Be Creative With Unique Knitting Patterns

By Donna Adams


Knitting used to be the domain of grannies, who would spend every free moment creating sweaters, bed socks and booties for their latest grandchild. These days, however, the craft is becoming extremely popular with fashion-conscious young people. Many knitters are also adding creative flair by creating unique knitting patterns for items you would never have imagined.

When you first learn to knit, you will probably start by making a scarf. It's an easy project that allows you to practice. The problem is that forming the same stitches over and over again can become boring. To keep things fun and interesting, use yarn of different colors. Make a sky scarf, for instance, by using yarn in the color of the sky outside and then changing it as the weather changes. A mood scarf is a similar concept where you change the color of the yarn to reflect your current mood.

You can also turn the art of knitting into a game. It's a bit like those drinking games where you watch the presidential debate on TV and drink a shot of tequila every time a candidate says a certain phrase. The game for knitters involves changing the color of your yarn instead of drinking.

Some knitters take things to the next level with an activity known as yarn bombing. This involves making colorful coverings for everyday objects found outside, from trees to lampposts. One knitter in Mexico City even gave an entire bus a knit covering. Some of these coverings can actually be quite practical, such as little socks for furniture's legs, which would prevent the furniture from scratching the floor.

A warm hat is essential when temperatures drop and making your own is another quick and easy project. Of course you can stick to a pattern for a stylish hat but adding an element of silliness will show that you love a good laugh. Make a hat with a fake beard that will protect your face from the cold or add floppy ears or dreadlocks to a regular hat.

If you love animals, you can use your skills with yarn and needles to benefit them too. Rescue animals often need to be kept warm and a sweater is a great way of doing just that. The sight of a penguin in a sweater will cheer up anybody who has had to deal with the aftermath of an oil spill.

Knit toys have always been a hit with children, especially if these toys come in the form of cuddly teddy bears or dolls. However, you don't need to stick to the traditional when making toys. Among the wonderful patterns you will find are instructions for making zombie dolls, a knit octopus and even toy cars.

A great place to look for patterns and ideas is online. You will even find step-by-step instructions for making unique knit items. As you get better at knitting, you'll soon be able to design your own pattern too.




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