Handcrafts are a way to pass time for many people, but they are also a way to produce needed items. Blankets, sweaters and other cold weather apparel have long been made from various types of yarn, and the techniques to make them have often been passed down through many generations. While many think of these as items that women make, men have also learned how to ply needles and hooks to create beautiful objects to keep their loved ones warm in the cold.
There are a great many people who lump all yarn-made objects into the category of knitting, but crochet is a separate craft. Knitting requires two needles, and there are various stitches used to create patterns. Knitted items produce a tightly woven yarn fabric, but it depends upon the thickness of the yarn and the size of the needles used to determine the size of the individual stitches. The pattern and type of object being created as the basis for choosing stitch sizes.
Crocheting requires a single hook to make any object, and the yarn is twisted into various types of knots that are also called stitches. Some of them are single stitches in a chain, and others are a complex group of stitches that combine to form a pattern. This type of yarn craft is considered easier to learn than knitting, but the complexity of advanced patterns has grown over the years. Beginners can choose to make easy items fast, and those who love a challenge can find complex patterns that will stretch their abilities.
Sewing is also a part of both knitting and crocheting, and it is done with yarn needles. Many clothing items have separate parts that are created, and they must be sewn together to form the completed piece. This has become the fast and easy way to finish off projects so they can be worn and admired.
