Thursday, July 17, 2014

Colour-work

One of my knitting goals for 2014 was to become more proficient at colour-work. On second thoughts, 'goals' is a rather grand term for the vague hopes I had. So a few months ago I knitted the Kate Davies pattern Peerie Flooers using seven colours of Rowan Fine Tweed yarn that I had acquired some time ago from a very yarn-enabling friend.

Tam 3

I'm very happy with the outcome, and except for a few places, visible on the inside, where I carried the yarn a fraction too far without weaving it in, I think it is well-made. The tension is even and the pattern displays itself neatly.

Tam - inside

But knitting this hat has made me doubt that I will ever become a really proficient colour-work knitter. It's another version of the well-worn discussion of knitting styles. Traditional colour-work is usually done two-handed - using one colour in each hand. I'm not only very right-handed, but I also have a rather clumsy and inefficient knitting style that involves completely relinquishing my hold on the right-hand needle while I throw the stitch I'm working on. With colour-work the inefficiency of this process is emphasised because I also need to put down and take up a different colour.

Tam 2

So, what should I do... try with greater determination to master two-handed knitting? I'm very aware of the advice about the desirability of learning new skills as one ages - both intellectually and physically. But I've tried (OK, maybe not hard enough) and the frustration of not being able to knit well with both hands takes away the pleasure of knitting, which is the main reason for doing it. Another option would be simply to avoid colour-work and declare it not for me, but I love the finished projects and I love the association of colour-work with long-established knitting traditions. Alternatively, I could continue to potter along as I have been. After all, the outcome is fine, and if it takes me longer to finish a project than it takes other people, does it matter? I'm not knitting for my living and I don't have queues of people anxiously waiting on finished projects.

Tam 1

Knowing my laziness, I suspect I'll fall back on my tried and true, though inefficient, pottering along. In fact, I've almost finished another Kate Davies hat design, Fugue, in two shades of greyish-blue using my clumsy technique. So far, I'm very happy with this outcome, too.

Hat - two greys

However, there's possibly a problem with this pottering along solution. It's fine for small projects such as hats, but it may not work so well with larger projects that would end up taking so much time. Later this year I'll be taking some classes with a very well-known exponent of colour-work so I'll see what happens then. Maybe my embarrassment at knitting so clumsily in the presence of other knitters will be sufficient to push me to become more proficient with my left hand... but maybe not.

6 comments:

missfee said...

great hats Lyn - and what a gorgeous model you have there
I am super curious and envious of you knitting with a well known knitter

hope to see you soon xxfee

p.s. missed you at the stash reallocation the other day - need anything?

Sel and Poivre said...

Its honestly hard to consider questions of just what might be a suitable speed of output in the face of such beautiful productivity!

Rose Red said...

These are both beautiful. I totally think you should keep doing colour work!
But I have the same dilemma - I knit the same as you, and do colourwork the same too. I really should be able to use my left hand, since it's fairly similar to crochet (as I understand it) but I just can't get the hang of it. Must practice I suppose...

M-H said...

I do a lot of stranded colourwork and I don't use my left hand at all. I have one colour tensioned on my index finger and one on my middle finger. I just lift whichever one is appropriate to hook round the needle. Hard to explain, but maybe I could show you next time we meet.

Unknown said...

I have never done colour work, but I DO like the little two-toned blue hat and I admire the multi-coloured one. Great diligence on your part!
Plus -- excellent descriptions of all the films you packed in. Fun to read on a rather overcast day. Barb

Moorecat said...

I use the same technique as M-H and find it works for me.

There are also special ring doodads which you can buy that hold the yarn over your finger for you:

http://morrisandsons.com.au/c1544_906/15498/

Or

http://www.woolbaa.com.au/store/69-clover/3606-clover-yarn-guide-348

Or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LoRan-Norwegian-Knitting-Thimble-/380948152071?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58b2477f07