Arm Knitting: how to make soft scarves and warm hats without the need for needles!

Knitting, as our mothers and grandmothers did, has recently returned to be a very popular hobby, particularly appreciated for being relaxing and soothing; just think that there are also real Knit Cafes, where you can go with your friends to knit or crochet.

However, there are also new variants of classic knitting with needles, in particular we want to talk about Arm Knitting, that is, how to knit using only and exclusively your hands.

It seems an impossible thing or in any case very difficult, in reality it is a very simple technique, low cost, within everyone's reach and, once you have learned the basic movements, you can make sweaters, hats and scarves do-it-yourself, beautiful and original.

Arm Knitting: how to get started

To begin with, you need to take care of the chosen yarn (wool if you want to make garments for the cold season or cotton / synthetic material for accessories to wear in spring and autumn), taking care that it is large and double, that is, that it has two ends.

It starts first with one arm, where the yarn is knotted by passing first under, then over and finally through the hand, and then continue, following the pattern of the predefined garment, with the other arm and the other hand, which will carry out the same movements.

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Said so it may seem complicated, in reality a minimum of manual skills is enough and on the net you can find many video tutorials that greatly simplify everything. Like this one, dedicated to those who approach Arm Kitting for the first time.

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Arm Knitting: how to proceed

If you want to make a scarf, these are the basic movements that will easily allow you to obtain a garment that is as soft, wide and as long as you want.

• Take your thread and measure about four or five arms and put it to one side without cutting it. Make a slip knot by making a loop and pulling the thread through the loop.
• Slide the dominant hand through the knot and tighten it at the wrist (not too tight), while with the other hand take the working thread, create a buttonhole with the thumb and then with the index and middle fingers take the thread that hangs on the other side.
• Slide your right hand between the working thread and the thumb and grab the thread that you tighten between the index and middle fingers, pulling it back through the loop formed with the working thread. Then repeat the same operation for another 11 times until you have twelve points on the wrist.
• Now that you have set up the work, things become less complex: with your right hand, grab the thread and slide the point closest to your hand on the thread by pulling it and creating a loop that will go on the other wrist. Do this again with all your stitches, including the slip knot from the beginning of the work. This operation is also repeated on the other side only by grabbing the working thread with the other hand and placing the new ring on the right arm. Proceed in this way until you have reached the desired length.
• To close the work, bring two stitches on the left wrist, then the first stitch over the second, letting it fall and pick up the thread by moving another stitch from the right arm to the left and bringing the first stitch back to the second, until the stitches are exhausted. Pull the slip knot starting and hiding the excess thread between the stitches.

All clear? If you have any doubts, here is a video demonstrating the above steps.

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Here, however, a video tutorial to create, in just 15 minutes, an earmuff to match your scarf; you will be ready to face even the coldest days!

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