Finally got a chance to look at this. Turns out I am a ‘flicker’ already - though I keep my finger much closer to the needle. (She probably does as well when not knitting as a demo.) Also, I do not pinch the right needle but just gently stabilize between thumb and index finger. Force is almost nonexistent when knitting with square needles, making for a smooth and easy pivot. All that said, I find tensioning is not as easy on the arms as knitting left-handed with the yarn held just above the needle tip?(which I taught myself to do by knitting a bonus body) and wrapped by subtly swirling the left ± needle, not moving the yarn. However, I find purling right-handed blindingly easier than left-handed so still use a goodly bit.
My working yarn is typically looped around my pinkie when knitting right-handed, but I have found that to create too much drag when I knit left-handed. Instead, when knitting with yarn on left, I just let yarn drag between pinkie and right finger at the web. The former might be a nice solution to tension without cramping out from a tight grip.?
Very appreciative of the yarn pin hack to allow test-driving Peruvian/Portugese knitting. Need to finish something so I can try it out with a new project!?
jacqui
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On Feb 26, 2020, at 8:25 AM, mary_007usa via Groups.Io <
sewgood5@...> wrote:
Very Pink pinches that right needle to form the pivot so she can deliver the yarn.? I don't see any other way of? keeping my hand on the right needles while getting the yarn through the stitch.? In your refinement, does your right hand just glide toward the tip of the needles as you deliver the yarn?
Jaya,? I so want to learn flicking.? It's just so efficient.? I've tried the tensioning methods you mention, but haven't settled on one yet.?? I know I should use the ring finger/pinkie tensioning methods b/c it makes perfect sense to me, but I tend to really cramp that left hand into a death grip.? That will take some practice time to zen out and relax that hand.
Mel and Lise,??? I tried tensioning around my neck and it wasn't smooth enough for me (it felt creepy too.).? Try it with the yarn pinned.? Just attach a paper clip to a safety pin.? Pin that configuration to your below your left shoulder.? Use your slickest needle for a good glide.? Very cool to see Angela Wong perform two color knitting with a pin on each shoulder.? The yarns never tangle with Portuguese/Peruvian which is such a boon for the two color knitter.? Knitting pins are easy to source, but a simple paper clip rig is a great way to try the technique.
i've spent close to a year, trying different methods of knitting to search for a comfortable style.? It's daunting to change how you deliver the yarn.? Our hands are so constrained by muscle memory, but the learning curve with this method was very achievable.
I've also flirted with this flicking method that Very Pink demonstrates:?
She's got a second video that goes more deeply into how she flicks.? I want to learn how to do this because, again, both hands stay on the needle.? So much better for compromised hands and arms.? I'm very clumsy at it, though.? I want to go back to it.? It's another super fast method and Very Pink's variant seems to be one of the most efficient flicking methods I've seen.? I tried it on wooden needles with acrylic yarn, so that might have been what held me up.
When I do two color knitting, I use continental.? During my year long exploration of knitting methods I changed my continental hold a little.? I had always held my left index finger aloft.? I was just getting too stiff doing this.? I've learned to keep it barely off the needle with my hands very close tot he tips of the needles.? That's made continental much for comfortable for longer knitting sessions and it also snugged up m purling a bit.
I am sad to say, now that I've been knitting again,? my sewing time has been severely curtailed.? I still have the tweed coat on the dressmaker dummy, waiting through another winter.? I've got two spring tops and three pairs of pants that need little alterations.? I love sewing very much, but I think I will always love knitting more.
Mary.
