I'll admit that just reading the directions made my head spin. Time to take off the thinking hat and become a blind follower. Just do as written. And in less that five minutes, the mind-gears engaged and I was off and running.
However, if I didn't know how to knit "backwards" (knitting from left to right as well as the usual right to left,) the love wouldn't be so much.
For example, the pattern instructs me to -
Knit 2, turn.
Slip 1, purl 1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 2, turn.
Slip 1, purl 2, turn.
Slip 1, knit 3, turn.
Etc., turn, turn, turn.
Screw that. So imagine instead -
Knit 2. (R to L)
Slip 1, knit 1. (L to R)
Slip 1, knit 2. (R to L)
Slip 1, knit 2. (L to R)
Slip 1, knit 3. (R to L)
Etc. Just slippin' and knittin'.
I have used this technique for intarsia and bobbles, too. EZ didn't think too much of it, being the opinionated knitter that she was. From The Opinionated Knitter I quote her, "Actually, there is no wrong way to knit, although there is one way which is nearly wrong. I mean, Backwards, or Looking-Glass Knitting. It is not wrong in effect, as its proponents - or shall we say victims? - turn out perfectly creditable garments. But they work in a void of noncommunication, cut off from run-of-the-mill knitters and nearly all knitting instructions."
Victim, indeed! It doesn't take an Einstein to adapt a pattern to one's own purpose.
3 comments:
Yet in another place, and I'll need to go look up the reference, she actually advocates "knitting back backwards" as a less awkward way to knit the few stitches on a shoulder strap when the sweater is too bulky and heavy to turn handily. Wonder how old she was when she had that epiphany?
Nancy NeverSwept
Dig those colors! Great yarn choice. I've got to practice knitting backwards. I can do it, but it's still clumsy (not as clumsy as colorwork for me, though). Maybe 2008 will be the year I master both of those skills.
Those are beautiful socks! I haven't quite had the courage to try entrelac yet -- maybe this year?
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