2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Cherryfudge

You learn something new every day - I hold mine like that too, Pip, and if I have long needles I generally find the end of one or the other is tucked under an elbow. Never know there was another way but having looked up a picture, I think I could hold needles English-style, but it would feel awkward.

Laura_Elsewhere

And I don['t hold the right-hand needle at all  

I stick the back-end of the DPN into my belt-buckle or just wedged into the folds of woolly jumper round my waist, and only touch the top of the tip to steady it whilst making the stitch by moving the LH needle. It's part of why RSI is very uncommon in traditional "anchored knitting", because the movements are fairly different... 

My mum knits with her hands under the needles (she only knits flat on two needles), and I knit with my hands on top of the needles, if that makes sense?

I do know, from friends I've taught, that people who have tried and tried and tried and never managed to knit the more usual ways are able to knit with "anchored knitting" methods, ditto people who had to give up knitting from joint problems. 

There are lots of different ways to anchor the RH needle (that's just my own name for it, "anchored knitting") - with longer needles you can just tuck it into your hip-joint, or under your elbow or armpit, and with shorter needles just wedge it in your midriff if you have the padding! But also there are centuries of people using knitting belts, sheaths, sticks, belts, even brooches for some very light fine work apparently... bunches of feathers tied together and tucked into the belt is another old method... all kinds of ways. 

Cherryfudge

@Laura_Elsewhere, you are a mine of fascinating information!

I wonder how much fashions have influenced knitting styles. For instance knitting that chunky jumper last year was much more comfortable for my hands than knitting with 2.75mm needles on my current project, but the long needles I've been using recently just naturally tuck under the elbow. A few generations back, very fine work was more common but I'm sure my eyes would struggle, as well as my hands, and really fine needles or crochet hooks would surely be too small to tuck in anything bigger than feathers (though I bet that gave you time to catch a dropped hook before it disappeared).

There was an article somewhere - possibly one you recommended? - showing traditional Yorkshire Dales knitting needles that had bent into a curve through long use. I think they were used for glove making.

Laura_Elsewhere

Oh, you are right - fashions and the techniques are very closely linked! Crochet hooks used to be about half the length - again, I find them far easier to use so now I prowl eBay looking for short vintage steel hooks in the small sizes, which for Britain means 2-6 (there are others which are bigger with the same numbers just to confuse you!) - an old short-steel size 4 is about 1mm, 5 and 6 are smaller than that, 3 and 2 are bigger... modern hooks hurt my hands horribly. 

Work was mostly much finer - but you use your eyes less with "anchored knitting", I think. 

The other thing with "anchored knitting" is that your hands hold NONE of the weight - it's all on your waist... when I did 1640s re-enactment I used to enjoy strolling round chatting to the public with a broken-off old clay pipe smouldering between my teeth and a long stocking being knitted as I made eye-contact for minutes on end with them And sometimes I'd just let go of the knitting mid-stitch and it'd just sit there while I tucked a stray hair into my coif or got something out of my pouch... 

Most of my steel knitting needles are curved to some extent, just from sock or jumper knitting...  

florianatwobob

@Laura_Elsewhere I have a few of my mum’s old crochet hooks! Much better made and easier on the hand

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

when I did 1640s re-enactment I used to enjoy strolling round chatting to the public with a broken-off old clay pipe smouldering between my teeth and a long stocking being knitted as I made eye-contact for minutes on end with them And sometimes I'd just let go of the knitting mid-stitch and it'd just sit there while I tucked a stray hair into my coif or got something out of my pouch... 

Photo, photo, oh please photo!

My Grandma (born 1893) was a smoker and I have a feeling she started with a pipe. I know she knitted, too, as my Dad told me that as a child he jumped on the settee and her knitting needle went straight through his foot without causing so much as a bleed...

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all,
@PipneyJane, yes the needles are about 7 inches long and I do support the right needle with my thumb. I used to knit in the English way but a couple of years ago when I was remembering how my Mum used to knit I realised thumb under was what she did and I tried it. It took a bit of getting used to but I find it much quicker. I think it's just that having been teaching myself to use circulars for the past year or so, and I do like them a lot, I probably hold my knitting a lot closer to my body than I used to and I do stab myself with the 3rd needle and seem to push stitches off that needle. As you say it is a learning curve and like a lot of things in life you just have to keep practising until you find the best way for you. I will keep going though as I know it took me a while to get used to the circulars. I will update you with my progress, when I stop laughing at myself I will know I'm getting better
I have also looked at continental knitting which I believe is widely used in America as well. I think I could do that as the action feels similar to crochet but I won't be doing it while learning to use dpns, just too much brain power required to do both at the same time
I have some of my Mum's crochet hooks which I like for fine work but I generally use my bamboo hooks for most things and I love them.
Take care everyone

PollyWollyDoodle

Interesting that there are so many ways of knitting.  On holiday a few years ago there were two German girls who found my English style absolutely hilarious!  I provided spare needles and the other end of the ball of yarn and they kindly demonstrated continental knitting - I had to agree that it was faster, but I think I’m too old to learn to change now. 

I use circulars for very long items but I cannot get on with ‘magic loop’, I would far rather have  DPNs. I have a lovely wooden set with six needles in each size, it’s a pleasure to use them. I remember hesitating over buying them because they seemed quite expensive, but they were well worth it.

ChainikCrafts

How interesting! I love the idea of you there with your knitting and your pipe!

I have a bizarre half style that I keep thinking about changing but the other options feel so awkward and painful. I hold my thumb under the right needle too. But I just can’t get the hang of tensioning the yarn with my first finger so I wrap it around my left hand and then quite often use my middle finger to flick it over the needle. And for purling I use my thumb!

I don’t think it’s good technique but it works. I’m never going to have immaculate knitting but it looks solid.

Gem-gem

Good evening all, 
Have just spent the last 36 hours with my lovely mummy.
Mum has been helping me with my technique and finger positioning when crocheting. I have come home with four balls of wool from her stash, that she's had for sometime. Mum said, better that I make animals /other things with them - rather then them just sitting in her wardrobe. 

I have also come home with a top - that was too long for Mum. Plus a blue hat that she crocheted about 10 years ago. (Not a beanie). Also, I like one of her cardigans - so I am borrowing it for a couple of months - then will return it. (It is great that we are similar size - I am 6 inches taller. Mum benefits when I accidentally shrink things).
Ooo, in my Mum's material bag I found a jeans leg - so I chopped some off - I can now patch my jeans up. Will be going back to last years posts to find the advice that you all gave me.

Together, we made a batch of blackcurrant jam together. 
I have borrowed Mum's jelly strainer - tomorrow I will be making red currant jelly - from the garden. Of course, I will be sharing it with my Mum. 
Finally, I picked up £18 from the second hand shop that sold a belt and a jumper for me.