Knitting methods

Joanne K · 02-02-2006, 01:33 AM

I had a problem with instructions and went into the yarn shop. They told me I knit incorrectly, I twist my stitches. I signed up for classes. I found this site and learned there is more than one way to knit. I learned about combination knitting. Anyone knit using this method?

TwoLeftNeedles · 02-02-2006, 11:35 AM

Yup! For knit/purl patterns, especially on the straights, I love it. Unfortunately, I get confused trying to adapt patterns that call for lots of directional decreases (i.e. lace) so I switch to 'regular' continental for those.

Grumperina has a great table of stitch adjustments at http://grumperina.com/table.htm and there's more information on Annie Modesitt's site at http://www.anniemodesitt.com/decrease.html

I've ordered her book. Can't wait for it to come.

foldedbird · 02-02-2006, 11:58 AM

Anne's booke comes *highly* reccomended. I'm not so proud of your LYS telling you that you knit "incorrectly". You should only knit the way you feel comfortable knitting, and that IS the correct way. As long as you're consistent, you'll be fine.

Read Anne's book, read anne's blog and you will find there are thousands of people like yourself out there.

Oh, and hasn't anyone told you that knitters are anything BUT normal?!

Welcome!

Josie · 02-02-2006, 01:23 PM

I actually had the same thing happen to me in high school -- I had registered for a class at my LYS to learn how to knit with more than one color and at the first class was told that I couldn't come back because I knit incorrectly -- I wrapped the yarn the wrong way around my needle for a knit stitch and it turned out twisted. I was knitting the way that my mom had taught me -- and she's been knitting twisted since she was a little girl. Anyway, I was so embarrassed that I put away my knitting for about ten years and didn't take it up again until just about a year ago -- and when I did it then, I was a compulsive swatcher and I checked out books from the library and watched the videos on this site for everything new... Now I'll just try something to see if I can figure it out, but at least I know a non-judgmental place where I can get help if I need it! Thanks guys!

nonny2t · 02-02-2006, 03:06 PM

Boy, you guys yarn shop would love me as I knit left handed. My personal opinion is as long as whatever you are knitting comes out ok, who cares? The one thing I had to learn was not to stress out about booboos. I used to freak when I would drop a stitch etc but now, I just fix it! The yarn shops here won't help you unless you buy from them and I refuse unless it is something I can't get discount. I am not paying more for something I can get at Michaels or Hobby Lobby or even Walmarts or online. I heard of one poor lady that lives here that was given her supply list for her first class (wasn't told she had to purchase at the yarn shop) and went and got stuff at Walmarts. Showed up and they wouldn't let her take the class and told her the class fee was non-refundable and refused to give her money back to her! Caveat Empter I guess! :XX:

Kirochka · 02-02-2006, 03:22 PM

Amy looked at the long scarf I made the first time I tried to knit (aborted due to thumb pain, now starting again [ETA: I mean I'm starting knitting again, not that the thumb pain is starting again! Knock wood!) and said every stitch was twisted! I'm not sure what I was doing (it was a year and a bit ago), but it was the way I thought a book I'd taken out of the library was telling me to knit... somehow I was inserting the needle backwards, I think.

I'm knitting the way Amy's English video shows now, and it's easier on my hands, but I have a 13-foot-long scarf that I did entirely "wrong" last year. So if I ended up with a scarf, I must have been doing something "right," I guess! :D

02-02-2006, 04:02 PM

The first two scarves I made (my first ever FOs!) are all done with twisted stitches! The twisted stitch has it's place; I'm about to make a sweater that uses that stitch almost exclusively, and the effect is really lovely. I never could figure out how to do increases and decreases for combination knitting, though, so I've gone continental in order to do socks, hats, and all that good stuff.

Kirochka · 02-02-2006, 04:08 PM

I couldn't twist a stitch deliberately now if I tried! :D I'm still just on knits and purls... I have to go see what twisting a stitch means, now!

02-02-2006, 04:20 PM

:rofling: :rofling:

Weird, isn't it?!

foldedbird · 02-02-2006, 04:25 PM

I cannot belive you two were treated this way at the LYS! That's just horrible.