Q: Can I use needle knitting patterns for loom knitting? If so how?
A: The short answer is yes, needle patterns can be used for loom knitting. It isn't overly difficult to translate the pattern, but to cut down on the frustration of it not looking right, there are a few things to take into consideration.
If the needle knitting pattern is written for knitting in the round, no changes are needed. All you have to do at that point is figure out your gauge and which loom to use or how many pegs to cast on. You can't always follow the stitch and row count of a needle knitting pattern exactly, unless your gauge is exactly the same.
Speaking of gauge, when you first start doing your own pattern translations it is easy to forget that one minor thing that will actually make or break your project expectations. GAUGE!!! Check it!! Yes it is a needle pattern, but it should tell you what yarn and needles to use. Use that information to cross check it using the chart I posted on Knitting Loom Gauge and Size. This will at least give you a starting point.
Now on to how to take a straight needle knit pattern and make that item on the loom as a flat knit piece. The simple way to do it is to change every other row to the opposite of what it says. Pick either the even rows or the odd rows, and write it all out before you start, then work from your written pattern.
For example for simple stockinette stitch:
Needle pattern: Row 1: Knit every stitch
Row 2: Purl every stitch
Continue repeating Row 1 & 2
Loom pattern: Row 1: Knit every stitch
Row 2: Knit every stitch
Continue repeating Row 1 & 2
NOTE: If a needle pattern calls for you to 'work in garter stitch' for so many inches or rows, on needles that means knit every row... but on the loom it means to work a row of knit then a row of purl.
Sometimes I will convert all the odd rows (which usually are considered the Wrong Side (WS) in needle patterns. This is simply so that I don't confuse myself. However, occasionally I run across a project where it is easier to convert the even rows. Let's look at the needle version of the Old Shale Stitch (which by the way, is actually the Old Shale stitch, but most refer to as the Fan & Feather Stitch. For a close look at the two and the difference take a look at the post: Knitting Techniques: Old Shale Stitch over on the Craftsy Blog.)
Usually written as:
Multiples of 18
Row 1: (Right Side) Knit across
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: *(K2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from * across
Row 4: Knit across
Repeat Rows 1-4
In this case the only difficult line is Row 3, so rather than trying to do the opposite of that I simply do the opposite of the even rows.
Looks like this:
Multiples of 18
Row 1: (Right Side) Knit across
Row 2: Knit across
Row 3: *(K2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from * across
Row 4: Purl across
Repeat Rows 1-4
I want to point out that when I say do the opposite of what the needle pattern says, I don't mean work the row backwards. I mean do the opposite stitch. Knits and Purls are the opposite of each other. In the example above IF for whatever reason you wanted to stick to converting the Odd Rows it would look like this:
Multiples of 18
Row 1: (Right Side) Purl across
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: *(P2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (p2tog) 3 times; repeat from * across
Row 4: Knit across
Repeat Rows 1-4
That to me is WAY too much purling! That's why I use the Even Rows to do the opposite on this one.
If you run across a pattern that has a lot of yarn overs and k2tog (like above), you will have to be patient while you learn the stitch. You may have to move your stitches around on your loom as you are working (so the yarn doesn't get so tight you can't keep going) or you may have to use stitch holders like when making cables. Some needle patterns are just too fiddly or time consuming to even worry with... for me anyway.
Keep in mind that needle knitting with straight needles requires you to turn your work at the end of each row and go back the other direction. With loom knitting you don't turn you work, you simply just go the other direction while your knitting is still facing the same way.
I hope this will help you to get started in translating patterns! It takes time and effort, but with a little patience you can make just about anything on a loom that is made on needles.
If you have a question you would like for me to answer in my weekly Ask Mary series, please send your question to: insidemarysworld@gmail.com. Put ASK MARY in the subject line to make sure that I don't over look your question.
A: The short answer is yes, needle patterns can be used for loom knitting. It isn't overly difficult to translate the pattern, but to cut down on the frustration of it not looking right, there are a few things to take into consideration.
