I bought some yarn while I was in America as I wanted to practice continental knitting which I'd learned from Youtube.
Last winter I sat and made myself learn this 'new to me' way of working with knitting needles and must say that I enjoyed it as it's more like crochet.
My Aunty Nelly was disgusted that her sister (my grandmother) had encouraged me to tat at the age of 13 but that she couldn't get me interested in crochet!!! She was a great needlewoman just like my gran too.
It wasn't until she'd died many years before that, at the age of 32, I was so disgusted with myself that I sat down with books and taught myself to crochet!!! For some reason it now doesn't do my right hand a lot of good as I have a small problem with it. Knitting is fine, though.
I wanted something simple (as in stocking stitch) so I could get practice and thus speed with my new way of knitting so I started a waistcoat (or, as they say in America, a vest). The pattern said to start on one of the fronts but I wanted to get the back done first so that I'd know if I'd got enough yarn. Here's the back and the good news is that I will have enough!!!
Joanie gave me a whole set of bamboo knitting needles which are really comfortable to use too so that inspired me to keep going too!!! Don't we all like new 'toys'?
We love our toys, but I love those carbon fiber needles you recommended. If that is a waistcoat, then what is it the British refer to as a vest? An undershirt?
ReplyDeleteMy mother, who was Russian, always knitted the continental way, and she was very fast! But I preferred the method taught to me by my very British grandmother and didn't really come to grips with my mother's method until the 1980's. That was the era of complicated fair isle and picture knits, and it's so much easier to avoid tangles of multiple colours if you're able to use the continental method.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing your completed waistcoat. Buttons are very important!
Tim - I guess that our vest is the same as your undershirt.
ReplyDeleteI like the carbon needles but only bought one set for sock knitting so these bamboo ones are a real bonus and lovely to use, too.
How interesting, Maureen. I’m so glad I’ve taught myself the continental way although I’m not fast - yet. I do find it much easier to control. Ah, the buttons. May have to take a trip to Birmingham or to Amazon for those!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy mom taught me continental knitting, and it's the only style I'm proficient with. I like that you started with the back. Now you have the biggest part finished!
ReplyDeleteLooks nice and even stitching too😁 I am not that good at knitting can't seem to switch off too much.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I posted a comment but your stitches look great and way better than mine. Also I guess I have never taken the main track always on the side tracks
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are off to a great start on your new project!!! :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you, it’s not easy to learn a new way of knitting.
ReplyDeleteWhen I crochet, I like to use bamboo hooks. They're so comfortable to work with and inexpensive too.
ReplyDeleteI only know continental knitting, yes more like crochet. Your waistcoat looks lovely so far.
ReplyDeletethat looks very nice. Congrats on changing the way you do things. muscle memory can be hard to change
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