Then, I decided that I would legitimize myself by learning to knit according to the Continental style. I was already most of the way there, and how hard could it be? The main difference is that I wrap the working yarn around my entire hand, and then hold it between my thumb and forefinger as I work with it. This makes holding the left-hand needle quite precarious, but not to worry, I usually just prop it up on my tummy (weird, I know...just stay with me)...while in Continental style, you traditionally wrap the yarn around your pinkie once, and then brace it over your index finger, as a way of maintaining tension. I tried this method, with all the gusto of Barbara Streisand's Funny Girl. I did an entire two-row set on my lacy scarf with this method.
But, as it turns out, not only am I unaccustomed to it, I am incapable of maintaining tension in this way. It just slips through my fingers, unless I hold it with opposing ones. I blame my naturally soft hands. I hope I didn't ruin my scarf!
No, I am neither English nor Continental. But I guess I'll just have to stay that way. My method works, my tension is consistent, and my stitches are even. I love to knit (though I do feel a bit displaced), and I'll do my best to be happy in my unique nature. Maybe someday someone will name my method the Lindsay method!
Here is a picture of my lacy scarf, just begun. I think it is going to turn out beautifully.
2 comments:
Question: Do you also crochet? I took a crocheting class when I was in the 4th grade. And have done it ever since.
But as a result, I find it completely IMPOSSIBLE to knit! I try to hold it as if I were crocheting....nothing seems to feel right.
So I'm wondering if my theory of people either being crocheters or knitters is true.....
Whatdoyathink? True?
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I do crochet, actually. Not as much as I knit, but a little. I totally understand your theory, though - I had a similar one right after I learned to knit. I remember standing in line and having a conversation with the checkout girl at Hobby Lobby. She was a crocheter, and assured me it was super simple, and I was a knitter, assuring her of the same thing! I'm not sure if everyone can really manage both very well - I find myself with a definite slant toward knitting. But once I finally figured crocheting out, everything really clicked. I think if I spent as much time on crocheting as I do on knitting, I'd be just as capable at both.
After that very long answer to your simple question, I think you could figure out knitting if you really decided you wanted to! The method of Continental that I attempted to convert to was actually exactly how I hold my crochet yarn. It did NOT work for me! But others do it.
If you pursue knitting, I'd approach it from a brand new perspective. Don't try to relate it to crocheting! When crocheting finally clicked for me, I figured out that its just a completely different mentality, a completely different art, conceptually. Good luck!!
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