Knitting around the neck: Trapping the Background Colour on the purlside

[brand068]

Sigh. That's what I was afraid of, thanks for the advice. I was afraid that was maybe not a good idea. But do you think it would be okay to finish the body on the knit side and then start the sleeves working on the purl side?

[IxtabsKnitting]

If it were me, I wouldn't change styles. I always find that my gauge with this style of knitting is a lot tighter than with my pick/throw style so I'd have a hard time matching gauge. Also, since you are effectively knitting in a spiral when knitting in the round, if you reverse direction at the beginning of a new round, you'll end up with a weird gap/hole when you switch from knitting a knitside spiral to a purlside spiral and come back around to the start of the round.

[brand068]

@Ixtabs yes I can see that, and am so excited! I have a knit-side Fair Isle project half done, up to the start of the sleeve steeks, and I plan to reverse direction in mid-steek and start knitting on the purlside. I'll put in a lifeline first in case I just can't match the gauge. Am I crazy, or do you think this will work? Also, I've been trying to find you in Ravelry, sent you a YouTube message with my Rav name--please friend me in Rav if you don't want to post your Rav handle here. Thanks!!!

[brand068]

Thanks so much for these videos--they are exactly what I have been looking for! I love Portuguese style knitting and stranded colorwork, but until now I haven't been able to figure out how to combine them.

[IxtabsKnitting]

@brand068 Really glad it helped! This style of knitting is fantastic for stranded work. :-D

[Khamomil]

I just started knitting this way. Why can't you knit in the round with the right side facing you?

[IxtabsKnitting]

Hi Khamomil. The great strength of this style of knitting is its purl stitch, which is much easier to do than the knit stitch because it's basically just a thumb flick. So in short, there is nothing to stop you from knitting in the round from the right side of the work with the yarn tensioned around your neck if you feel like it, but it would be quite a pain to do it . The purl stitch is to this style of knitting what the knit stitch is to continental/English style knitting.

[Khamomil]

All day yesterday I've been practicing 1/1 ribs on dpns with the yarn around my neck and it was much easier this way than the continental way I'm used to. I don't see why it's "quite a a pain" to work from the right side, it wasn't for me at least. What do you mean? The purl can be done easily from the right side, that's the beauty of this method.

[IxtabsKnitting]

@Khamomil AFAIK the "right side" (RS) is the public side of your project, and the "wrong side" (WS) is the inside or non-public side of your project. With this style of stranding, you work with the wrong side (the inside or non-public side or purlide of the work) facing you. If you are doing k1p1 ribbing with the yarn tensioned around the neck, then you have the wrong side of the work facing you by default, and yes, it's easier to purl from this side - we're in agreement. ;-)

[Khamomil]

The issue was never about WHICH is the right side, which is the wrong side, we're not total morons! The issue was that you're saying you can't work 'round-the-neck from the right side. What happens is you chose to work the stranded color work from the in-side which forces you to do all purls, and since the 'round-the-neck method makes purling a breeze you're doing your color work with both yarns 'roud-the-neck, which is very smart. I like your work and you're very talented.

[IxtabsKnitting]

I thought we were talking about different sides of the work but obviously that was not it at all and now I have offended you - sorry. As to your issue, I choose to use the purl stitch because it's faster, more natural and therefore easier to do than its knit stitch counterpart in this style of knitting. As a consequence of that choice, I and people from many other cultures who strand in the round this way, end up having to work on the purlside. If you prefer knitting then by all means do it.

[Khamomil]

Oh now I understand you purl 'round-the-neck as a first choice, and contrary to what I had understood it's not because you prefer doing stranded work from the in-side.

And you'll purl 'round-the-neck any project that requires stockinette stitch if I understand correctly.

[IxtabsKnitting]

Yes, absolutely. That's exactly it!

[annamelkamp]

Excellent video, very helpful! Thanks for posting!

[IxtabsKnitting]

Glad it was helpful, annamelkamp! :-)

[IxtabsKnitting]

Hi union23mom, thanks for your kind comment. I'm glad this helped you. Good luck with your hat - let me know how it turns out!

[union23mom]

Love your videos, thanks for the information I am working on a hat and was wondering how I was going to wrap, or as you say trap the yarn.