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Portuguese Knitting


I recently re-started DH's sweater - it was almost complete the last time, but a tad bit (and by that I mean "very") large for him. He absolutely refused to wear it because he looked like a scarecrow with very loose clothing in it. So I had to redo the whole thing again.

I started off by looking at a different pattern, as I just did not have enff patience left in me to redo the old one - moreover I had lost the pattern instructions :P Then, I went about finding a pattern for knitting in the round as that would require lesser time and effort (avoids the turning around of the work). Also, I had an inkling to learn continental method.

I started off with continental (during the ribbing itself) so that I could get used to it by the time the pattern actually started. I totally loved the new method and just when I was getting used to it, I started having this weird pain in my left thumb (maybe bcoz of the death grip - as described by many) but could also be due to the newbie effect. However, it was a lot faster than the conventional English knitting technique.

I set about finding a cure for the pain - probably I was holding the yarn differently or the needles differently. Found a video which featured the world's fastest knitter showing which is the best way to hold the yarn. Was so much easier on my hands. Also found some hand stretches and exercises for people who knit and crochet.

Meanwhile I also found a new technique in itself when I was looking through the comments section of someone's post on sore thumbs. Wow !! Was I amazed. I found the below links. And would you believe it if I said purling in this technique is much easier than knitting ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzfYS9_t27k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBhq4VusU5Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK5hYxupNcM&feature=related

I am truly truly grateful to the guy (yes "guy" - so many men in this world knit - including Ryan Gosling :) - yep - believe me - believe the internet) who posted these links, introducing me a new and quick and efficient technique of knitting called "Portuguese Knitting" (PK). Its so much faster and easier on my hands as it requires only minimal movement of the hands and the yarn almost tensions itself (hoping it will be better once I master it). I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the first video. Its very instructional and detailed. I am going to stick with PK now. Theres no going back.

Will put up pictures when I am done with DH's sweater.

- So
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