Feb92012
February Skill of the Month: Knit and Crochet!
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image by quisic
Learning how to knit or crochet is on a lot of mom’s To Do list, and one of those things they never get around to learning. Well, this month it’s time to learn! Both knitting and crocheting are great practical skills that lend themselves well to being self-reliant. There’s nothing like wearing a pair of hand-knit wool socks or enjoying the feel of a cozy handmade afghan, and it’s a budget friendly hobby, unless you decide to delve into the world of exotic yarns and needles. A visit to Walmart or a craft store and $15-20 or so is all you’ll need to get started.
Blogger Kimber put together this list of reasons every Survival Mom should learn how to knit and/or crochet.
Necessity
- Warmth: When it’s cold outside, you can knit or crochet a blanket, hat, scarf, sweater, socks, and gloves
- Clothing: even undergarments can be knit or crocheted, including feminine hygiene products
- Household products: towels and wash rags are easy to make and very useful around the house.
Relaxation
- Once you learn the basics, you will find that knitting or crocheting can be calming in a stressful time, soothing to others as they watch the rhythmic movements of the yarn and needles/hook.
- Adds balance to a stressful life.
image by Aine D
Make gifts that keep on giving
- A baby blanket, for example, is a gift of love that will wrap that new baby in a hug for years.
Charitable Giving
- Hats for the homeless, chemo caps for cancer patients, bears for children of abuse, scarves for the Special Olympics are just a few projects that come to mind.
Cost Effective Hobby
- Yarn is relatively inexpensive depending on the fiber content, so the majority of your expense is your time.
Carry on a family tradition
- In this high tech, fast paced, want it now world, keeping this tradition alive is so important to future generations.
Health Reasons
- Keeps your mind sharper having to focus on a project.
- Keeps fingers nimble for those who might be dealing with arthritis.
Creativity
- Express yourself with a one of a kind project.
- Choose your own colors, yarns, patterns.
Prayer/Meditation
- Prayer shawls are great to give away to a person while going through a crisis. Pray for that person while making the item and let them know that they are wrapped in prayer.
So? What are you waiting for? You can easily learn how to either knit or crochet, or both!, on your own. I learned from a book, Stitch and Bitch, and whenever I faced the challenge of a new stitch or technique, I tracked down helpful videos on YouTube.
This is a skill you can start learning this week! If you already know one of these skills, learn the other, or tackle a new, challenging project.
If you’ve already mastered one or the other, share your tips, favorite patterns, or anything else in the Comments section.
Ready? Let’s go create something beautiful with yarn!
© 2012 – 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
(18) Readers Comments
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emily
I started to learn to crochet about a year ago and never have picked it back up, but my bag of yard and hooks look at me a lot. I need to do this!
MaryAnn
When making mittens and other items that can get wet, making sure that you use wool rather than a synthetic or cotton yarn is very important. It will make all the difference in how warm and dry you stay. There is an old saying up here in the very northeast, "cotton kills", and it does. Wool is critical in survival situations.
Laura
I have been crocheting for years. I make baby blankets and afghans. Last week a took a knitting class, and it came back to me easy. I had done it as a kid but always liked crocheting better because if you drop a stitch you don't see it like when you knit, and I don't really have to look when I'm doing it. But I'm determined to make socks so I have another knitting class next Saturday and I'm gonna keep at it.
Boy one thing though- wool yarn is expensive. I told my husband I wanted land and sheep………..haha.
Katy
My daughter can knit and crochet beautifully. (Eventually, she will teach me to move beyond the Nifty Knitter loom.) However, I wanted to note that it takes a while to learn to knit more than just a scarf. If you want to learn to knit socks, for instance, you have to learn how to knit on three needles in a round and how to turn the heel. To knit a sweater, you will need to know how to follow a pattern and size it properly. This is not a skill that you will just be able to "wing" in order to learn to knit socks and other clothing items in the future. I think it is much harder to learn than sewing, for instance.
Katie
http://www.ravelry.com is a great resource. It is a community of knitters and crocheters that has a large database of patterns – some for free, others for a small price. There are plenty of free patterns to keep one happily hooking away. . .
TheSurvivalMom
I don't know if it's still there, but Ravelry had a preppers thread going for quite a while.
Carolyn
We have a few prepper groups as well as a homesteader group. They are invaluable, educational resources.
Barbie
I have always wanted to learn, but I'm terrible at both knitting and crocheting. Hey, at least I can sew!
