I’ve been experimenting with Fair Isle, holding both yarns in my left hand (I knit Continental). I’ve just about gotten it working, mostly through making every possible “mistake”. I could probably have looked up the detailed instructions, but I find it easier to learn by experimenting and observing. That way I not only figure out the right way eventually, but I learn to recognize all the “wrong” ways early on, and develop a better understanding of how to knit.
(I put “wrong” in quotations because some of the effects of “wrong” stitches are actually pretty cool, and at some point I want to look more deeply into that; it might be fun to add to a design.)
But I’m starting to work it out–the only thing I can’t figure out how to do is keep the yarns separate. They keep wanting to slide towards each other on my finger. I know there’s a gadget out there that will keep yarns separate, but am stubbornly resisting getting one because of my gadget rule: first learn to do it WITHOUT the gadget, then decide if you really need the gadget. So is there another way?
Anyway, I’m having fun with it at the moment, and am contemplating a FairIsle potholder (it being the smallest useful object I can think of). Does wool make good potholders? or does it just burn?
Tien
