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Permalink Reply by Nutty4Knitting on December 30, 2011 at 3:51pm

Well, Vicky, I'm a picker (continental style knitter) and I also use my right index finger to push the neddle quite often, so switching styles wouldn't necessarily solve your problem, especially since it seems to be such an ingrained habit already.

The quilting industry promotes rubber finger tips used to grab needles, fabric, etc. while quilting. Here is a link to some sold by KP's sister company, Connecting Threads. It's possible these alone, or maybe one with a little padding in the tip may help solve your problem.

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Permalink Reply by Alice Mooney on December 30, 2011 at 6:51pm

In keep a supply of cloth bandaids in my knitting bag. Does the trick. Be sure to use the fabric ones, not the shiny plastic ones.

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Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on December 30, 2011 at 7:19pm

They especially help when the injury has already been sustained... great protection.. and YES, fabric bandaids.

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Permalink Reply by melanie matt on January 4, 2012 at 8:05am

Palette sampler alternative possible?

Love to do colorwork and palette is so tempting but would it be possible to create a yarn card/sampler of the 120 shades?

While I suspect this would be rather labor intensive, it would be so helpful to those of us lacking the finances and/or space for the entire palette sampler...and I'm sure there are many knitters who would be willing to pay for such a sampler..

Also this would make it easier to substitute Palette in patterns using other yarns..especially those classics by Alice Starmore and Ann Feitelson.

Trying to create a palette for a particular project using the photo is very difficult although i have thought of cutting up the photo from the catalogue. (I also noticed that the pdf of palette posted here has not been updated since 2009).

Thanks for listening..

melanie

p.s. Harmony wood circulars are the most widely used needles in my knitting group..Beautiful to work with and beautiful to look at.

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on January 5, 2012 at 7:18am

Hi Melanie,

Are you on Ravelry by any chance? There is a forum group called "knit picks lovers" and there are people who organize different yarn samplers throughout the year, including palette. Usually one person organizes and then annouces the cost for one share plus shipping. I would check in over there, as that might be your best bet for getting in on a palette sampler. If you don't see a recent sampler for palette, you might suggest it in the group - I am sure you could find others interested there.

Thanks!

-jenny

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Permalink Reply by melanie matt on January 6, 2012 at 9:34am

Hey there Jenny,

thanks for the info. i'll jump on over there now.

Melanie

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Permalink Reply by Debbie C on January 5, 2012 at 2:46am

I have found a beautiful stitch on YouTube; however, the instructions are completely in Spanish and unfortunatly I don't speak Spanish. I'm hoping someone here would be able to translate for me or maybe be able to find the stitch video in English.

I believe that the stitch is called Fantasy Stars (at least that is what Bing Translator translated it to). I can follow her movements, but I believe that she is giving advice and I would love to know what she says. I'm struggling a bit with the stitch, it's tight and I'm not sure why she knits in back vs. a normal knit. I also knit English and she's knitting Continental, so I'm trying to knit continental. I have done some color work and have knitted with yarn in each hand, so it's not too much of a change for me.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIonKCG76O4.

If anyone can help, I'd be very grateful.

Thank you.

Debbie

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Permalink Reply by Larry on January 5, 2012 at 3:25am

Hi Debbie,

I looked at the video. She really is not giving much advice. All she is is you must have a multiple of 3 plus 2 stitches for the selvage (I believe that is what it is called in English).

At one point she says that she loosens a bit in order to pick up the yarn and uses her finger (rt hand) to push the needle down).

The reason she is knitting in the back is b/c I believe that is the way they do the knit stitch in some Spanish speaking countries. At least that is the way my mom does it.

I hope this helps.

Best, Larry

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Permalink Reply by Debbie C on January 5, 2012 at 10:10am

Larry, would you be able to translate the stitch directions? I'm trying to write it out, but I don't think what I have is correct.

Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Larry on January 5, 2012 at 6:40pm

Hi Debbie,

This is what I got.

Although the title of the video is the Star Fantasy Stitch, she just calls it the Fantasy stitch

To do this stitch it is important to have multiples of 3 plus two stitches extra

This stitch has a right side and a wrong side

Right side

You first slip the first stitch (selvage)

Take 3 stitches together going to the underside of the stitches (this is how mom does the knit stitch)

pick up the yarn and pull through the 3 stitches

then do a yarn over and insert the needle back through the original 3 stitches

pick up the yarn again and pull through and off the left hand needle onto the right hand needle

You should now have 3 stitches on your right hand needle

Continue this way until you have one stitch left and you knit it to the right hand needle

She says you can start with this stitch immediately or you can do a few rows then start this stitch, but it must be begun on the right side of the work

Wrong side

Slip the first stitch

Purl all stitches

Suggestion: keep the yarn loose enough so you can pull it through the stitches

I hope this helps. I just “started” knitting so I don’t have the vocabulary necessary to explain

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Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on January 5, 2012 at 7:12pm

Debbie, Yes, this is the star stitch... I thought I recognized it...in the version I have, it has you knit through the front, back and then front of each set of 3 stitches, and do a k1 in between each set of 3... and always purl the back side. You need very loose tension as Larry recommended. I did this a while back and really liked it. I think I like this version better.