Knit or not knit.. that is the question.

Almost exactly a year ago Leslie vonHolten made a post on the Lawrence.com site about needle knitting vs. loom knitting.(go on you can go read it.. I’ll wait)

 Now she basically based her whole diatribe on Knifty Knitters vs. needles and so limited her own scope of the subject at hand. Her basic conclusion is that using a knitting loom is not knitting.. infact she coined her own term ‘knifting’

Here is a definition of knit/knitting that I got from Answers.com which cites the American Heritage Dictionary.

knit Pronunciation (nt)

v. knit or knit·ted, knit·ting, knits
v.tr.  

1. To make (a fabric or garment) by intertwining yarn or thread in a series of connected loops either by hand, with knitting needles, or on a machine.
2. To form (yarn or thread) into fabric by intertwining.
3. To join closely; unite securely.
4. To draw (the brows) together in wrinkles; furrow.
Clearly a knitting loom or board falls into this definition as knitting. It is a simple machine used to make fabric, by intertwining yarn in a series of connected loops. SO I am thinking that we can close the book on this issue.. whether you use your fingers, needles, a loom, board or machine all these items are used to the same end.
So what do you think?

Comments

5 responses to “Knit or not knit.. that is the question.”

  1. Of course it’s knitting! Just as no one would say knitting on a Bond ISM wasn’t knitting. Different processes, same product. I’m a needles knitter myself, but I’d try loom knitting if one were around.

    Love your blog, by the by!!

  2. It’s amazing the snobbery presented by those who seem to think the ability to make items on two sticks makes them superior to those of us who choose to “loom it.” Craft-impaired? Seriously, stick to your sticks, Grandma. I’ll find new and creative ways to use my Knifty Knitters.

  3. I believe the Lawrence website has since then written another article on the subject in which they have the knifty knitters in a better perspective. Their first post, which is the one linked above, doesn’t say many good things about the subject, however, their other post shades better lighting on knifting.

    While I was on Knitty Gritty, the chief producer wanted us to make clear that it was loom knitting, not just looming, she recognize that the product achieved was just like knitting. I believe it all depends on the needle knitters that you encounter, and what the loom knitted item you show them looks like.

    Both needle knitting and loom knittting are based on the same foundations: interlocking loops to make a piece of fabric. Even the same basic stitches are used, even though the Twisted Knit Stitch is used more commonly in loom knitting, where the smooth knit stitch is used in needle knitting. But that is due to the instructions that the loom come with…but we don’t go into that area as we are lucky that the looms come with some type of instruction.

  4. I have had no experience knitting on a loom, but that is hard to believe that someone would consider that knitting on one wouldn’t be knitting. Just consider all of the machine knit sweaters, hats and scarves that you can by at the store, I would say that almost all of them are using some kind of fancified versions of a knifty knitter or something and people consider them a knit sweater. Just me, myself, and I, but I think that learning the process of loom knitting and making more than an I-cord or simple tube is amazing. It takes a lot of creativity to figure out correct shaping and sizing in any type of knitting.

  5. Trish Avatar
    Trish

    I read the article and was happy to see that some of the comments corrected some of the misstatements that the author made. However, it is people like her that DISCOURAGE people from learning how to needle knit. I was corresponding with someone in my area who is on the Knifty Knitter Yahoo group, and she said, “I’ve had the urge to go to the Sonoma Bitch and Stitch night, but I
    have this fear that I’ll be scoffed at because I don’t do “real”
    knitting (don’t ask me where I got this idea) so I haven’t shown up
    yet.” If the author had more of the attitude that whatever gets people interested in any kind of knitting is great, then perhaps the new “knifters” wouldn’t be so intimidated. And maybe she should consider someone like me, who at the age of 28, can’t even crochet because the fine hand movements make my hand cramp to the point where I can’t use it. So when my friend showed me the Knifty Knitter, which doesn’t require too fine of hand movements and can be learned relatively quickly, I was excited.

    And there’s one other thing that I want to say about the author saying that you can’t increase, decrease, purl, etc on the Knifty Knitter, well, perhaps she should do some research on what she deems a “kmenace” before she makes it apparent to all who have used the Knifty Knitter how ignorant she really is.

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