I’m getting bored with my lack of pictures, aren’t you? Not that my pix are any great shakes, but they do make for a more interesting post. I guess that means that I should focus on getting the cameral and computer together. ETA: After some time with Google, I discovered that I need to buy a memory card reader, and then I can get back to posting pictures. I’ll be stopping by my favorite box store tomorrow to pick up what I need!
Pictures would really help me to explain what happened at last week’s SnB. Blog-free Kim was talking about the way in which a stitch sits on a needle. I looked at my stitches (I was working on Cozy V-neck, v.2), and her description and my stitches had little to do with each other. I decided to ask the question that I’ve avoided for a while.
"Do my stitches look twisted to you?" Both Nearly-Not-Blogless Sara and Blog-free Kim agreed that they did. I showed them how I knit.
Nope. My knit stitch is not the culprit. I showed them my purl, and NNB Sara (an English-style knitter) confirmed that I was not purling properly. I don’t need to hear comforting comments about how there is "no" right or wrong way in knitting. I believe there is. One may get to the right way via a variety of methods, but there is a place of rightness in knitting.
Anyhow, NNB Sara showed me her purl stitch, and whaddya know? My knitting looks just as it should again. My pals wanted to know WTF? How was I purling wrong for so long?
After I thought about it for a few minutes, I realized that when Scout and Carole instructed me in the ways of English knitting, I was working on socks, and I only learned the knit stitch from them. I didn’t anything flat until after I’d moved back east. I find it hysterical that I have been effing up for nearly two years now; I applied my Continental way of approaching the yarn to the English way of knitting. Jenny asked if I was doing combined knitting, and I guess I had been, of sorts, but not a combination that works!
To soothe myself from the distress of having to rip out, yet again, the Cozy V-neck pullover, I spent my craft time over the weekend on embroidery and spinning. I also whipped out a washcloth to go into the Christmas gift basket. My oldest sister suggested that her daughter would *love* a pair of hand knit socks for Christmas, as well as an iPod cozy (she’s coveted her mother’s for a while), and a hat. Gotta love a girl who wants hand knits, no? I just need to get information about sizes and colors, and I’ll start some projects for Miss Alexis.
Have you been working on any holiday projects?
I did something similar. I was taught to knit when I was little and “thought” I remembered it all…turns out that for my first few projects I was knitting and purling everything through the back loops!
Ok, just another reason to have never switched in the first place. 🙂
At least, you know what you’re doing now. ;^)
No holiday knitting yet. I think I’m on strike right now.
Well, now your all strightened out.
I decided not to knit any Christmas gifts this year. Last year I stressed myself out so much that I lost my urge to knit for a little while so I’m going to take this year off. Family in friends will still get hand knit for their birthdays.
You can pick up those card readers fairly cheaply.
Oh I shouldn’t laugh….. poor you!
I hope you post pictures of your “purled” stitches once you get a card.
My camera card doesn’t fit my new laptop HP. 🙁 Probably because my camera is a dinosaur circa 1997.
Holiday knitting – not yet. I’m such a slow knitter I should have started ages ago. Time…
How very very funny.
And YES you gotta love a girl who loves handknits. So fun for you to start your Holiday knits. I haven’t yet. I have a few gifts purchased however for Chrismas. Just a few.
Yes, I did the same thing with the purl stitches. I got many of those “as long as it works for you” comments, but refused to continue to do it wrong. Although, I did just read that if your purl stitches are too tight, wrapping the yarn in the opposite direction helps tighten them up. So, at least I know that if I ever need to tighten my purls stitches, I am already adept at it.
I enjoyed meeting last night as well!