Nana
I got started with one of the round crochet loom sets – Nifty Knitter – that I picked up at a yard sale, and found directions online. Easy, easy and quick to make hats and scarves! I have probably made at least a dozen so far. If I can figure this out, anyone should be able to! Also, just received a flyer today that Joanne's has yarn on sale. It's a great time to start! I'm planning to move on to learning regular crocheting soon.
Toby
Knitting Korner has DVD's on sock knitting that were an excellent help to me when I started knitting socks. http://www.knittingkorner.com/
I am not related to this person and I don't get a kick back for mentioning it. I just discovered the DVD and was glad I did.
Since then, I have bought several of her knitting DVD's and still use them as a reference. She is the knitting grandma I never had.
Katy
Thanks for the tip! My daughter needs some help with her sock knitting. This is just the ticket. I like the different sock DVDs she has.
RightWingMom
I'm a quilter myself, but have always wanted to learn to crochet. It always seemed like an easier craft to do, especially when traveling or waiting for your kids to get out of football or soccer practice. Less bulk to carry around.
I actually picked up some yarn and a set of hooks a couple of months ago. All I needed was the gentle shove to get my rear into gear and start making something. THANKS LISA!
Julie
I have been knitting for a several years now. I taught myself by watching the videos on http://www.knittinghelp.com. I've made mittens, scarves, too many prayer shawls to count, an afghan, dishcloths, etc. Once you use a handknit cotton dishcloth you'll never want to use anything else again. You can also knit tulle or the net bags from onions to make nice dish scrubbers. Just cut it into strips and knit. It will scrub like crazy. I've also done double knitting with strips of tulle on one side and cotton yarn on the other to make a dishcloth that has a soft side and a scrubbing side.
Carolyn
Socks are an intermediate project and require some basic skills first, but i tell you, there's nothing like a pair of homemade socks. They're always in demand around our house, and I can't make them fast enough to keep up with demand! Scarves and mitts are also sought after, as are hats. The most complicated thing I know how to knit is a sock, and I'm very glad I learned how. I also agree with the person who said wool will save you in a survival situation. Wool is the ultimate fiber that can make a difference between cold feet and warm ones. Especially if layered over cotton socks in boots. Once we move to Northern Ontario, Canada, I plan on teaching my boys the value of wool socks.
Cindy
smileysyarns.com is a good site to buy yarn. Starting as low as 99 cents. These are top / well known yarn brands. The only draw back is a $50.00 order is required. If you and a friend buy together, that problem is solved.
Cheryl
I found this site a couple years ago while I was refreshing my memory about certain crochet stitches. Both knitting and crochet are covered at this website, and the videos are fantastic! My daughter had tried to follow some youtube videos about learning to crochet. KnitWitch helped her tremendously.
http://knitwitch.com/index.htm
Amiee
My mom taught me how to crochet and i like it. I started when I was pregnant with my son 3 years ago. I crocheted his first baby blanket amulti colored one…then I did one that had different strips of colors that i individually did…then i made his dad (i am not with him now) a blue and white blanket for the Toronto Maple Leaf (canadian prepper here) I made my dad a lap blanket that was a Irish flag, were irish…Thats about all ive done, but I would like to make scarves crocheted scarves are warm as heck!
Kat
I learned to hand sew when I was about 5. I’d sew my own toys! :0) Then my Mom taught me to crochet when I was about 6. I started using the sewing machine soon after that. I picked up a job once that used knitting machines and now I’ve got a several of them (and extras for parts since I used to repair the machines in the shop and they’re all manual), along with all the knifty knitter looms.
With a knitting machine you can knit a sweater in less than a day. At one point I could knit 4 complete sweaters and I could finish them the next. I’ve also learned some of the older “yarn arts”, like sprang, lucet, kumihimo, macrame, inkle weaving, ridged heddle weaving, spinning, bobbin lace, etc. I can tablet weave as well, but I’ll only do it if forced at gun point!
I used to joke that I couldn’t go wrong if it involved string and a pointy object once I took up archery as well. (Recurb, not compound. Although, I would love to try compound one of these days!)
This is one area I’m of the mind that knowing more is better. Redundancy will at least keep my family clothed, since some of what I prep is fabric and yarns (cedar is my friend). Bulky, but worth it if TSHTF. How many people would trade for a good pair of 100% real wool socks or a sweater?