Loom Knitting for Beginners - What to Buy

Loom Knitting is the art of knitting with a tool instead of knitting needles. There are a variety of looms on the market, and you need to make the decision to select the right looms for your application.

There are companies that specialize in loom making only and the quality difference. For example, Looms by KB tend to be much better in quality in manufacturing and attention to the peg sizing. The ones pictured above are generics which are fine for though just dabbling in the hobby. But for serious loomers, you may want to consider the brand and quality. For me, the generic ones are fine. 

Generally speaking, the rectangular looms aka flat looms can also do things like hats. Instead of working across the loom, you can circle the rectangular one.

Round Looms

Room Looms can come individually or as a kit. In the kit shown here, the peg distances between them vary depending on the size. As a new loomer, you may think the loom diameters as being too big for the projects. I made that mistake when I started.

• Smallest Loom is for things like Christmas Stockings for even sock slippers. You can also do preemie size baby hats.
• Purple (next size up) is regular baby size hats.
• There is no size of general child-size in this kit.
• Orange (next size up) is adult size hats.
• Pink (largest size) could be for bags.

You can use the looms for flat panel knitting by not circling the entire loom.

Rectangular / Flat Looms

Rectangular or Flat Looms are for doing three possible concepts. You can make scarves that are knitted on both sides of the scarf. You can use the loom as a circle for things like hats or things you want to knit a tube with. You can also do flat panels around the loom but not joining to form a circle and go back and forth.

I would think about your projects you want to do. Scarves, definitely the way to go. If you are more interested in hats, I would get the round looms. If you want both, I would get at least the right circumference of round loom and a flat loom.

These make for great creative gifts for child and adults alike.

Sock Looms

Sock looms allow someone uncomfortable with knitting needles to still make socks.

The pegs are closer together and the pegs are much more thinner. They can handle the smaller thickness sock yarns that are required to make socks.

Most sock looms, if not all that I have seen, are adjustable. You will notice this loom has letters moulded into the face of the loom. You can slide one side in and out. This means you can make different diameter socks by setting the loom in advance. The numbers on the loom help you get the right information and there are usually instructions with the loom.

Yarn Pick Tool

The yarn pick tool that is provided with the kits is cheap. I mean, CHEAP! I have found that the tool provided tends to break pretty easily. The metal is inserted into the rubberized grip. Through experience, the metal pick becomes separated from the rubber and free spins inside the tool. It's impossible to knit with once it breaks.

At Michaels, they took me over the Cricut section. They have this tool called the Weeder. It's essentially a heavy-duty pick. It's bigger for my larger hands and is thicker to grab onto. It's about $13 CDN for this tool. Worth the money if you ask me.

More Ideas

1. Naturally Fabulous Woven Scarf
2. Knit EZ Wool Fringed Pillow Pattern
3. Loom Knitting Christmas Stocking Pattern

Overview of Looms