I must admit what I just learned

General Knitting
1

Ok, so some background here. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was probably around 6 years old or so, but she simply taught me how to do a basic cast on, the knit stitch and a basic cast off method. I did very small amounts of knitting over the next 30 years or so - getting back into knitting about 4 years ago. At that time I was just making basic scarves here and there until one Christmas I made a TON of scarves…scarves for everyone…and realized I really needed to broaden my horizons. So…I taught myself to purl, learned varying cast on methods, learned to cable, made a sweater (baby!) hat, afghan, a bit about dpns and am now working on socks using two circs. I’ve been pretty pleased with the progress I have made with the small amount of time I have to actually knit.

So…due to surfing here and Rav, I have been going to the library and getting books of different patterns I have seen and fallen in love with. The other day I picked up a book on fixing knitting mistakes. As I was browsing, there was a tip so you could tell if you were knitting correctly…that the front “leg” of what you were knitting should be to the right. I thought - what a great tip - I always get confused when I frog and have to put the sts back onto the needle! Soooooo…I picked up what I was working on to take a look, and my front leg was to the left :oo: Then I looked more closely at the picture and noticed also that my "V"s looked upside down :??:

So, I decided to look more closely through the book and at the videos here and discovered I have been purling incorrectly for the last 3 years! :zombie: I was bringing the yarn in front of my right hand needle and wrapping around the back instead of behind it to the front! :wall:

I think the only real “damage” it caused was upside down looking V’s but I’m having a heck of a time getting used to doing it right! And I still REFUSE to frog the sock I am working on no matter how many errors…hopefully the second one will be better :rofl:

2

we forgive you, i’ve been casting on wrong for 3 years.

3

I dont hold the yarn properly, and I know how! mmm isnt there a stitch the is meant to be upside down vs? You could just be ahead of the game, you just didnt know it! :slight_smile:

4

I also learned to knit as a child. But after finding this site I found many things I have been doing wrong over the years. There is always something new to learn about knitting. That is what keeps it interesting. Thanks for sharing. :knitting:

5

What was the book you were reading about fixing knitting errors? I should probably read it and take a look at what I’m doing too!

Lots of people think I knit “wrong” just because I knit continental. You’d be surprised how many out there have never heard of (or refuse to acknowledge) another way to knit.

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It’s called Knit Fix : problem solving for knitters by Lisa Kartus. You can check it out just as soon as I return it :wink: Actually, it’s currently available in 8 of the other library branches…PM me if you would like to know which ones!

7

NOT wrong (not knitting not casting on)

Just not as Usually done in US, UK and commonwealth countries.

Perfectly normal…

but…

when working stocking knit, all the stitches should look alike…
(the V’s should be V’s and not V’s with twisted loops.)

You are, from your description, knitting combo (combination knitting) --a well known, very correct way to knit…

you can read about EVERYWHERE. here, on ravelry, on blogs, in books… its a perfect correct way to knit.

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Thanks Margaret! I put my request in on the book.

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Well, well! I guess I was doing combination knitting after all! I had heard of it, but thought it was some kind of cross between english and continental or something! I guess I was ahead of my own “curve” in learning a new technique! Thank you :muah:

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see??!!! What did I tell yah! Nothing to worry about! You can do it all now!