, so when you're knitting by machine, you're confined to a certain area.
• Like any other machine, a knitting machine is subject to errors. They can jam, parts can break, and things can just go wrong in general. These are things you don't have to worry about when hand knitting.

Many knitters combine machine knitting with hand knitting to get the desired results. They use the machine to do pieces such as backs and sleeves that are made completely of stockinette, and do the more complex parts by hand. This allows them to get the finished product done much faster without making extensive adjustments to the machine.

Using a knitting machine has its advantages and disadvantages. If you're knitting as a hobby, whether or not to use a machine is a matter of your own preferences. Both machine knitting and hand knitting can produce lovely pieces.

Knitting Essentials

Practice and Perfect Your Knitting Skills with “Knitting Essentials”

You’ll learn:

• How to master the eight elemental moves of knitting
• How to decipher knitting patterns
• How to fix common knitting mistakes
• How to get started on knitting projects
• How to understand knitting abbreviations
• And much, much more!

Do go and have a look. Knitting Essentials is downloadable instantly. You can start knitting in minutes!

Knitting Essentials

Fun Easy Crafts: Lamb's Pride Yarns

Fun Easy Crafts: Lamb's Pride Yarns

Knitting is becoming very popular as one of the fun easy crafts. It is not only "Grannies" that are knitting any more. So, because knitting has become one of the fun easy crafts, here is some information about yarn, an essential part of knitting!

Using the right yarn is crucial to any knitting project. It can truly make or break your blanket, sweater, scarf, or any other project. Sure, you can find low prices in any department store, but if you're looking for quality, chances are those off-brands just won't cut it.


Lamb's Pride wool yarns offer high quality at prices that won't bust your budget. They're available in two weights: Worsted and Bulky.

1. Lamb's Pride Worsted

Worsted is a single ply yarn that comes in a wide variety of colors. It's great for felting, and produces a nice, refined look. It's designed to have good stitch definition, so it's great for projects which require that, such as rugs, blankets and cable knit sweaters. It is also resistant to splitting and knotting, making knitting much easier.

2. Lamb's Pride Bulky

The Bulky yarn has a small amount of mohair mixed in, which produces a greater thickness. Also available in lots of colors, it works well for hats and mittens. Its texture tends to get fuzzier with time, and some knitters (and wearers) do not like that. But its heavy weight makes it ideal for clothing to be worn in the coldest of weather.

Lamb's Pride yarns are recyclable, making them a great choice for the environmentally conscious knitter. They're also made in the United States, so American knitters can be assured that they're supporting their nation's economy when they buy them. These facts, combined with Lamb's Pride's great quality and large selection of colors, make it a great choice for many projects.

For more knitting tips and ideas go to: Knitting Essentials you will find all the help you need in this e-book. It is well worth a visit. Go to: Knitting Essentials