The word ‘loom’ might conjure up images of the Industrial Revolution, with workers slaving over large devices to make cloth, but loom knitting actually means creating something out of wool without using needles.
Craft looms
A loom used by crafters is a handheld board, made of wood or plastic, with pegs on which the wool is weaved. Looms offer an easy and quick way of making knitted items and are so easy that even a child can do it. This makes looms a great introduction to knitting, as they can see the item forming in just a few steps.
This is not to say they are only for younger knitters, as looms can also be used to create more intricate designs for those with more experience. For someone who struggles with needles, using a loom is easier on the fingers and quicker.
According to craft magazine Prima knitting with a loom is satisfying and speedy.
You can buy loom knitting kits from craft shops or online, and there are lots available. If you buy knitting kits from Wool Couture or another stockist, all you need to do is pick a project and your favourite colour yarn and get started. Most kits come with a hook to lift the yarn loops over the pegs.
Types of loom
Looms for knitting come in all shapes and sizes and can also be called knitting frames, rakes, and boards. Most have a certain number of pegs, but there are some that you can adjust to suit your project. Larger-spaced pegs are good for bulky knits, while thinner pegs are good for tighter or finer knitting. Each peg holds one stitch, but you don’t need to use each one.
What you can make
With knitting kits, there is a huge choice of things to create ranging from cute little keyrings and brooches to more elaborate scarves and blankets. For a larger piece, you will need a large number of pegs on the loom. You will see that these are shaped like a figure of eight or a large letter S.
