Pushing work along needles... does everyone do this?

#1

I learned to knit from Amy’s videos and other than watching Knitty Gritty on TV, I haven’t really seen many people knit in person, sad to say.

I was just wondering about pushing your work along the needles. I thought everyone must do this, initially - you sort of push the stitches up near the end of the needle so you can get into them to knit. At least that’s what I do.

But if everyone does that, I don’t really understand how that works with circular needles. :?? You can’t really push your work along there, can you?

So, what’s the scoop… is it OK to push your work along… does everyone do it or is it a newbie thing? And how will I use circular needles if I do this?

#2

I push my work along…I’m a tight knitter so even on my Addi Turbos things don’t slide like butter!

With circulars you would still need to move the work around on the needles to get the stitches to the points for knitting and to move the new stitches further down the other needle.

I haven’t seen many other people knit…but Tyne Daley (on Judging Amy) is a very fast knitter but she pauses to move stitches along also.

#3

Imagine a bunch of people running a race on a circular track. The track doesn’t move, just the people do.

It’s the same way with stitches on a circular needle. The needles stay in the same place, and the stitches travel around it.

And yes, you have to give them a shove now and then!

#4

Yep. Gotta move them along especially if you knit tightly. I find some yarns are worse than others, too. Some just don’t slide easily. I also find I have more of a problem on my Denises than on the Addis. :rollseyes:

#5

I agree, you have to slide you stitches along. I think that’s why it’s better to have a needle that’s a little too short than a little too long. It’s easier to get the stitches around and bunched up near the left tip.

#6

I’ve always been a pusher! :wink: When I first started knitting, my stitches were so tight that I had to fight with them to get them to move. Nowadays, depending on the type of yarn, type of needle, and type of stitch, I can usually get away with minimal persuasion… except that the cords on my Denise’s seem to grip the yarn somewhat. :frowning:

#7

So many new knitters I see don’t push. So when they try to get the stich off the needle they end up stretching the bejebus out of the stich. then when they go to look at thier work they say “How come my stiches look so big adn have big holes”

#8

:roflhard: Fem… “Bejebus” I love that word but never saw it in print. I dont know why( I guess I am easily entertained) but I liked how you worded that. Especially since I remember stretching the bejebus out of my first knitted items!

Cindy