Collective Knitter Intelligence // Casual Friday #16

In this Casual Friday podcast, I give an update on this week in my knitting life, and then I discuss how the internet has allowed for the collective intelligence of knitters while simultaneously feeding homogeneous thinking.
My knitting designs: www.ravelry.com/designers/rox...
Support me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi! www.ko-fi.com/roxannerichardson
To jump right to a specific point in the video, click on the adjacent timestamped link:
Introduction: 0:00
This week in my knitting life: 0:14
Response to last week's video: 6:28
which segues into this week's topic of overgeneralizing our knitting experiences
For more information on Yarnover: knitters.org/whats-yarnover
Facebook: / roxknits
Twitter: / roxmpls
Ravelry Group Rox Rocks: www.ravelry.com/groups/rox-rocks

[@dewisalim3320]

Thank you very much for this video. As someone who comes from a country with no knitting tradition, and learn how to knit from internet, I love to learn different techniques from different traditions. I subscribe your channel, Suzanne Bryan's and Arne&Carlos', and learn a lot from all of you. I did not feel offended at all, I was actually relieved, when I watched Arne&Carlos' video about yarn dominance, even though I have been knitting stranded knitting with yarn dominance. While I don't agree about the bad tension, I can see their point, because the pop-up stitches resulted from stranded knitting with yarn dominance, will be a problem in Scandinavian stranded knitting patterns, which have bold patterning in highly contrasted colours. However, the pop-up stitches will look good on Fair Isle patterns. I own both 200 Fair Isle Motifs and 150 Scandinavian Motifs books, and the difference in these two books' motifs is very obvious. As for myself, I do not enjoy stranded knitting with yarn dominance, because I can not hold two yarns with one hand, the knitting ring which separates yarns is too big for my petite fingers, and as a continental knitter, the rule that I have to hold foreground colour using my left hand, and background colour, which actually has more stitches, with my less adept in knitting right hand, slows me down a lot. Knowing that doing stranded knitting with yarn dominance is not the ONLY way, that there are other options, makes me enjoy doing colourwork knitting more. I just need to be careful when choosing the patterns and the colour of the yarns. Thank you also for pointing out that you need many years to find the way to do continental purling that works for you. I always love your analytical, yet very humble approach in teaching.

[@samanthamacleod114]

I love your explanation of dominance and the different traditions with different techniques to serve distinct needs.

[@startagain126]

after last week's video I just couldn't believe how many people were having a go at you and saying Arne n Carlos's way is the only way. It's not!!! You have put it so perfectly that there's a reasons and techniques for everything and not one better than another. Well done and nicely put. I love seeing your video's pop up and throughly enjoy watching them. Thank you so much Roxanne xx

[@shoelessmonk1941]

hi! when my mom was alive we played a game “who would you invite to dinner and why”? I’m inviting you because you are not a lazy thinker! i look forward to you each week, appreciate you and do not take you for granted. i have learned so much. thank you. stacy

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I may not be a lazy thinker, but I'm not afraid to overthink, either! :-)

[@shoelessmonk1941]

Roxanne Richardson, gotcha🙂.

[@sherryedwards9571]

I really appreciate all of your videos. I learn so much. I especially like how you swatch a few different ways together and then show the difference! I did watch the previous video you are referencing. Although, I haven’t done color work “yet” I understood and could see “via your swatch” the difference that occurs when holding the yarn differently. It is something I would not have thought of and am happy to have it be pointed out. No when I do try color work (in whatever style) I know that I will have to swatch and work out how to hold, pick and carry the yarn so that my results are consistent and actually what I was hoping for. Thanks again for such great videos!

[@karynkaschalk2944]

Your perspective helps me to be brave in exploring when I am feeling befuddled. I love hearing what the function of a technique offers with experienced knitters to lead me to identify new possible solutions to consider.. Thank you

[@denisenj3320]

I liked that arne n Carlos were clear that they were talking about dominance not existing in Norwegian knitting but I didn't realize the reason was that the traditional patterns don't call for it. U made it so clear that u can't just say something is better w/o asking, better for what. If u r doing a Norwegian pattern then their technique is great but not for other traditions. Thanks for pointing out that it's not the tension that causes the dominance but rather the technique. U r amazing!!!