If the needle knitting pattern is written for knitting in the round, no changes are needed. All you have to do at that point is figure out your gauge and which loom to use or how many pegs to cast on. You can't always follow the stitch and row count of a needle knitting pattern exactly, unless your gauge is exactly the same.
TIP: Find needle knit patterns for circular needles and work them as flat panels on a loom to create something that is not round or a tube. Such as, you really like a hat or cowl pattern that is worked on circular needles... no one said you can only make a hat or cowl with it. Work the pattern back and forth without connecting the ends to make a scarf or shawl. The only thing to figure out then will be your gauge and how many times to repeat the pattern to achieve the desired size.
Speaking of gauge, when you first start doing your own pattern translations it is easy to forget that one minor thing that will actually make or break your project expectations. GAUGE!!! Check it!! Yes it is a needle pattern, but it should tell you what yarn and needles to use. Use that information to cross check it using the chart I posted on Knitting Loom Gauge and Size. This will at least give you a starting point.
Now on to how to take a straight needle knit pattern and make that item on the loom as a flat knit piece. The simple way to do it is to change every other row to the opposite of what it says. Pick either the even rows or the odd rows, and write it all out before you start, then work from your written pattern.
For example for simple stockinette stitch:
Needle pattern: Row 1: Knit every stitch
Row 2: Purl every stitch
Continue repeating Row 1 & 2
Loom pattern: Row 1: Knit every stitch
Row 2: Knit every stitch
Continue repeating Row 1 & 2
NOTE: If a needle pattern calls for you to 'work in garter stitch' for so many inches or rows, on needles that means knit every row... but on the loom it means to work a row of knit then a row of purl.
Sometimes I will convert all the odd rows (which usually are considered the Wrong Side (WS) in needle patterns. This is simply so that I don't confuse myself. However, occasionally I run across a project where it is easier to convert the even rows. Let's look at the needle version of the Old Shale Stitch (which by the way, is actually the Old Shale stitch, but most refer to as the Fan & Feather Stitch. For a close look at the two and the difference take a look at the post: Knitting Techniques: Old Shale Stitch over on the Craftsy Blog.)
Usually written as:
Multiples of 18
Row 1: (Right Side) Knit across
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: *(K2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from * across
Row 4: Knit across
Repeat Rows 1-4
In this case the only difficult line is Row 3, so rather than trying to do the opposite of that I simply do the opposite of the even rows.
Looks like this:
Multiples of 18
Row 1: (Right Side) Knit across
Row 2: Knit across
Row 3: *(K2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from * across
Row 4: Purl across
Repeat Rows 1-4
I want to point out that when I say do the opposite of what the needle pattern says, I don't mean work the row backwards. I mean do the opposite stitch. Knits and Purls are the opposite of each other. In the example above IF for whatever reason you wanted to stick to converting the Odd Rows it would look like this:
Multiples of 18
Row 1: (Right Side) Purl across
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: *(P2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (p2tog) 3 times; repeat from * across
Row 4: Knit across
Repeat Rows 1-4
That to me is WAY too much purling! That's why I use the Even Rows to do the opposite on this one.
If you run across a pattern that has a lot of yarn overs and k2tog (like above), you will have to be patient while you learn the stitch. You may have to move your stitches around on your loom as you are working (so the yarn doesn't get so tight you can't keep going) or you may have to use stitch holders like when making cables. Some needle patterns are just too fiddly or time consuming to even worry with... for me anyway.
Keep in mind that needle knitting with straight needles requires you to turn your work at the end of each row and go back the other direction. With loom knitting you don't turn you work, you simply just go the other direction while your knitting is still facing the same way.
I hope this will help you to get started in translating patterns! It takes time and effort, but with a little patience you can make just about anything on a loom that is made on needles.
If you have a question you would like for me to answer in my weekly Ask Mary series, please send your question to: insidemarysworld@gmail.com. Put ASK MARY in the subject line to make sure that I don't over look your question.
