Tools of the Knitting Trade

At its most basic, knitting is about two sticks and some string.

Two sticks. Knitting needles. There are so many varieties to choose from. Sure, there are the utilitarian models out there, but when you're spending so much time on a project, you want your tools to be beautiful, like these from Mama's Magic Studio...

And some string. Yarn. Yarn is so easy to find if you know where to look. But why knit with ordinary yarn. There are so many artists who spin and hand-dye their own, like Excavations...

Once you've got the basics, it's time to acquire other accessories. If you've got stunning needles and scrumptious yarn, the rest of your tools should shine as well.

Some patterns are complicated. Some patterns are knit in the round. To help a knitter keep her (or his) place, stitch markers are a must. Here are some fine examples from AG Mode and Ohmayzee...

Another cool accessory to have is a yarn bowl, like this one from Anuart. What is a yarn bowl? You put your yarn in the bowl and thread the end through the hole. This keeps your yarn from going all over the place while you are knitting.

Once you have all your supplies, you need something to knit. It isn't hard to find some great patterns, such as this one from Phydeaux Designs...

Of course, the needles must fit the yarn which is the right weight for the pattern. There are so many great projects out there. This is just a taste of what you can find.

All pictures link back to the items on etsy.

This post was contributed by Liz from Zizi Rho Designs.