[@JustAnotherBuckyLover]

If you do find out more about the chemistry of wool I would love to see that. I'm a scientist myself and so I approach my knitting in a very analytical way too. I am a fan of both you and Arne & Carlos, but I get to learn different things from each of you. I don't know if it's because I'm so new and colour work isn't something I've ever played with so far, but I just assumed that because there were different techniques, that meant that they were to create different results. Which, it turns out, they are... I guess one thing I love about them, and now you, is that they often emphasise that ultimately, as long as you get where you want to go with your knitting, then there is no single "right" or "wrong" way for most things. I'm pretty sure that many people would look at the way I handle knitting needles or a crochet hook, or how I tension my yarn and scream - as a late learner who started off somehow knitting mirrored (i.e actually from right to left!)) when I first tried in my teens, and who has issues with both fine and gross motor control because of dyspraxia/apraxia and also my other health issues. I am really clumsy. And I am terrible at telling left from right, so getting lost is a real legitimate concern too. As for the right/easiest/best way to knit items, socks are a big one for me right now... I am nowhere near confident enough to knit a sweater but I'm psyching myself up to try socks, and so I've been looking at different techniques. For me, I've settled on toe up for my first pair... firstly, because it seems easier in my head to be able to carefully shape and fit it to my feet on the fly knowing I have exceptionally wide but short feet (UK 4-5, US 6-7, and width fitting 3-4E) but also because I know that I have no idea how big a sock is going to turn out when I knit it... and I feel it might end up harder to fix as a beginner when knitted from top down as my ankles/calves are slimmer than my feet. The other reason I have for doing toe up, probably even more important to me than the fitting options, is that because of my health issues, seams are super irritating, especially on my toes. I know I can potentially graft the live stitches together at the end without a leaving a knot or seam but I feel like a seamless cast on is probably the easiest way to avoid that. Now it may be that I turn out to be completely wrong about if these things work for me... but I guess I'll find out when I try making them! Thanks, as always, for your interesting and informative videos. I love to listen/watch your Friday videos while I am doing my knitting. :)

[@CarosLines]

Thank you for explaining yarn dominance to me! I'd no idea what people meant as it doesn't occur in my way of knitting two or more colours. (I was taught to knit in the UK by my Gran and at school but I don't think either went into colour work - I think I mostly made up how I handle colours as I went along. The only time I read about how to handle colours was to do intarsia which is, of course, different.) Your sample shows some great design possibilities for choosing dominance / no-dominance as ways of more subtley phasing colours in and out. Fabulous!

[@martalewinski707]

Thank you so much for this and the previous episode of casual Friday. I am currently practicing stranded colour-work myself and find it difficult to hold one yarn in each hand. I am far from recognizing if I have a dominant colour or not. But I am so interested in this topic and am so happy that someone has written a Master Thesis on that. Can't wait to read it. As a Continental Knitter I have issues with my right Hand when purling rows for a long Time. I searched the internet for other knitting Styles and was so excited about such a variety. After trying out some I found out that the so called portuguese knitting style Works very well for me. I totally agree with you that we should broaden our horizon and try new ways out of our comfort Zone. It's so Great to share knowledge. Greetings from Germany

[@itgosktube]

Wow,wise words i must say!Everyone has their preference and if the opportunity to learn something more occurs, one must pay attention and afterwords deside wether use the new knowledge and where. More things you know better you can solve your problems. Roxanne,you are a great teacher and a very interesting person,thank you for sharing your talent and your experience!Greetings from Italy

[@tinaporubsky]

I began knitting one year ago. The info available is overwhelming. I appreciate your take on learning new and different ways.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I really can be overwhelming these days. Just pick the projects that appeal to you, and offer you the opportunity to learn something new (or not--your choice!). Keep an open mind so that you can continue to improve, and cut yourself some slack when it comes to perfection. Even the projects that I love have things about them that I would improve on if I were to knit them again. It's all a learning process. That's what keeps it interesting!

[@ariannatrapani5824]

Thanks a lot , I think the things you told here about "homogeneous thinking" really need to be told and absorbed more often. I'm impressed that this line of thinking is so popular in a world as the knitting one, where tons of technique alternative are a given (and wonderful) fact. I understand that an established standard is more simple to handle for most people, what I don't like is the stamp of "the right way to do" that goes with it. This is only a single step from social stigma and of course has huge (negative in my opinion) relevance in general in our life. Knitting for me is the realm of freedom, freedom of choice, and the reason I subscribed, even if my "style" is totally different, is that you always bring to us new way of doing things and tell why and how use the method. Your channel is not "homogeneous thought" at all :)

[@ronnacasement8235]

Thanks for all your thoughtful and informative work! I am fascinated by the whole subject of how we care for wool. I recently washed an entire load of handknit sweaters in the machine with a cold, delicate cycle. They came out beautifully!

[@jeaninegunn4118]

Such valid points and I agree with you. I was raised in Brazil and my mother used to wash our hand knits with bars of coconut soap (Castile soap I think in English). Depending on the garment, I still do that.

