#knitting techniques

[cottonkhaleesi]

Imagine me with the grin from the SickosyesYes!.jpg every time I get to demonstrate it’s actually two socks in one.

[resedaluteola]

I'm swatching, and once again bumped into my mortal enemy (left leaning decrease) - at the top is k2tog left (insert needle in st1 through front loop, then st2 through back loop, knit them together) the bottom is regular ssk, i hate the look of both - this is for a cardigan i want to look symmetrical so i didn't try a ssp (on the wrong side) but maybe i should ? Would love some input !

[mombinaryjew]

I am so freaking happy right now. I had to unravel part of the honeycomb repeat of my grandson's blanket to correct two mis-crossings of the cables. I was so anxious about it, I had to let it sit for a while to work up the nerve to do it.

I used this video to fix it.

It was a total of 16 rows undone...so yeah, I was freaking out a bit. It worked perfectly. WHOOOOHOOOO!

[theeverlastingmuse]

Penguin sweater vest for my mom. Hand knit from secondhand yarn, the penguin is duplicate stitched on (a technique I very recently learned.) I decided not to make sleeves because I wouldn't have had enough of the yarn I was using. I could always go back and add some later if I have a good idea on a different yarn to use. I found the chart for the penguin on Pinterest. I'll attach it below. 🐧

[catscraftsandcommentary]

Hey knitblr, anyone have any experience designing lace? Because some of my eyelets aren't showing up and I want to figure out why

[sweetteafrances]

How I Knit Socks

Because I'm terrible with second sock syndrome (SSS), I learned how to knit two at a time toe-up socks. These are the methods I use for casting on the toes with Turkish cast on, Fleegle heel for the heel, and a Tubular Bind Off at the end. Hopefully this will help you make your own socks!

Okay, the cast on method:

How to knit the Turkish cast-on - perfect for toe-up socks!

A step-by-step tutorial showing you how to knit the turkish cast-on - including high resolution pictures and a slow-motion video.

Now this is a good guide for how to work two at a time (2aat) socks:

Toe-up, Two at a Time Sock Tutorial

The other day, I tried to teach two friends how to make socks.  Toe-up, two at a time socks.  It didn’t get as far as I’d hoped because we r

I use Lifted increases for the toe:

Lifted increases in knitting - 4 different stitches and how to knit them

A step by step tutorial on how to knit lifted increases. 4 alternatives for the right and wrong side that are super invisibel and easy.

Now the famous Fleegle Heel:

Directions are for toe-up on two circulars.The example is given for 48 stitches, but you can use any number you like. To work this sock fr

And the bind off for once you've finished your cuff. (Note: this only works for k1p1 cuffs):

How to knit the tubular bind-off [+slow-mo video]

A step-by-step tutorial on how to do the tubular bind-off in knitting. Creates a super inivisble and super stretchy edge for ribbing.

[itspronouncedtessa]

The "English or continental" debate is problematic and ultimately detrimental to the community.

Every time I see one of these "are you one or the other" posts, polls, tweets (Xcreets?), blogs, vlogs, whatevers, I get so annoyed. Undies fully twisted.

So indulge me and let's get into this.

First things first:

This is not an attack on pickers or throwers specifically. Any knitting style is valid. If the end result is even, non-twisted stitches that you enjoyed putting together, you're doing it right.

That said, I have 3 major gripes with the concept of "English vs continental" knitting:

1. The terminology. The terms "English" and "continental" were coined during WWII, as continental is actually German and the English were (rightly, at the time) uncomfortable doing anything the German way, or admitting that that way could be more efficient.

As we're about 80 years removed from the war, it might be time to accept that neither is objectively better and that German isn't a dirty word. We can, and should, use English and German, or throwing and picking respectively.

2. It's exclusionary to new knitters. The whole picking vs throwing discussion has made it so that new knitters don't know there are other options. If you're new to knitting, you get the impression that these are the only two options and if you can't do either, you can't knit.

