So after returning from my holiday I jumped straight into what turned out to be one of the busiest weeks I’ve had at work in a long time. It wasn’t even busy in a nice way – rushing around seeing lots of people and getting lots of work done. No, it was a busy in a hot and exhausting kind of way. I spent the whole week out on a farm in pretty hot weather doing very physically tiring work.
My view for the whole week
So, by the time the weekend came I was ready for a well earned rest. I spent some time knitting – my shawl is now progressing nicely although I’m not sure it will be ready for my self imposed deadline for me to wear it to a friends wedding the first weekend of August. Also holding me back might be the fact that there is another section to come in cream and I have almost run out of the cream yarn. I have ordered some more so hopefully it will arrive pretty quickly so I can continue knitting uninterrupted!
Beginning of lacework on knitted shawl
I have just started on the lacework (in blue)and have been reminded of how I really need to learn not to knit so tightly! The last time I attempted lacework I got really fed up with it and I think that was partly because it was such hard work. As I knit really tightly it is especially tricky to knit together multiple stitches the yarn and needles begin to creak as I prize the stitches along! I thought I had managed to loosen my stitches slightly as I knit up the stocking stitch part of the shawl but obviously not enough to make the lacework significantly easier.
I have been knitting “continental style” ie with the yarn in my left hand. Any suggestions of how to hold the yarn better so that my stitches become slightly looser. Obviously I cant change it dramatically or it will look out of place on a partially knitted shawl but as I have just switched colour and the style of knitting is changing I think now would be the best time to try something new!
H.
Hope you get a chance to rest after the week you had!
What I do when the stitches are too tight is take the right needle and go into the stitch(es) and loosen them a bit. Then I’m usually able to knit 2 together without much hassle. For regular knitting and purling, it just takes practice relaxing your stitches.
Your shawl is coming along nicely. I can’t wait to see the finished product!
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Oops, meant to say that I go into the stitches backwards to loosen them.
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Thanks for the advice – I will give it a try!
H.
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I found that when I twirl the yarn only around my index finger it makes my knitting tighter than if I go over/under/over/under the 4 fingers on my left hand. Hope this helps, and have fun knitting! :)
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Great! I’ll give this a try too! Thanks
H.
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