Parallax

[vaneramos]

I started this on Christmas Eve. I haven't done much knitting for the hell of it in a very long time because now I prefer to weave for fun. Besides, I've been busily learning to spin, which it turns out is even more fun than knitting or weaving, contrary to expectations. I knit a baby surprise jacket for Sarah and Michele's baby in the summer, but the last project I started for fun was a sweater last January, which still isn't done. Another sweater has been on the go for two years. Needless to say, I enjoy starting knitting projects more than finishing them.

So here we have another new one. I wanted to try a double-knitting project since we took Alasdair Post-Quinn's workshop a few weeks ago. The skills are a little different from what I'm used to, so they need practice to get the memory into my hands. For one thing, I find double-knitting much easier if I throw with the right hand. I learned to knit that way but switched to Continental several years ago and much prefer it. Here is a good example of why it is handy to be verstatile. Continental is awkward for purl stitches, but double-knitting involves alternating knit and purl with two different threads, and Continental totally sucks.

At the workshop Alasdair had a sample scarf of a more advanced Parallax pattern he hasn't published yet, so I settled for the Parallax v0.5. I liked the idea of using a solid colour and a variegated one with long colour repeats. The pattern itself has an optical illusion going on, so changing contrast freaks the eyes out even more. Last week I found yarn I want to use and bought two skeins each of Cascade 220 Heathers #4010 and an unfamiliar Cascade product, nicely variegated Casablanca. Its a wool/silk/mohair blend and the colourway, Sea Glass, is a pastel range of yellow, green, blue and violet. I like long colour repeats, and it makes a nice change from Noro Silk Garden.

The Casablanca presented some problems during cast on. It tended to unspin and break, then it did not have enough grab to easily spit-and-splice. It broke at least four times and two more during the first row of knitting. I thought I was going to have to give up on it. But casting-on must have been the part it hated, because it eventually forgot about that, pulled itself together and started playing nicely.

Unfortunately double-knitting is slow going. The little bit shown here represents about two hours of work. I have several big spinning and weaving projects with spring deadlines, so I can easily see this one dragging into 2014. A pattern like this would be much easier to weave. Best not to think about it.

Comments

[vaysha.livejournal.com]

wow it's so beautiful. I am still such a beginner and have never heard of double knitting. I've only just learned in the round and how to do cables.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Double-knitting produces a double-layered, warm fabric. The reverse side of this scarf is a mirror image, but double-knitting can also produce completely different patterns on opposite sides. I have never mastered cabling, but the techniques are probably similar in difficulty. It requires concentration. There are some double-knitting youtube tutorials linked here: http://www.fallingblox.com/extremedk/resources.html

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I like the colours and the pattern. I would like to learn how to knit.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It is easy to learn. I had the benefit of learning from Danny. There are lots of videos on Youtube, and many people are self-taught, but I think it's easier to learn from a person. You will make mistakes and it's a lot easier for someone with experience to help solve them. Look for a small yarn boutique. They are ubiquitous. Most offer lessons, or host knitting circles where people will be happy to show you. Alternately, you could join Ravelry.com (it is free but member's only, and your personal information is way more secure than on other social media sites like, say, Facebook), and look for local events or meetups. My handle there is also vaneramos.