Thursday, November 16, 2006

The right way to knit

I knit with the right needle tucked under my armpit. I'm told it's a Scandinavian style, although I learned it from my Italian knitting teacher. It's certainly akin to the old use of knitting sheaths in England.

Continental knitters, god bless 'em, have missionary tendencies. They zealously spread the gospel of the yarn on the left. It's so easy. It's so fast. It's the only way to go. I don't hold them personally responsible, but I tried it and tore my rotator cuff.

I taught myself to knit on DPNs, and for years I knit from the back needles, not the fronts, so it looked like I knit my socks inside out. People would come up and lean over my shoulder trying to figure out how I was knitting. I've largely changed to the "normal" way.

My friend Margaret asked me to help her move on from garter stitch scarves. She had taught herself to knit from a book, and I quickly realized I had no idea what she was doing. The end result was absolutely a knit stitch, but I couldn't help her with increases, decreases, or purls because I couldn't figure out the relationship between the yarn and the needles and the process.

I ran across this knitter this morning:



Wow! I would never knit that way, but I love that little twist she gives to the stitch and how her left thumb flips the yarn up and over.

As long as the people you love get something pretty in the end, something that makes them feel cared for, what does it matter?

1 comment:

Cindy said...

I love watching all the different ways that people knit. I have to say, whatever works, works. As long as the result is pleasing & the knitter is happy with the method, all is well.