Did you ever hear about a strict rule that you cannot knit without looking? No? It is because there is no such thing. You can knit without looking, and some expert knitters even confess to doing this practice themselves!
Some knitters never had the guts to try knitting without looking. But I know many knitters who are experts with it. They like chatting with their friends, reading, or even watching the television while knitting. Please continue reading if you want to try knitting without looking.
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How to knit without looking?
You came to the right place if you like chatting with your friends, reading, or watching tv while knitting. Follow these tips to help you enjoy both knitting and your other hobbies at the same time!
- Knit a few rows first.
- Use stitch markers and your left hand as guides.
- Learn how to fix knitting mistakes.
- Knit in intervals.
- Knit simple patterns.
It is best to warm up first before you jump into knitting without looking, especially if you are new to it. Whether you are knitting a 3-ply or 4-ply pattern with wool, knit a few rows first, accustom yourself to the pattern, and get into a rhythm. Spend some time watching and familiarizing your hands with the movements.
Doing all these things will make the pattern familiar to your mind and hands. Once you achieve it, you can comfortably knit your fabric without looking.
Right-handed knitters almost always rely on their right hand to knit. But, if you want to knit without looking, it is best to use your left hand.
You can use your left hand to feel your stitches coming up. When you feel your yarn over from the previous row, you will know that it is time to look down so you can avoid making mistakes. It will help you make sure that you put your stitches in the right spots.
But, if you do not trust your left hand that much, you can still use other things to guide you as you knit. One of the best things to use as a guide is a stitch marker. You can use them to mark when you need to do anything complex.
It is best to accept that there is are high chances of making mistakes when you knit without looking. It is best to learn how to fix common errors to make sure you can beautifully finish your project.
Do not worry about making mistakes because there is almost always a solution to them. You can knit on or research the mistake you made and try to correct it as soon as possible. I also write about guides on how to fix some knitting mistakes, so check them out!
Remember that there are no strict rules in knitting, so you can look whenever you need to or want. But, it is always best to knit in intervals. You can knit without looking, then watch your knitting for a few minutes.
You can switch back and forth to feel the motion of your yarn and needles. It will help you feel more relaxed and enjoy what you are doing.
Since you will most likely make mistakes while knitting without looking, choosing the right pattern is essential. Patterns with lace patterns, charts, and lots of shaping usually need more focus and attention. So, they might not be ideal if you want to knit without looking.
Did you know that learning how to knit without looking can help you become a more efficient knitter? You save time if you are confident enough that you do not always have to look at your knitting.
How to knit faster?
Do you sometimes feel frustrated with how long it takes for you to finish a knitting project? Speed knitting comes with a lot of practice, but there are some things you can do to knit faster. Follow these tips to knit quicker and become a more efficient knitter:
- Make knitting a habit.
- Learn to knit without looking.
- Identify mistakes as soon as possible.
- Learn lever knitting.
- Learn flick knitting.
Knitting takes practice, and you get better when you make it a habit. You will notice that your stitches become more even, and your speed also improves. You can try to knit for short periods daily so the movements will develop into your muscle memory.
Like I mentioned, learning to knit without looking will save you so much time. If you develop knitting movements into your muscle memory, things will be more automatic to you. Once you master this skill, you will see how much faster you can finish your projects.
There are endless possibilities when you can get more time for knitting. When you learn how to knit without looking, you also get more time to practice. And doing so will help you finish your projects much faster.
Many knitters believe that it is best to look out for mistakes and repair them as soon as possible. If you make an error when knitting a basic 4-ply pattern in DK, it is easier to fix them early on than to finish your projects to redo them.
You can check your knitting for any flaws to save time and help you finish your project faster. It is why you need to learn how to fix knitting mistakes without ripping your rows.
Lever knitting, also known as Irish cottage knitting or pivot knitting, is a quick method of knitting. It is like English knitting or throwing, wherein you hold your yarn in your right hand. But, you keep your right needle still, acting as a lever or pivot.
In this knitting style, your left needle is doing all the work. Although it may seem overwhelming at first, it is a sure way to knit faster.
Flick knitting is another style that can help you knit faster. You hold your working yarn in your right hand, not letting go of the needle when wrapping your stitches. Your thread goes over your right index finger, and you make a flicking motion with your index finger to cover the needle tip.
Most knitters wrap the working yarn around their pinky fingers to hold the tension in flicking. You control the thread with your ring and middle fingers. Then, you will keep it around your index finger to wrap or flick.
Note that you may drop more stitches when using this knitting style, primarily because it is new to you. Remember that you cannot master it in on sitting. You need to practice if you want to knit much faster by using flick knitting.
Can you knit and read at the same time?
As I mentioned, many advanced knitters like to read as they knit. Yes, you can knit and read simultaneously, but they might not go well hand in hand. You might end up making mistakes or proceed without making any sense out of your knitted fabric.
But, it does not mean there is nothing you can do to knit while reading. You can do certain things so you can enjoy both reading and knitting.
How to knit and read at the same time?
Like I mentioned, knitting while reading might not be the best idea. But, there are things you can do to create a fantastic knitted fabric still while you enjoy reading. Follow this guide on how to knit and read at the same time:
- Choose the right knitting project.
- Look for large reading materials.
- Make sure your reading material stays open.
- Read a material that you can slightly damage.
- It is best to read digital materials.
Avoid working on complicated knitting projects if you want to read at the same time. Complex patterns need your full attention so you can prevent or reduce making mistakes. So, it is best to work on more straightforward knitting projects if you want to read simultaneously.
You can work on project parts that do not need your full attention. You can stick to unshaped stockinette or garter stitches so you can glance at your reading material from time to time. But if you want to work on shaping, make sure that you use markers to avoid errors.
It is best to read textbook-sized books because they tend to lay open and flat without too much effort. Books with larger and more text per page are ideal. Reading these materials will allow you to focus more on your work without pausing to turn the page too often.
If you are not reading large, heavy books, you need to make sure that your reading material stays open. It is best to get things that can help hold your book open. A metal ruler can usually do the trick. It also helps if you need to check your gauge if you are reading while swatching.
Keep in mind that you might damage your book if you want to read while knitting. You might break its spine as you try to lay it flat and keep it open. But, do not worry because slight damages will not make your books any less readable unless you are very careless.
Digital reading materials are probably the best option for reading while knitting. You can control the text size, and you can also keep your device in the position you want it to be. You can also set your computer to automatically and gradually scroll for you.
Search for Google Reader on the internet and set it up according to your preferences. Click the scroll button on your mouse, so the scroll symbol appears on your screen. With this tool, you can offset your mouse to control how slow or fast you want your computer to scroll for you.
Also, check these brilliant Youtube channels here.
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