Several people have asked about knitting backwards, so I thought I would post this link to some videos at www.knittinghelp.com. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the Knitting Back section. They have videos for knitting backwards, both English style and Continental style.
I knit mostly English style, and I'm currently using the first method she shows in the video (the wrap method). I think it looks kind of awkward in this video though. With some practice, I think this is a fairly fast method since you just have to flick the fingers of your right hand up to make the wrap. I think the key is to tip the point of the left needle up and towards you when you pull it back through the wrap (so the loop doesn't fall off the point).
I took a little video of myself doing this, but it didn't come out that great. It's a little grainy and my thumb sometimes obscures what is going on. But, my goal was to show that knitting backwards by wrapping with your right hand can be a smooth and fairly fast method. (Sometimes I think English-style knitting gets dumped on too much on the internet. Like anything, I think it has its pros and cons.)
I have a headache from trying to figure out which video format to use, and how to get it into that format. I'm still not really sure this will work. That said, here's the link to the video I made. Let me know if this even works. Be forwarned, it's about 7 MB so expect to wait a while if you have a slow connection.
This was my first visit to the KnittingHelp website, and I think it's a great resource. On the Purling page, she also links to a Finnish video showing a different method of Continental purling (direct link to the 19MB video). This looks very cool. I've never seen this method before and I can't wait to try it out the next time I'm knitting Continental (usually when I do ribbing).
Lady E. Update:
I'm on ball nbr 5 (out of possibly 12?). I'm still loving the way it looks, but the entrelac is just starting to get the teensiest bit boring... But don't worry, I'm going to try really hard to finish this project in a timely manner. Yeah, yeah, and work on the hat too. ;-)
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Leave a Comment 7 comments:
well i watched the video and i give it 4 stars. keep in mind i have no idea what i'm supposed to be paying attention to as far as knitting method goes, but i can honestly say its the best knitting video i've ever seen. ;)
I'm attempting to learn continental so the 'new' way of purling helped. Now if I could just find a good way to hold the yarn in my left hand...
i think it would be more helpful if you slowed down during this tutorial...your thumb did block some of the details, but the speed made it difficult for this knitter to follow. despite this critique, i agree with k that it's the best knitting video i've ever seen!!
oops! forgot to mention...you need to update your bar graph on the entrelac shawl.
I hate dial up.
wow, thanks for the backward knitting video! it's great; i knit the same way you do, so the thumb thing did not bother me; i was focused more on the throwing which is the hardest part for me to change when i try new knitting techniques.
LOVE the video - much clearer even than the "official" one. You made it look easy! Can't wait to try. Also, never feel guilt about knitting A.D.D. You learned a new skill (entrelac), played with a beautiful new yarn for a while, and now have on hand something for those days when you need semi-mindless project for movie watching!