Hi, Knitters,
I am not sure if you will find this interesting or not but I frequently get asked about how I knit so fast. By fast I think people are mainly talking about how many items I finish. However, this does include technique questions, too. I also get many requests to take a video of myself knitting. So on this bright, very cold, sunny morning I set up my iPhone on a tiny tripod and filmed myself knitting in the round on double-pointed needles.
This is not an instructional video! I am just sitting and knitting.
If you are receiving this blog post as an email via subscription, click here to see the video!
In the short video I am working on a class sample for my new Build-a-Toy Workshop that is premiering at Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle. I believe both of the Build-a-Toy Workshops are sold out at this point but if you are interested keep checking back in case someone drops out. I have worked up about 22 different toy elements and I have about 5 or 6 toy designs made from these elements left to complete before class. I can do it! It's going to be an incredible class and really fun. There is so much technique involved in this workshop and that is what I love to teach and demonstrate for my students. The other toy workshop is String-a-Long Toys and it looks like there might be a couple of openings left in this class and we cover a lot of the same techniques if you are interested.
I am using Signature Needles, double-points, 6-inches in length in the stiletto point. I didn't talk or put any music on so you can hear the needles click and slide as I work.
This is my favorite way to sit as I knit. I like to cross my legs and hold the knitting relaxed and low on my lap and slightly off to the right.
A couple of things to point out and watch for are:
1. After I knit about half of the stitches on a dpn, I quickly place the point from the previous dpn in between my pointer finger and middle finger to get it out of the way. You can barely see my hands doing this but it really helps me go faster and knit smoother.
2. After I knit the first stitch on a new dpn I give it an extra tug to tighten up the yarn in between the needles so there won't be any laddering (stretched out columns) between the stitches at those changing points.
That's all today! Short and sweet.
Happy Tuesday.
best, susie
haha! It's Tuesday :)
ReplyDeleteoops - it's Tuesday, yes! already fixed it.
ReplyDeletetotally enjoyed watchng you knit, susan!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. I am in your craftsy class and noticed how FAST you knit, so I'm glad to get this close up to really see it well. I've been working on continental knitting, but still am not as fast as I want to be. It helped to see how you are doing it.
ReplyDeleteI read about how "The Yarn Harlot" likes to watch different knitter's hands, and I had noticed that too. So even if I never get to knit as fast as I'd like, it was great fun to see how you do it!
Oh yes, that explains a lot! LOL Since I knit the other way, I'll never achieve that speed! LOL Although sometimes I do hit a rhythm with certain yarns and needles. Mostly I knit late at night, though, when I'm tired. But that's okay...since most of what I knit is your patterns, it's all enjoyable! Cheers and thanks for sharing! Nicky momoffour
ReplyDeleteI could watch this all day long! You're amazingly fast. Would you ever consider doing a more instructional video for us non-continental knitters? I'm going to look around youtube too. I would love to be able to knit half that fast! Maybe then I'd make some real progress on my queue! Thanks for sharing. I always look so forward to your posts and pictures!
ReplyDelete-Kriste (Kristebee)
What a great video. i am going to have to work on my speed. The tip on handling dpns was wonderful. It is a little hard to see, are you knitting in the front loop or the back loop?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great video. i am going to have to work on my speed. The tip on handling dpns was wonderful. It is a little hard to see, are you knitting in the front loop or the back loop?
ReplyDeleteacp - front.
ReplyDeleteI love that you have nothing else going on while you knit. Just the relxing sound of knitting needles hitting each other! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks you so much for sharing! You are an inspiration! I've been trying for a long time to get speedy at continental but purling slows me down!
ReplyDeleteWatching the video, we have very similar hand positions, however, I notice that you work the yarn across the right needle with your thumb and I use my pointer finger. Is there any reason that you do yours the way you do? I frequently get numbness in my fingers while knitting on smallish needles and am looking for alternate ways to hold needles so I can switch styles periodically and avoid the numbness. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I just finished your Mama Duck and Duckling--love it! Rav ID: nmujillybean
I believe I call that European/Danish kknitting...I knit the same way>>only with my feet up...it has always been fast for me, my mom, granmom etc. I have a very hard time 'wrapping' yarn the other way!! Thanks for the hints..
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Susan! You are so fast! I like the soothing sound f the needles clicking together! And your sweater looks fabulous. :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your knitting speed video! I love that you knit continental, my mother said she learned from HER mom & that it's the German method. I'm left-handed so hold yarn like you!
ReplyDeleteAlso, your gorgeous sweater & the fabulous wood buttons look fab!
~ treblemaker
Is it weird that I find this soothing?! You do really knit fast! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOhhh, thanks so much for posting this. I'm left handed and certainly enjoyed watching your hand positions. Still eagerly awaiting your new book on topsy-turvy toys and hope you will include some video tapes on some of the procedures. Love those needles, they're on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing. Do the short little needles help you to knit faster?
ReplyDeleteWow!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh my Word! You are FAST!
ReplyDelete