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How to Knit With Wire for a Dress

For those interested in dress-making, knitting with wire is one way to create an unusual effect. Copper and other kinds of wire can be purchased at a hardware store, and your local craft store will carry a wider variety of colors and gauges. Knitting with wire is essentially the same as knitting with yarn, though there are a few tricks involved. Since it is a more rigid material, it can be challenging to use. However, with the right tools and a few simple steps, you can create beautiful dresses of wire.

Things You'll Need

  • Knitting needles
  • 24-32 gauge wire
  • Nylon thread
  • Sewing needle
  • Knit dress pattern
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose your wire and needles. The thinner the wire, the easier it will be to work with. Plastic-coated craft wire may also be helpful for beginners. Aluminum or steel needles may be somewhat slippery but won't scratch like wooden or bamboo needles. You'll need to experiment to determine what works best for you and your project.

    • 2

      Cast on with a backward loop. Give the first stitch an extra twist before adding other stitches to your first row.

    • 3

      Use your knit dress pattern to determine how many stitches you will need to start off with. The wire will be less forgiving than yarn and can break if reworked too much, so start slowly and pull the stitches gently to establish a neat order to your rows. This technique is known as "blocking."

    • 4

      Continue following your pattern by building up rows. You can decide how long or short you want your dress to be. You can even add beads as you go along for extra accent and sparkle. Cut off a tail and weave it through your last row of stitches to finish the main part of your dress.

    • 5

      Knit the sleeves or straps of the dress according to your pattern.

    • 6

      Sew the sleeves or straps to the main garment. You can use wire if you like, or try some nylon thread for extra flexibility.

    • 7

      Tie off any loose ends of nylon. Your new dress is now ready to wear.

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