Saturday, June 9, 2018

Loom Knitting--What's the Big Deal?



Knitting looms are multiplying in the needlework section of all the craft stores.  I always considered them a children's toy (having done my share of spool knitting with my children) and know a loom slows me down compared to my continental knitting on needles.  However, I can see some possible advantages as a knitting teacher:

  1. It might be easier to teach loom knitting, as students are less likely to drop stitches off pegs than needles.  
  2. I think students might have fewer tension problems in the beginning--though I could be wrong.
  3. Looms should eliminate the common beginner knitting problem of adding accidental stitches because the old loop was not dropped after making a new stitch.
I will be testing my hypotheses this fall, as I am committed to teaching beginning loom knitting to homeschooled students in grades 6-12 at two cooperatives.  I might be completely mistaken, but I also might be wildly successful--a risk worth taking!

So I am slowing down a bit and looming samples this summer.  I'll keep you posted.