I'm working on a new knitting project, trying to learn how to do colorwork, specifically colorwork with one color yarn in my right hand, one in my left. I knit English style (carrying the working yarn in my right hand) and I want to learn how to knit Continental (yarn in the left) to see if it was any faster/better for me so I figured that this project was a great chance to learn how to do that.
It's not working well. I just can't keep even tension on my yarn that is in my left hand. Which is ironic, since when I crochet, I carry the working yarn in my left hand and have to maintain even tension on it. Yet the way I hold yarn for crocheting won't work for me while knitting. It's rather frustrating trying to knit smoothly using my left hand.
But that's just issue one. First off, look at this yarn.
No. OMG. Horror. It splits like mad and is so hard to catch the whole strand when knitting into a stitch. Very annoying. And, even worse, the plied cream wool I'm using does the same thing. Not quite to the same extent, but still enough so that it is difficult to knit into.
On the positive side, the pattern is nice. At least I'm not dealing with issues there (other than the fact that I tend to skim instead of read the chart, which means I have to backtrack a bit... but really, that's my own fault). Of course, the wonky tension issues I'm having are kind of screwing up the pattern in that the contrasting color stitches are being pulled too tight so they don't pop as much as the natural yarn color. Which means the pattern doesn't show up as nicely as it could.
Sigh. I'm about ⅓ of the way through the project. I really hope I get the left hand tension thing straight. Because I have a pattern for a colorwork hat that features alpacas and I really want to not hate colorwork so I can make me an alpaca hat.
Oh Amanda, that is sooo pretty. I have knit for years and never tried to do anything like that. You really are trying hard stuff, sweetie. So give yourself some major snaps for such achievements and don't be too hard on yourself, one color at a time is hard enough some times. Took our chicken to the dentist today, they all thought he was a total wonderful chick and you were a super DIL, which of course you are! Love, MIL
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you knit! I'd have pestered you to teach me how ages ago if I'd known. :) I do like trying things that make me learn new techniques. I'm just hoping I didn't bite off more than I can chew with this one. Though last night things with tensioning on the left hand seemed a bit smoother so hopefully by the time I'm done with this project, I'll be proficient (and comfortable) enough with the technique that my alpaca hat will be awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of awesome, glad you like the chicken! I think I'm going to have to make me one... maybe in pink.
please for the love of dear sweet baby jesus where did you get that rainbow yarn? i dont care if it was a pain! i want! how much did it cost? im dying here!
ReplyDeleteHehe, it's Crystal Palace's Mini Mochi in Intense Rainbow. (Here's the Ravelry page, if you are on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/crystal-palace-yarns-mini-mochi ).
DeleteAnyway, I got it at a store in Georgia while on vacation but there are a number of places online that offer it. They have some really lovely colors.