Knitting by numbers

Last week I had a comment from Greta, asking myself to explain by what I meant by my knitting by numbers method.

My mother-in-law scarf  (lace work scarf) is 66 sts across, and the pattern is created in 48 rows in total, before you repeat. It has one row purl, followed by a pattern row. On the pattern row most of the sts are different, and when I looked at the pattern and tried to knit at the same time I I got confused with knit, slip knit, knit2tog,  slip1knitwise, slip2knitwise, yarn forward etc. I got so focused on the sts especially when you have to use 3 sts to make 1 st, by the end of the row, not only had I lost a few sts, but I also had a headache.

So I decided there had to be a better less confusing way. So I decided to look upon each stitch as a number. I draw out the patterns, and sometimes have colour coding to help distinguish the pattern, but at the bottom each stitch has a number, and now when I look at the pattern I don’t see the stitch I have to do I just see the number. Not only have I found this method has really help me, but now I don’t make mistakes, I am now a lot quicker, and by counting the stitches I know exactly how many on the needle, where I am on the pattern.

This method probably won’t work for everyone but it has really helped me.

Other news from this week, is that with the help of my brother Hollipops Knits now has a fan page on Facebook. So you can contact me on the fan page, on this blog, or at hollipopsknits@hotmail.com .

I am still knitting Marie’s Shawl, it is coming along beautifully and I am really looking forward to the completion which should be by the end of the week. Was meant to be finished last week but unfortunately got a sea urchin spine in my hand, so had my hand strapped up for most of that week.

Over the summer months (Aus summer), I plan to build up my stock, and will have a number of regular items for sale, as well as my commissions. I am very excited about the direction Hollipops Knits is going.

Well on that note, I have to go now, lots of work to do 🙂

See you all Sunday

Emma