Fair isle knitting with 2 yarns in the left hand

[dancinghotdogs89]

This is a beautiful piece! Excellent color choice. I might try something with this coloring myself.

[msyarnfreak]

how do you ease up on the tension holding the yarn like that?

[stell66]

I think like most anything it is part practice and part finding a method that works for your body and mind. For me this provides nice flow of yarn and I don't have to work both hands with a yarn in each - now that I find hard.

[j8nnyl]

Thank you, this is a great video. I usually do one handed continental 2-strand colorwork, but have given 2 handed (eng and cont) a try, but am not sure how i like it yet. I am going to go back to one handed, and try wrapping my yarns as you have. Thanks so much for sharing!

[stell66]

no worries - its nice to have the positive feedback

:D

[KannD86]

when i was first learning colorwork, I tried to knit with both yarns in my left hand, but couldn't get it to work. you make it look so easy though, i'll have to try it again.

[charym70]

Wow! Thank you so much!

[2zwaantjes]

O I see! And those needle tips are rather short, that's why the needles look 'short'. Thank you!

[2zwaantjes]

Wow. A little slower and more video on how to keep the yarn in my hand would really have helped a LOT. But I'll try it anyway.

[stell66]

try my other videos - some are slower, once you are fine with 1 yarn and this hold - adding a second is easier. I keep the yarn from slipping 2 ways, I squeeze my fingers together where the yarn threads thru, and press my fingers against the needle to control how it feeds. I added this in may 2007 - a long time ago, but next time I fair Isle I will post a slower update with sound (I've got a new camera now).

[2zwaantjes]

Thank you so much! Soon I will definitely check that out, I am dying to learn to do that!

Regards,

Milli

[2zwaantjes]

And bij the way... how long are the needles you are working with? They seem very short or is that perhaps the perspective?

Thank you again!

Milli.

[stell66]

I'm working with Addi turbo 60 cm circs - so not two separate needles, but two needle tips joined together by a flexible cable

[itwasrealhorrorshow]

i wish it was slower, and had an explination

[jaredsfa2004]

Wow, that is some small yarn...I don't think i could do it...

[metasomatic]

This is awesome, thanks for posting! Dunno why i didn't think about it before. For continental knitters, it seems much faster to do two strands in one hand, rather than throwing one strand!

Cheers!

[apuppetapuh]

Thank god, I hate the awkwardness of using my right hand to throw another color, the tension goes crazy and the knitting goes SOOO slowly. I will always be a continental knitter and I will not waste my time "throwing" and taking forever. thanks for posting this, this will help, as I am just starting with Fair Isle, and I don't want my right hand "throwing" me down (slowing me down... pun... not funny? oh well)

[WNanette]

AACK! You and your slender fingers - I feel like I am really all thumbs, watching you do this! haha

Many thanks.

[Scatha6]

Very helpful video! Thank you for posting this. Now I won't have to learn the other style of knitting.

[rundstricknadel]

Thank you for making this video. This is exactly what I was looking for as I was having troubles with how to hold the yarns!

[stell66]

thanks, ive got a bit more info on my blog other videos and some still photos, if you google knitknitfrog you should arrive at it. It took me ages to find a way that worked, so I felt it might be good to post 'what works for me' now I know.

[ewolff1516]

I've tried two-color knitting before but have never been successful. I see now that how I've been holding the yarns might be the root of my troubles. Seeing the way you hold the yarns in your fingers is a real help! Thank you so much for posting this!!