Could You Change?
Having taught myself to knit over 30 years ago, I was presented with a question on Facebook this past weekend. Would I be able to change how I knit?
Magic 8-Ball Might Have it Right
First of all I have never been very good at pattern stitches requiring me to switch back and forth between purling and knitting within a row. Especially when it’s every other stitch. Ribbing and seed stitch are my least favorite stitches.
I have tried switching from my way of knitting (which is an odd combination of English and Continental techniques). Despite how close I already am to Continental style knitting, I still can’t seem to switch over completely to Continental knitting (and purling). I find the tensioning troublesome and by the end of a row of knitting, I am just ITCHING to go back to my regular way.
Then someone describe Portuguese knitting (and purling).
I’ve heard of Portuguese knitting before. I may have even tried it in the past. But since I don’t have difficulty with how I knit, it didn’t hold much appeal. Until I realized Portuguese purling might make my knitting life way easier since the yarn is always held to the front of the work.
I’m going to try it out! Either with a swatch or with a new project.
Someone mentioned that a knitter they knew had to stop knitting because of arthritis. But when they tried Portuguese knitting, they could do it again.
I’m wondering if faced with being unable to knit as you currently do, could you change?
Current Cranking/Knitting
After the first Frankensock was finished, I had a couple of false starts and then was able to finish cranking the second sock.
It had minimal dropped/missed stitches, so I will be grafting the toe and wearing them happily. I really like how using the contrasting color heel and toe make the sock more of a match than they might otherwise be.
I also re-started work on the Tilt Cardigan.
I’m on the last sleeve. After that, it’s just the button band and collar. But I just had to put this one down for a while. Stranded knitting on the purl side is not my favorite. But I really can’t wait to wear this sweater when it’s finished.
I did somewhat change how I knit. When I retired, I took up knitting lace-type things and lo and behold, it didn’t look right. Turns out my mother taught me “combination” style knitting rather than “western”. A friend recommended Annie Modesitt’s Knitting Heretic which described the issue. I had no idea that I was twisting garter stitch and my decreases were leaning the wrong way. After some time of trying to translate patterns (not very successfully), I gave up and changed my style of knitting. Not really a problem.
I have to admit when I taught myself to knit, I taught myself to wrap the purl stitches in the wrong direction, so I was also twisting my stitches. Within a year of learning, someone showed me what I was doing wrong and I corrected it immediately. But changing 30 years of learning might be harder for me!
Joe I have been knitting since I can remember. There is no wrong way to knit or purl. I found out a lot of people do the knit stitch from the back. And when they purl they insert the needle from left to right but place the yarn under and flip through. When you do a few rows you will notice none of the stitches are twisted. It still works but if you knit the way most do when you come back the stitch is to tight.
Thanks Wally…when I say I wrapped the purl stitches in the wrong direction, I should have added I wasn’t doing anything on the next row to reverse the twist. Even that works out fine if you like a twisted stitch. But as a very tight knitter when I first started out, trying to insert my needle into a twisted purl stitch on the “knit side” was painful, and the first sweater I ever made used up WAY more yarn than the pattern called for. I call it the “arctic sweater” because it is dense and heavy enough to keep you warm in arctic weather. None of that is technically wrong…so you are correct. But it also wasn’t how I wanted to be knitting. So I changed. As for today, I hate switching my yarn from behind the work to in front of the work when I’m doing a 1×1 rib or a seed stitch. I’m looking forward to trying it the Portuguese way!
Have you thought about working back with the right (public) side facing you. AKA knit back backwards?
Yes and I’ve done that. Purling isn’t my problem. It’s stitch patterns that go back and forth a lot between knitting and purling. Like a 1×1 rib.
Joe, I took a Portuguese knitting class and it was excellent. I think you will like it.