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Nifty Knits for Nicks

OK, if you are a knitter already you are privy to the fact that knitting can become an addiction. As any other addiction, this one can take up more time, energy and money than is reasonable.

So you have two choices:

1) Become reasonable and knit within your means – boh-ring….

2) Keep on being unreasonable but become more clever at it and find nifty ways to knit for nicks!

Here are 10 things you can do to fuel your knitting addiction at low cost. The other added benefit is that you will probably do some good for the planet by recycling and reconditioning materials for great effect.

Tip #1)

How to get cheap YARN

Knitters constantly need more yarn. No sooner is one project finished that the next one demands to start. One way to keep your yarn costs down is to purchase woolens in op shops (charity shops such as St Vincent of Paul, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and whatever other places may be available where you live) and unravel the yarn. You may need to recondition the yarn. This is easily done by steaming it. When you steam it, the yarn loosens. Once you have done that, lay it flat on a towel and let it dry. Once dry, the yarn will be ready to use and will be good as new. It is not uncommon to buy a mohair sweater in a charity shop for next to nothing. With fluffy types of yarns, it is best to put them in the freezer overnight before unravelling them. This stops the fuzzy bits from sticking together.

Tip #2)

Free knitting patterns

By now you probably realise that there are loads of free patterns on the web. This blog focuses on stylish patterns.  One easy way to get free patterns delivered to your mailbox is to subscribe to the newsletter.

Tip #3)

Novelty yarns for maximum luxurious effect at low cost

If you like the lustrous look and the soft caress of silk you will like novelty yarns made of the most environmental friendly and surprising sources:

- Banana silk yarn: you wouldn’t know it is not silk and it costs a 1/3 of the price. It’s texture is very silky, very soft and comes in beautiful vibrant colours. This yarn is very environmentally friendly. It is hand made by women in Nepal and this activity contributes to raising these women’s standard of living. I usually find mine on eBay. Beware though: it knots easily!

- Bamboo yarn also come in rich colours. Bamboo yarn is as soft as silk but it is much cheaper and you don’t get any worms killed in the procesesing. This type of yarn is getting increadibly popular for all those reasons. It is also easy to dye.

- Soya yarn is another cost effective alternative to silk yarn. Mixed with cotton, soya yarn’s drape is luxurious and knitting with soya yarn produces knits with well defined detail and incredible softness.

Tip #4)

Reclaim yarn from your old swatches

Have a look through your cupboards or your attich and unravel swatches you made from previous projects. You’ll be surprised how much yarn you can reclaim that way. That is IF you knit gauges at all off course.

Tip #5)

Make your own knitting notions

Notions are all those little accessories which come along with knitting. They are things such as buttons, knitting needles, knitting organisers, place markers, etc…

Here are some ideas for knitting notions you can make yoursef:

• Place markers (aka stitch markers): keep left over bits of yarn, tie a knot and a loop and use as a place marker.
• Row counters – a pen and paper work a treat
• Buttons: you can make buttons out of almost anything, from wood to papier mache. You can search the web for free instructions on how to make your own buttons. You can use the Google search box below.

Tip #6)

Set up yarn traps

Use Google Alerts to automatically get emails when someone advertises a yarn specials on the internet. This is really handy when you look for something very specific. The more specifically you set up your alert, the  better. Otherwise you might be too many alerts.

A good Google yarn alert would be the name and number of the yarn you are lookin for such as “Jaeger Fur Yarn special” or “Lion Brand 202 lot”.

Tip #7)

Make your own knitting needles!

You will soon realise that every time you use a different yarn weight, you will also need different size needles.

You can make all types of needles: Double pointed needles (aka DPN), straight needles and cable needles (aka short DPNs) out of dowel you can purchase in any hardware store. Get them cut to about 8 inches long and sharpen the ends. Et voila!

Apart from saving money, this is very handy for making needles which are hard to come back such as very large needles (number 20 and above).

Here is a video which shows you how to make your own needles.

Tip #8)

Don’t bother with circular needles

Circular needles are great for beginners for double pointed needles (DP needles) are much more versatile. If you take the time to get used to them you will save money on having a whole swag of needles when you can effectively do without circular needles altogether.

Tip #9)

Felt spoilt knits and turn them into fabulous accessories

If you have any knit garment which has shrunk in the wash (or by any other creative means) this is your big opportunity to have a go at felting at no risk and no cost! Felting is the result of shrinking wool but putting it through the ringer, i.e. giving it the hot/cold treatment with a bit of soap. Once the fibres are totally shrunk, you can cut it up with a pair of scissors and make a felt garment or accessory out of it.

Tip #10)

Good yarn care for longer lasting knits

This does not save you money at purchasing time but it saves you money in the long run by making sure your knits last a lot longer with good care.

• Store knitting garment laying flat, do not hang them on a hanger.
• Do not use use softener when washing your knits as this will cause them to loose their elasticity.
• Use liquid and very mild detergents, even for non hand-made knits.
• Wash in cold water and on special program if washing in a washing machine.
• Stain removal can be very tricky so always ask a professional dry cleaner’s advice before you try anything yourself.