Hats for Everyone! Knit a hat even if you can’t Knit!

Learn to knit a hat, when you can’t even knit!

Friendly for all ages and skills–I promise!

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Here’s a fun article I wrote for my other homeschool site.

In case you wonder what types of crafts you could incorporate into your homeschool, that almost EVERYONE can do, check it out!

YOU CAN KNIT A HAT!!

As promised, I am slowly bringing some of my blog posts from other sites where I blog.  Why not?

Here is a fun one, and maybe will inspire one of your kiddos to pick up an easy hobby–or maybe you, yourself! Hey–I did it, so why not you?

Learn to knit a hat…even if you can’t knit!

I never learned to knit! I always thought it would be neat, but for some reason, I have a knitter’s block. I can crochet, and enjoy it immensely. So, when our church hosted a “Learn to Knit a Slouchy Hat in Two Hours” class a couple of years ago, I eagerly showed up with my beautiful brown yarn and my knitting needles.

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Whoa there…I’m not getting it!

Let me just say that WAY before the two hours arrived, I could see that I would not be heading home with a slouchy hat to wear. I was, at the one-hour mark, still trying desperately to figure out the whole casting on process, and the knitting basics. While others around me chattered away about “pearl this one,” or was that “purl”…and “knit that one,” I felt completely incompetent. Tears streamed down my face and I just wondered how I could get out of there.

Gone were my dreams of a cute hat. Gone was my money for supplies. I literally gave away my circle knitting needles to a couple of other knitters, along with some of the yarn I’d brought. I’d never be a knitter!

Sweet Friend

A friend noticed my dismay, and sidled up to me to show me the way knitting is done. Only, she was from another country, and had learned another way! So, while the little bit I thought I understood was swirling inside my head, she clucked out yet another method, which she promised was far superior to the way the teacher was instructing us. Talk about confused! That didn’t actually help me, because then I felt in conflict over which way to choose.

Another good friend, ironically, from yet another country, came to sit with me and walk me through it. But her broken English and way of describing the process just got me so befuddled that I didn’t know which way to turn. ~Sigh!~ Knitting just didn’t click with me.

“Oh, well,” I thought, “at least I enjoy crocheting!”

And that was that. No hat, no knitting.

I wish I could say that one day I just rose up out of my non-knitting ability and conquered it. But, that did not happen. I have come to terms with the fact that crocheting is my thing, and other people can knit away!

However, another thing happened, and I am OK with it. Some time later, at the same church, with some of the same people, another class was held.

The lady instructing it assured me that even a child could make the knitted hats she would be teaching. She told me that anybody could do it, and that this project would be easy!

Well…I have to admit that I was a little needle-shy by then, but a part of me really did want to learn to make a knitted hat. So, I bought a Loom kit, grabbed some old yarn that I had on hand, and took my middle son along with me, just to have someone to share in the misery this time, in case it turned out like the last class.

I think I’m getting it…

This class was very different, though. It was easy! My son picked it up right away, and I did too! Soon, we both could whip out a hat that actually did look like a hat, and we were off to experience a hobby that everyone could succeed at! Before long, my other sons had their looms wrapped in yarn and began to crank out hats for stuffed animals, Grandpa, Daddy, and just anyone with a head!

What fun!

At some point, we were gifted with a scarf/blanket loom, so the boys tried their hands at that too! We found that this craft was a good step up from those potholder looms that we had so enjoyed until everyone we knew had plenty of potholders!

My point here is to show you a craft that just about every child (and adult) can succeed at. It doesn’t take all that long to make a complete project, so it gives a sense of accomplishment right away as you see your rows piling up.

Loom Projects we’ve made…

Because any kind of craft project is kind of visual, I am going to show a few pictures of some of the hats and scarves my boys have made. We’ve given some away, and some were made by my friend’s boys, who are younger than 8.

Now that you’ve seen a few items you can make with the knitting looms, you can be assured that anyone who wants to can learn to knit on a loom! All of the hats and scarves were made by children and youth. It’s a really fun way to spend reading times —with some knitting or doing another craft, it gives hands work while the ears listen.

Here’s what you will need:

• A loom set. See my picture of the different types. The first set we got at Wal-Mart, and it worked — we didn’t know any better. But, if you have a chance, see if you can find the type that has the knobs like the blue one in the picture. The yarn slides off of these pegs way easier than the Boye loom, which has the pegs that grab the yarn and make you work to get it off!
• Knifty Knitter and Darice, and many other brands have the smoother pegs, and it will just make it easier.  The sets usually come with four different sizes. The most useful sizes are the medium-large, unless you’re making for babies or toys.
• Loom tool. This will come with your kit. You may need additional ones for multiple knitters.
• Yarn! Here’s where you get to be creative! You’ll need two skeins to make the hat thick enough. Sometimes we even do 3 skeins for a really thick hat, or use bulky yarn, and even then, I’d use at least two strands. You won’t use the whole skeins, but have to have them to knit together during your project.
• Scissors, yarn needle. You’ll need these at the end.

I decided that the best way to show you this project is to just link you to what helped me, rather than making a whole new video. I like to see someone doing the craft in person, but a good video is also quite helpful.

There are tons of good videos showing how to loom knit. I watched many before feeling confident, so just browse YouTube until you find one that clicks with your learning style.

But, I would start out very basic — don’t try to add any stitches besides the plain knitting stitch until you’ve gotten the hang of it, and then you’ll feel like branching out maybe. This is pretty much what my first hat looked like (above video). I was proud because it really did look like a hat, and, in fact, was one! I added a cute pom pom to the top, and gave it as a gift! My dad wears it all over the place, so I feel like it was a success!

Beyond the Basic Hat

Now, after a little practice in their hat-making abilities, my boys have gotten to the point where they make hats as gifts themselves, and they’re getting to where the scarves are becoming easy as well! You can make a scarf on the same loom, by the way, just don’t go all the way around, and knit back and forth. I just found it easier to use the flat loom since I was given one.

Once you get the basics down, the sky’s the limit on what kind of hats you can make! You can make stripes, heathered patterns, brims or not, pom poms or not, and all kinds of other creative twists to the basic hat.

You can knit a hat!

The take-away message of this post is to remind you of the fact that there will be skills that you and your children will pick right up and fly with, and there will be other skills that seem so much harder for you or your child than they “should” be.

Maybe some can learn to knit, or draw, or carve, or whatever, in the traditional way, and have no trouble at all! And maybe others really want to learn skills that just don’t click, even though they are trying their best.

Just remember the knitting loom and my flop at knitting, and remember that every person can find something that he or she is good at! Maybe it will involve knitting!  🙂

More home made craft ideas: Wooden Scripture Plaque

Source: Hats for Everyone! – SDA Homeschool Families

Hats for Everyone! – SDA Homeschool Families – Lessons…and lessons
— Read on www.lessonsandlessons.com/hats-for-everyone-sda-homeschool-families/