Its Autumn on the Volkstead, Part one

The leaves have all but disappeared from the trees and are happily crunching under the feet of the children and various animals as we go about our day. And while we’ve been experiencing some really gorgeous, late Indian Summer weather, my thoughts have already turned to Christmas.

Not so much what sort of gifts I need to purchase but more like what gifts can I make? The last several years have seen friends and family receive things like homemade soaps and jams, but my favorite gifts to give are knitted gifts.

I usually knit dishcloths and some sort of Christmas tree ornaments. The dishcloths are an easy pattern that I’ve knit so many times I no longer need to consult a pattern, and they are easy enough that even a novice knitter could successfully complete. Knitting is one of those hobbies that doesn’t require a massive investment at the outset, can be done anywhere, and can be very therapeutic for the one knitting.

Why knit something, or create anything for that matter, that could easily be purchased from a big box store? Many people today, myself included, are looking for a more quality life, to consciously spend their time and money on resources that have meaning rather than the simple coldness of having ‘stuff.’ Receiving a gift that someone has taken the time to craft has a much deeper meaning than just buying something, anything.

So, how does one get started with knitting? There are only two things that are needed – knitting needles and yarn. These come in a variety of choices, so let’s break it down a little.

First, knitting needles. These are usually made of plastic, metal, or wood. Plastic needles work best for beginners as the yarn tends to ‘stick’ a little to the needles as the yarn is worked. Metal and wood needles have a bit more slide to them, which is handy for faster knitting. My personal favorite is a German-made metal needle called Addi, but there are many, many types and brands to choose from. Needles come in different sizes as well, which are used for different types of knitting. The needle sizes are listed as US 1, US 2, etc., and this refers to the diameter of the needle; the small the size, the thinner the needle. Very thin needles are used for lace knitting or knitting very fine items, and larger needles are used for more bulky yarns.

And speaking of yarns, these too, come in a large variety of sizes and materials. Wool, cotton, linen, hemp, silk, and man-made fibers such as acrylic provide a wide range of options for a knitting project. There are different thicknesses, or gauges, of yarns as well. Which one to use will depend on what your project is and sometimes the type of material you’re using.

Where would be a good place to start? A common size of knitting needles is a US 6, 7, or 8, and a common gauge yarn is called a worsted weight or DK weight. Not too big, not too small. Using my Christmas dishcloths as an example, I use a size US 8 and a cotton DK weight yarn. Cotton yarn is a good choice for dishcloths as other types of yarn (wool, acrylic, etc.) don’t absorb water very well, which is the point of a dishcloth. Cotton wouldn’t be my choice for knitted socks, however, as cotton tends to be a little more on the rough side.

In part two of this, I’ll get more into how to get started knitting and how to finish a dishcloth, either for yourself or as a gift.