Not to mention that the overwhelming majority of patterns and instructional videos are written or made exclusively for English or German methods. Which means if you want or need to use a different style, you need the additional step and skill of translating the pattern to fit your method. This requires a certain level of understanding of the underlying techniques that new knitters don't have. (Which is why I prefer charts, but that's a whole different rant.)

3. It's exclusionary to experienced knitters who don't pick or throw. The term continental for specifically German knitting dismisses all the other non-German European styles.

An incomplete list:

Eastern, or Russian, where you purl clockwise instead of counterclockwise, mounting the stitch backwards and knitting through the back loop on the right side. Creates the same stitch, but can be so much smoother to execute. Also very useful if you're doing rows of YO, ssk, as it eliminates the need to reorient the stitches before knitting them together.

Norwegian, where you purl without the need to bring the yarn fully forward. This is hard to describe in words, so I highly recommend googling for a video on Norwegian purls. It's a game changer for rib or seed stitch.

Portuguese, where you tension the yarn at the front of the work, looping it over your neck or through a pin. My personal preferred main method. Super helpful for those of us who lack finger strength to comfortably tension at the back. Makes purling a breeze.

Irish or lever knitting. Done with straight needles and (mostly) one-handed. Extremely helpful for people with disabilities. Also one of the fastest methods. You should check out videos on this, the speed is magical.

Flicking (not exactly regional), which is right handed but instead of throwing, you move the right needle to grab the yarn. Also difficult to explain, so check out some videos on this, too. Its a very quick method with minimal wrist movement. If you have the finger strength for tensioning it's worth practicing this, as it's so quick.

All of these are valid techniques, most of them are from continental Europe, none of them are included in the question "English or continental?".

And all of the above doesn't even get into the non-western, non-English, non-European styles there must be around the world, that I can't find through Google, because the English speaking world only uses the above mentioned methods.

Also, knitters that use other methods than picking or throwing are wildly underrepresented in the community, giving the knitting scene a culturally very white, western European image. Knitting could be a far more inclusive hobby if we'd embrace all styles.

In short, we need to change the question to "tell me about your technique" and learn from each other. Combining multiple methods (I use 3 or 4 interchangeably, depending on the pattern) can increase efficiency and enjoyment. And if you're struggling in any way, there might be a technique out there that better suits your needs. Asking about English vs continental isn't going to provide that information.

So tell me about your technique, especially if you use or know of any knitting methods that aren't western or European, I would LOVE to hear about that. Let's share and celebrate all the ways we knit.

[strongbookthoughts]

Notes on The Art of Fair Isle Knitting by Ann Feitelson

So this year's crafting goal is to learn double stranded color knitting. Expect to see me reviewing more than a few titles on the subject. This one was published in 1996, and is pretty good despite having some wildly different vibes than more current books.

This book opens with nearly 40 pages of history about fair isle techniques and aesthetic as it developed in the islands that make up the most northern bits of England. It's honestly a neat little bit of micro history, and it gives you the ability to recognize which patterns/colors are more historically accurate than others. I know enough reenactment nerds to think someone who cares about that could see this post.

The section on technique is mostly black and white line art, but my most important takeaway is that it doesn't matter what color is in what hand (or both in one) as long as you control your tension.

And then the section on color theory is MASSIVE. It analyzes anything that impacts color down to how you are swapping between your colors.

Most of the patterns are jumpers (sweaters for Americans) and the patterns mostly have sizing up to about 50in. I suspect the exact sizing was determined more by motif repeats than anything else.

The models might be professional, but it kind of feels like the author just got a bunch of average people up in scotland to pose in scenic local places. There's a nice range of age and body shapes, but everyone is white.

Since I'm not really looking to make sweaters or design my own patterns (seriously, the color theory section is EXCELLENT), I'm not sure if I'll return to this book. But I'm also rather pleased to have read the history section. YMMV.