[color=indigo]The 2007 French Speed Knitting Champioships opens in Paris this Thursday. Knitters from >10 countries have registered. There are also events for knitting in pattern stitches, as well as crochet.
Rules are simple: US 6 needles, 60 sts per row, garter stitch, 3 minutes
Current “world” record: [size=6][b]298 sts in 3 minutes
YIKES!!![/b][/size]
Cheers,
Landolphe, who must now come to terms with being handicapped[/color]
PS: Can post links for those who want to read more (in French).
Wow! That is amazing! I wish I knitted that fast. I am working on this blanket right now that started with 8 sts and you increase 4 every round to keep it flat. I now have more than 650 sts around, and will have 748 sts when it is done. I could finish in a few hours if I could do 100 sts/min! As it is, it will probably be another week (depending on how much work I put into my other 2 projects 
)
I knit fast, but not that fast. I should probably take a speed test to see how fast I knit. Might be fun.
bip, I’m making the same blanket! I’m not as far as you though (I got distracted).
We should all do speed tests. That would be fun! :cheering: I’ll do one tonight and post my speed. I’m not ashamed. Even though I probably should be. :teehee:
:passedout:
Errrr…NO!!! I don’t want to know exactly how much of a klutz I really am. I currently have myself deluded into believing that I know what I’m doing.
Now, give me a manual typewriter, and I’m there! Can you say “Alabama State Typing Champion on a Manual Typewriter” (year around 1986 or 1987)?? (Sad, but true)
:teehee:
Now, that just puts me to shame :o
[color=indigo]AND … done on straight needles (unbelievable to me), but in Continental style, with needles held in Victorian position!
:passedout:
JUST IMAGINE: she could knit up a thing (or two or four) while browsing around her LYS! Grizzly. Totally Grizzly. I tell ya, it jus’ ain’t fair. :thud:
Landolphe
PS: I think I just might send my Cursed Ribbon Yarn Triangular Shawl from Hell over to Paris and see if one of the contestants could finish it up (or off) for me during a cafe and baguette break. :teehee:[/color]
I’d love to know how to go about timing oneself! I’d find it awkward.
I can average 86 wpm with 100% accuracy on the computer keyboard. Mind you I don’t have the greatest Grammer or Spelling :lol:
I just clocked my knitting speed, and I can knit about 203 stitches in 3 minutes. No lie. My relaxed speed is about 55 stitches per minute.
what’s victorian position?
close your eyes & think god save the queen?
sorry!
:shock: :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard:
I timed myself before at 48 knit stitches / minute when a similar thread got started on another forum. Somewhere in average range. 33 purl stitches /min and 33 sts in k1 p1 ribbing, too.
ContiKnitter, you’re fast!
I’m not fast at all and I don’t feel like timing myself. I knit for fun, not to get things done as fast as possible. My mom is really fast, I’m not half as fast as she is. And we both knit english style, so I think my mom would be able to gain more speed when she switches to continental style (although don’t expect her to do that, she’s happy the way she knits now)
[color=indigo]As I understand it, when working with two needles, holding the right needle as you would a pen is the “Victorian” position. :shrug:
Landolphe[/color]
Funny that this victorian position issue came up…last night at my snb a new lady came and she was knitting in the victorian position if that really is when you hold your needles like a pencil…I commented to her that I had never seen anyone knit in that position before…I was just about to start a new thread about it to find out if it has a name or if she just knits differently…
[color=indigo]I cannot recall where I read/heard that the name of the hand position is “Victorian”, but I do recall that many women used that position in the Victorian era as it was “the only dignified way for a proper lady to hold her needles.” :shrug: It is a pretty position and allows for the RH needle to rest across the wrist/forearm.
There was a guest on Knitty Gritty who held that way but knitted Continental style, holding the working yarn between her thumb and index finger, instead of looping it over the extended index finger. Also looked very nice. And, Loord, was she fast!
Landolphe[/color]
[color=indigo]OK gang, still time to catch a late flight to Paris for the 2007 Speed Knitting Championships. Oil up them stix, take a coupla Ibuprofen, and get knittin’! :teehee:
First events open on March 1st; event runs for 3 days. Coupla French knitting mags and yarn cos are offering some nice prizes. And of course, there’s the one year’s worth of bragging rights.
[size=6]All Aboard![/size]
Landolphe 
[/color]
[color=indigo]Here is site and links to many amazing knitting event records and pix.
Apparently, current world speed record is 333 sts in 3 minutes. :thud:
Landolphe[/color]
Say what?