Spool Knitting
Although sharing the same old category of knitting devices, spool knitting uses a spool with four nails in it for the design of the fabric instead of the traditional needles. Owing to the very simple structure of the items it requires, spool knitting remains part of educational practices in crafts classes. Thus, children get used with the main principles of knitting in a fun and functional way at the same time. The items necessary for spool knitting include the spool, whether ready-made or improvised, some brads, a hammer, a drill and yarn.
If you try to make the spool yourself, the process could get too complex and time consuming. The first step to begin with is to pass the yarn through the spool, from top to bottom, but make sure to leave a few inches of yarn hang out from the bottom. It is advisable that for this initial spool knitting stage you stick to the instructions in case you have never done it before so that you have a smooth beginning. Then, it is time to use the crochet hook to make loops and pass them over the brads so as to create the cast on.
The number of brads used in spool knitting varies depending on what you want to achieve; the most basic of projects available for spool knitting is cord making, and this can be designed with four, five or six brads. Yet, it is known that odd numbers allow easier casting on, therefore, stick to the four or six variants particularly if you are a beginner. When knitting, pass the yarn around every brad and the passage to the next knitted line requires that you pull the previous loop out, up and over each and every brad.
Spool knitting allows for various color alternation particularly since the changes are almost basic. All you need to do is to cut one yarn type and tie in a different one so that you may be able to continue the knitting process but with a different color. Closely follow the pictures in books or on web sites if you are just discovering the secrets of spool knitting. Before completing work, remember to tie off the ends so that you don't spoil the knit. If you need professional spool knitting, it is preferable to buy a spool knitting machine that works a lot faster and with superior results.