Tips On Choosing The Right Chrochet Thread

by

Dorothy Kimble –

Crochet is a popular hobby in the United States and the world over with an estimated 10 million crochet enthusiasts. It is perhaps because it is so gratifying to create something new and beautiful from a ball of thread. The color, type, and quality of the crochet thread you use can make or break your creation so it is important to understand the types of crochet thread and their intended uses.

Below are a few tips to help you choose the correct crochet thread for your project. Determine the material the thread is made of. Cotton crochet thread is the most popular and durable type of thread. It washes up easily without shrinkage and is easy to work with. Synthetic threads on the other hand are pretty to look at but difficult to work with and need special precautions to clean. Determine the type of crochet thread. There are five classifications of crochet thread. They are: worsted weight, baby or fingering, bulky, sport, and chunky. Each type has its own weight or thickness with fingering being the lightest. The term ‘ply’ on the label indicates the strands of thread that create the yarn for example two ply thread has two strands entwined and three ply has three strands entwined. Look for beginner’s thread. If you are new to crochet, it is advised to start off with beginner’s thread so you learn to crochet properly and don’t run into difficulty due to the type of thread you are trying to learn on. In general, the bigger the size of the thread, the better and easier it is to crochet with. So a crochet beginner should start with a large size thread. When you are ready to enhance your skill, then switch to finer types of thread. Choose the ideal thread for your project. Once you have mastered the steps of crochet, it is time to advance to lighter weight threads. Your projects will appear more refined and skilled due to the intricate thread used. Always have extra thread on hand. You never know when something will happen or you misjudge the amount of thread you need and you find yourself out of thread before you complete the project. Not only is it inconvenient to have to go out and shop for more thread, but you run the risk of not being able to match the color. When buying colored thread you should always match the dye lot. Different dye lots will have slightly different color tones and it might be enough to ruin the final look of your piece. You can avoid that problem all together by buying an extra ball at the onset. The exception is for white thread which should always match in color. Don’t go for the cheap thread. It is tempting to want to save money on thread, but it can ruin your piece if you use the cheap stuff. The appearance will suffer and it will not hold up to wear and washing as well. Remember when shopping for crochet supplies that crochet thread is an integral part of your finished piece so care should be taken to get high quality thread that is appropriate for your skill level and the project you are working on.

Dorothy Kimble is a staff writer at

Crafts Digest

and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including

Recreation Digest

.

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Tips On Choosing The Right Chrochet Thread

Try Loom Knitting with a Knifty Knitter

by

Franklin Matson

Loom Knitting is an enjoyable hobby.If you are looking for a hobby,try loom knitting. The looms can be used to make many nice projects for you or for wonderful gifts. People who have carpal tunnel and arthritis will find loom knitting much easier on their hands than many other hobbies.

People have used knitting looms for thousands of years. Loom knitting has become popular in the last few years. The Knifty Knitter has been very prominent in the rediscovery of the art. The company which produces the Knifty Knitter is Provocraft. They are an excellent economical way to start loom knitting. Knifty Knitters are sold at most stores that carry craft supplies. You can purchase the looms on the internet or at local stores that sell craft supplies. Knifty Knitters come in different types ,the round looms can be purchased singly or in a set of various sizes. The Knifty Knitter long looms are sold either individually or as a set. Many small projects can be made on the small flower loom. I got interested in loom knitting with the Knifty Knitters when I saw them demonstrated at a local craft store. She had a lovely shawl to match her daughter’s prom gown and matching flip flops she had embellished with edging made on the Knifty knitter. A number of other loom knitted projects were also available to show the items that can be created on the Knifty Knitters. The demo sold me on a new hobby, loom knitting here I come. I didn’t leave the stores without the round looms. Hats are the easiest to start out with. That evening I made my first loom knitted project, a hat. Getting started on loom knitting is easy , all you need is two skeins and a loom. If you like ,you can use two different colors. For a more unique look you can choose a novelty yarn as one of the skeins. When you see how easy and fast the Knifty Knitter projects work up you will move on to more unique items. Several good books have been written for the knitting looms,and many of the patterns can be done on the Knifty Knitter. Provocraft has a website which offers tips and also has some patterns, you can also find free patterns at several loom knitting sites. I am glad I happened upon the Knifty Knitter demonstration, loom knitting has become one of the crafts I like to do most. It is actually quite simple to learn how to loom knit. Loom knitting videos are possibly the best way to learn. Fun hobbies

are what http://www.funhobbyvideos.com/ is about. You will find all sorts of

Knifty Knitter patterns

there.

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Try Loom Knitting with a Knifty Knitter