Creative hobbies for creative students: knitting and crocheting
It is pleasant when a hobby brings not only joy but also benefit. Knitting is such a convenient hobby for students in every sense. With knitting needles, a hook, and a sufficient amount of yarn in your arsenal, you will no longer be left without warm socks in the cold winter. As a student, I preferred to write my paper after relaxing with some knitting.
How can a student learn to knit?
As you know, any skill instilled from childhood stays with us for life. Therefore, the real lucky ones are those who were taught to knit by their mother or grandmother. They certainly won’t have to wade through the wilds of masterclasses, getting tangled in threads and clinging to the wrong loops with a hook.
But if you are unlucky in this sense, and the desire to learn to knit does not leave, you can turn to the following free ways to master the technique.
Masterclasses on Youtube
A huge number of knitting grandmothers, mothers, and very young girls offer their help in mastering the craft. You will be surprised, but there are even men among them!
Knitting blogs on Instagram
Most often, those who shoot videos for Youtube also have their page in one of the popular social media. Among the posts, you can find free product descriptions, tips on how to choose a tool or yarn, as well as interesting ideas, and inspiring photos.
Knitting books and magazines
With their help, it will be quite difficult to master the technique of a set of loops and the basic elements of knitting, but it is quite possible to spy on the schemes of new patterns and improve the skill.
By the way, it is not necessary to buy them. You can find pdf versions on the Internet or look into the nearest library. People often refer to old publications there, among which there will be magazines about needlework from both Soviet times and fairly modern ones.
Here are the most famous:
- Burda Knitting.
- Verena.
- Sabrina.
Just don’t think that others don’t exist. An interesting and suitable model can be found in any, even in the most unpopular publication. Just scroll through and see the pictures.
Sites about needlework
The most convenient and useful, perhaps, is the website from Verena magazine. There are lessons for beginners and knitting patterns for all age categories.
Knitting courses for students
If you still have a little extra money, you can look for knitting courses. It’s paid, but it’s very effective and fun. This method of mastering has huge advantages.
The teacher will sort everything out on the shelves and demonstrate each loop if something does not work out.
The environment of the same as you, inspired by the knitting process, is very inspiring and has a positive effect on the mood. Just think how many new friends and like-minded women will appear!
Your Saturdays and Sundays spent on the courses will make any, even the harshest winter, warm and sincere.
What is necessary for knitting
Threads
In addition to inspiration, there are a lot of interesting and necessary things:
The spokes themselves. If you look into a store where everything for needlework is sold, you can faint from the variety … and prices. You can order a set on Aliexpress for 10 dollars. This will be quite enough for the first time, believe me. The set will have knitting needles of several sizes at once, so you can choose any depending on the thickness of the yarn. They can be steel, bamboo, plastic. Circular spokes with a fishing line are very convenient. They can be used not only for knitting hats and socks. When buying, pay attention to the length of the fishing line. It is better if you have several sizes at once.
Auxiliary knitting needles for knitting braids. You will need them if you want to master more complex patterns. These are such curved spokes in the middle, allowing you not to lose the thrown loops. Of course, you can replace them with a simple hairpin, but it is much more convenient to work with a knitting needle.
Markers. These are such cute things for marking knitting. They are needed not only for beginners but also for experienced knitters. You can choose absolutely any design: in the form of hearts, stars, butterflies, and anyone else. There are markers for knitting mere pennies, but if there are none, it is quite possible to do with simple safety pins.
Yarn. Which one you will not meet today. A good yarn costs a decent amount of money, but do not rush to spend money on natural wool. Today, a very good quality acrylic is on sale, with which, unlike wool, nothing will happen when washing in the car. It will be a pity to spoil expensive yarn, and a penny acrylic will be quite suitable for the first lessons.
Scissors. Any will do, there are no special requirements for this tool because its only task is to cut the thread when the knitting is ready.
Thick needle for stitching products. It is often sold in sets with spokes.
Centimeter. You will need not only to take measurements but also to determine the knitting density.
And this is not all that shops offer to knitters. You can also find electronic row counters, yarn winding machines, and many other devices that, in truth, are not so necessary.
What is necessary for crocheting
Here the set is as follows:
Hooks of different sizes (see length and thickness). A very important factor is convenience. If you knit for a long time, calluses appear on your fingers. You need to choose a tool that will injure you to a lesser extent.
Yarn. As a rule, a cotton thread “Iris” is used to teach crocheting. It is affordable for any student, and in all other respects, it is ideal for mastering the technique.
A special fork for knitting. Serves to perform certain patterns. At first, you can do without it.
Scissors. To cut the thread.
Centimeter. It will not be superfluous.
With which products is it better for a student to start learning knitting
The first products on spokes
Everything is clear here. Any student needs a hat. Hats are knitted elementary and quite quickly. It may seem to you that circular knitting requires some special skills, but, believe me, it is much easier to do it than to sew a product from parts.
Socks are in second place. Only lazy did not describe this technique in his blog and did not take a master class on it. Therefore, you will not stay without a detailed explanation. The only difficulty is that you need to follow the sequence very clearly and not miss the number of loops and rows so that one sock does not come out longer and larger than the other.
You can also try to tie it for a doll. If you have younger relatives of preschool age, they will be very grateful for a new sweater for their pet.
And today clothes for small dogs are in great demand. Do any of your friends have a pet? Now you know what to give for the next holiday.
The first crochet products
As a rule, these are circular napkins. They will enliven the interior of your dorm room, especially if you like vintage style, and will serve as a great gift for friends and relatives.
In addition, you can try to tie a small handbag, a housekeeper, a small accessory, or a children’s toy.
And, of course, socks!
Openwork dresses and crocheted cardigans have become fashionable today. Of course, this is a long and rather complicated process. But if you start it in winter, by spring a great model will appear in your wardrobe. If a student hardly has enough money for fashionable couture outfits, it is quite enough for crochet yarn. Plus a lot of positive emotions and a job that I like and gives real pleasure.
Did you get inspired to master knitting and crocheting techniques? Immediately run for yarn and start watching a master class on a set of loops.
