What Are Knitting Looms?

Knitting loom is a kind of prehistoric art that has many kinds of loom shapes like oval, round and rectangular. It has different types.

A Knitting loom is a very old art that has been revived recently. It is known by different names such as:

• frame knitting
• rake knitting
• ring knitting
• box knitting
• bung knitting
• spool knitting
• reel knitting
• French knitting
• Loom knitting
• Knitting in the round
• Knitting board

During the middle ages, looms were used in:

- France
- Britain
- Germany and
- Other parts of Europe

They used it to knit:

• tasseled caps
• petticoats
• shawls
• blankets
• stockings
• bags
• purses
• sacks
• nets
• hammocks
• curtains

Looms come in different shapes like:

- round
- oval and
- rectangular

Some looms have two rows of pegs, and these are called double rakes. The size of a knit piece depends on the loom’s size. The gauge or distance of pegs and its size make the size of the knit stitches. The thickness of yarn also contributes to its size.

To form knitted fabric, you can use loom. Imagine that the pegs of the loom are pieces of knitting needles. Different methods of wrapping yarn on the pegs make different stitches and patterns.

The single rake looms make the knitted fabric possess a distinctive right and wrong sides. The double rake looms are used in making double knitted fabric right at both sides.

It is also easy to learn loom knitting. Many people find it simple to use this, unlike knitting needles. Those who have problems with arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome and other ailments enjoy loom knitting.

Loom knitting revived again. Perhaps it is because of its fast and easy way of getting into knitting.

The three basic types of looms are:

1. Round Loom

The most common round looms is the Knifty Knitters. Round looms though called round can be a

- circle
- triangle
- oval
- square
- heart and many others

The shape does not matter. What matters is that all of the pegs are unbroken. It must have no starting or stopping point. The measurement of a round loom is determined by the space between the pegs. The further the pegs the larger the gauge. The good thing about round looms is that you can use it for circular knitting. You can also use it for flat panel knitting like a rake. Stitching is the same except for the knitting. With circular, you continuously knit in the same direction for the whole piece. With flat panel, the knitting is back and forth.

2. Rake

Knitting on a rake is same as knitting on a round loom. The difference is that a rake is a single line and the pegs have beginning and end point. You can do flat knitting using a rake. The distance between the pegs can determine the gauge.

To know where you are in a pattern, know how pegs are numbered on the loom.

• Peg 1 being the first peg to the left of the anchor peg.

• You are able to identify anchor pegs by looking on the top portion of your circular loom, and it can sometimes be found at the end of the rake.

• The only anchor peg found on the right also has a counterpart peg, and this is found on the left. Therefore, peg 1 is the first peg to the right above the rake.

• The number for the succeeding pegs for round looms and rakes continues to the left. Peg 2 follows peg 1 to the left, peg 3 follows peg 2 to the left and so on.

3. Knitting Board

This is a two parallel rake used together to knit across. Knifty Knitters is one of the most common long looms knitting board. These looms serve dual function. It can be a round loom and as a knitting board. To create double-knit fabric, you will need a knitting board. Two different factors will determine the gauge:

- distances of pegs
- distances of the two rakes

The greater the distance, the larger gauge created. There are different gauges of knitting boards available. Some manufacturers give you the chance to alter the gauge of the knitting board. You can change the distance between the two pegs. In Knifty Knitters, one gauge is available.

Also, knitting boards have different knitting sizes for hats, bags, scarves, socks, blankets and many others.