Saturday, October 27, 2007

Switch Knitter




In spite of all of the years that I have been knitting, I have never learned to knit Continental style - I'm a thrower and I like it that way - gets rid of a lot of aggression! Another thing I've never done is Fair Isle or stranded knitting, always preferring to cross-stitch the design on a plain stockinette background. But today......I have become a two handed knitter! I'm making the Christmas Rose Gift Bag from Last Minute Knitted Gifts and after reading up on some Fair Isle techniques decided to give it a go. One suggestion for two color Fair Isle was to knit one color with the right hand and one with the left hand - yeah right! But it didn't hurt to try, and it wasn't long before I was throwing one color with my right hand and knitting continental with the other. The two colors don't get all twisted up, the design repeats enough so I can carry the yarn across the back, and I'm reall enjoying this! I have no idea if I am doing this correctly - but here's what I have so far.

5 comments:

jackie said...

congrats on trying something new! the colors look great together. what is the yarn?

Dandy said...

that sounds like a neat idea for stranded work... I might have to try it when I pick up kauni again!

lauriec said...

I tried to knit continental once. You could hear the brain cells sizzling.

Jenny said...

I love Fair Isle knitting! Yours is looking terrific! :)

Unknown said...

Very cool. I've been knitting Continental for years . . . ever since my Mom gave me Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears. When I try to go back, it always seems awkward and uncomfortable. But I will have to try that trick with two colors. Very cool, indeed!