Question on "Continental " and "English" knitting techniques

In article ,
Ophelia wrote:
"Elizabeth Bonello" wrote

I can't use bamboo/wood needles because I break them--not
because I sit on them or some other accident, just that
I have a tight enough tension that the needles bend more and
more, then finally break. I know now why bamboo slivers were
used to torture people--I managed to skewer myself several times
before I finally gave up on bamboo/wood. Now I use aluminum
for larger sizes and stainless steel for sock needles.

Good to know I am not alone. I use metal needles and they are
always bent! I daren't use bamboo or wood

I find I knit looser with wooden needles, maybe because I'm being
careful not to break them. I started English-style (American style,
really), but taught myself Continental and I knit much tighter than
I purl in Continental style; to do smooth back-and-forth work I have
to knit Continental and purl English style.

=Tamar

Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron




"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron




"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron

"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron

"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron




"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron




"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron




"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora

First thanks for all the input on the question. It gave me the confidence
to go ahead and improve my technique.

I finished up the swatch that raised the knitting technique question. It
became a lunch tote for my wife with her initials on the flap and used the
whole skein. It looks pretty good considering I never got around to writing
anything down.

The final gauge was about 6 stitches per inch for a two ply Shetland tweed
yarn on #3 needles, which is pretty close to what I get for that combo
holding the yarn in my right hand.

I did stop and change the taper of my needles. That set of needles started
with rounded, blunt points. I changed that to a fairly long (2.5 times
needle diameter) straight taper which significantly increased stitch
uniformity between knit and purl. In my rush to get back to knitting, I
waxed but did not varnish the raw wood where I had changed the taper. Big
mistake! Needles do much better with a couple of coats of tung oil. After
knitting a bit with that high oil yarn, I cannot see the difference between
the varnished and unvarnished areas of the needles, or feel the difference
just by touch, but I can feel the difference as I knit.

I recently acquired some commercially made needles in a 2.5 mm size that are
real beauties. (Ok, I am a tool freak.) They consist of 5 inch long
stainless steel tubing bonded to 18 inch long pieces of nylon monofilament
with plastic stoppers at the end. They are feather lite and good for travel!
The points have a very long (4 times needle diameter) straight taper. They
look like just the tool to knit a nice gansey. Using the Shetland yarn
above, they produce a lovely tight storm proof fabric. But, they are so fast
and slippery that I have not yet figured out how to use them. I still drop
more stitches than I actually finish : ) The emblem on the plastic
stoppers is a penguin balancing on three balls. Do not tell me who makes
them. I might run out and buy a bunch which would make my wife mad : )

Now, here is the really interesting point. Using my handmade 2.5 mm
stainless steel needles, I can knit at the same gauge, but many times
faster. So if I want to knit a nice tight gauge, and actually get something
done, I do not reach for those beautiful, perfectly polished delights. No!
I reach for my cheapo handmades. My current practice for making SS needles
is to mat the last 1 cm of the needle point using 1000 emery cloth, with the
remainder of the needle highly polished. I find that it really helps.
Anybody else doing this?

Aaron




"NoraBalcer" wrote in message
...
Well, I got out my knitting needles and some yarn last night and started a
project and paid attention on how I knit and it's the English way, I have
the
yarn in my right hand all the time. I never had paid attention to that
until
the subject was brought up again and made me curious.

Hugs,

Nora