Wednesday, May 21, 2008

unravelling



Thanks for all the nice comments about the dresses. I'm really into dress making this season, just hope the weather improves somewhat so I can actually wear them one of these days. Not that it will stop me from making more, I already have a couple of new ones planned out ...

Knitting wise this has not been the best week. As you can see above, I decided to frog what I had of the Frock Camisole so far and start again. Not sure what happened but it was getting way too large, even if I'm knitting the smallest size. So now I'm doing some math and adjusting the pattern for fewer stitches and hope it turns out ok. It's a very easy pattern, mainly stockinette stitch in the round which for me doesn't work so well. You see, I knit the Portuguese way, with the yarn around my neck, and purling is so much easier than knitting when you do it that way.

So I decided it was high time to learn Continental knitting, and I've been watching this video over and over again trying to figure it out. It looks so easy, right ? I think I more or less got the hang of it after a zillion tries, but I have to do it somewhat slowly for now, and definitely I can't knit this way without looking at the needles (yet). For those of you who knit Continental, please tell me it gets much easier with practice, I'm needing some motivation here !

8 comments:

Suvi said...

I've always knitted continental, because that's the way they teach us around here. I'm sure it gets easier and faster with time :) I watched that video and noticed that I don't hold my forefinger up like that, but right next to the left hand needle like they show in the beginning of the video.

Lía said...

It will get easier, I promise you ;)
I had to watch those videos over and over for a week until I got it, and with a little bit of practice in no time you'll be knitting continental style easily and also you will find a confortable way to hold your needles and yarn which it could be different from the video but if it's confortable for you it's okay, isn't it?.
I thought "spanish style" (you know, with the right needle tuck under your armpit) was weird but I think "portuguese knitting" beat it ;D

Anonymous said...

Agora fiquei espantada: não sabia que havia várias maneiras de tricotar, consoante os países. LOL
Sempre pensei que fosse igual em todo o lado...

Amanda said...

I learned continental last winter, and I can confirm that it does get easier. Really! It didn't take too long, maybe a few mittens-worth.

If you're knitting stockinette in the round, could you do it "inside out" so you're doing all purl stitches?

Anonymous said...

Here in Finland we knit continental minus the silly extra fingering the yarn at the video. As villapeikko said, we just use our forefinger to hold the yarn. Pinkies and the others are left in peace :)
It will get easier, I promise! And I watched a video of portuguese knitting, looks very difficult to me!

Happy knitting!

Mia

Billy said...

Eu tricoto com o fio à volta do pescoço e o que faço para melhorar a malha de meia é inclinar mais as agulhas, diminuindo o ângulo entre elas.

Se as agulhas fossem os dois lados de "cima" de um triângulo isósceles, esse triângulo seria muito alto e estreitinho. A mim ajuda-me bastante.

Glaucia said...

Eu também tinha alguma dificuldade em trabalhar o ponto meia porque tricoto com o fio ao pescoço, depois de ver alguns vídeos do knittinghelp.com para aprender os ssk e outros macetes acabei adaptando o melhor dos dois mundos: continuo tricotando com o fio ao pescoço, mas, para fazer o ponto meia, coloco o indicador por trás da agulha esquerda e ele ajuda como guia do fio, a agulha direita fica livre e tudo flui naturalmente. Além de ser muito mais rápido tricotar, exige menos movimentos das mãos (evita tendinites...) e o ponto fica mais certinho e bonito.
Os seus trabalhos estão maravilhosos, os vestidos são lindos!
Bom fim de semana.

Kat said...

Are you trying a combination of Portuguese and Continental knitting? It should be possible to knit continental (with the yarn still around the neck) and purl Portuguese, making the most of two styles! I was taught to knit the other way (is it called American?) but have taught myself the other two ways - just because. And yes, it does get easier and faster - it will certainly be faster than how long it took you when you first learned :-) Good luck!