[@sunrhyze]

I really enjoyed this discussion, because it comes right on the heels of my "discovering" Arne and Carlos just a few days ago (I actually saw the one where they talked about the color work, just a random choice on my part) and also seeing your chat with Suzanne (I had never heard of her before but have been watching your videos here for months). I'm over two years late to this one but it's so relevant to me in the last few days! My eyebrows did jump a bit during your talk with Suzanne when she vehemently attacked the alternative method for SSK in which the second stitch is slipped purlwise. I believe she actually called it "stupid." That seemed a bit harsh, especially considering your discussion here on being open-minded. My initial exposure to the alternative SSK was related to one of Patty Lyons' sweater designs (I think it was Tortola), in which she was frustrated by the column of SSK's looking looser and sloppier than the corresponding k2tog's on the other side of a lacy panel in the center of the sweater. The alternative SSK tightened up the stitch and really served a purpose, in that context. Not that that SSK would be the preferred one for everything from now on, but it certainly wasn't "stupid" if it worked. Also, when doing that stitch the second slipped stitch is not put back onto the left needle, but the entire thing is finished by knitting it off of the right needle, so the purlwise slip is not actually a pointless move, as Suzanne implied. So, like you said, I will keep an open mind about everything, but I have learned an awful lot this year not only from you but also from Patty Lyons, so Suzanne's little rant about the SSK kind of soured me on her as that was my first exposure to her in any way. First impressions, as they say...

[@RoxanneRichardson]

There are lots of ways that people work the SSK. Some do return the sts to the left needle as a separate movement, whether one or both sts are slipped as if to knit, some slip both sts as if to purl (which is a complete misunderstanding of the technique), and some don't slip any, but enter the first st as if to knit and the second through the back in one movement, which achieves the same result as the alternative SSK. My feeling is that the knitter should understand what they are doing, and why, and then choose whichever technique makes the most sense to them (which process can they remember, can they physically execute with ease, and gives them a result that they like).

[@craftymystic4868]

Very thought provoking! Thanks! I’m a toe up sock knitter, that’s just the way I understood the process better, but never fit my own Sasquatch husband well with that method. So I tried too down, heel flap and gusset, and it fits beautifully. So my own socks will be knit toe up, and his socks will now be knit top down. I’m glad I challenged myself to try another method, even if there is a heel flap and gusset method for toe up. It just seems to fit him better when I start at the top ( size 12, 9” cuff). thanks again.

[@gfixler]

I love that people told you about Arne & Carlos, and that you followed up with good info on this. I had seen that video a few months ago. I also love that you knit up a sample. I've thought several times "I should just knit up some stranded stuff holding the yarn all the ways and see for myself." I feel like I don't need to now :) I also *might* just read that stranded knitting thesis!

[@Shetooktothewoods]

Late to the party, but yes, Bartlett still does tours in 2024. The mill is not accessible; there is a steep staircase up to the mule floor. I don’t recall if the shop is. Harmony is kind of a labeled place in the road typical of Western Maine, but is near larger, more organized Skowhegan, where the film Empire Falls was filmed and New Balance continues to manufacture shoes. 😊

[@LoveoftheDarkFiberArts]

Thank you so much for clarifying all of this!

[@AMOutdoor]

Great podcast! As always, informed and researched.

[@robinmccamont]

Hi, Roxanne! You mentioned wanting to maybe interface with a chemist for some questions in future... You might want to make contact with Anna of the Dunklegrun podcast. She is a knitter with a PhD in chemistry over in Switzerland. She's done a very interesting podcast about the pro's and con's of superwash wool, and explained about a fairly new eco-friendly superwash process, too. Thanks for being so open-minded about the knitting process, and for sharing your thoughts and cogitations with us!

[@BettySusanne]

I immediately thought of Anna as well! She does an excellent job of explaining the chemistry .

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Thank you for letting me know about Anna!

[@cristimariposa]

Hello Roxanne, I just discovered your videos, you're brilliant!!!! And I absolutely agree, explore your choices! You never know what you'll discover. 😊

[@loringsmith773]

Thanks for your explanation of the issue of yarn dominance in Norwegian knitting (as opposed to other types of knitting) and attempt to understand and explain Arne & Carlos' intent in their proclamation. Your experimentation of the effects obtained by holding the yarn in different orientations is interesting and instructive, as is your explanation of various stranded knitting traditions. I did view the Arne & Carlos video on color dominance some months ago and was so offended by their attitude and pointed remarks about American knitters that I immediately unsubscribed from their feed. Perhaps in their zeal to drive home the Norwegian knitting traditions they forgot to mention that there are other methods of stranded knitting to which their remarks do not apply. I have always found the knitting community to be a respectful and accommodating place where differing views of method/technique are gently accepted and where one individual's knitting "style" may encompass many techniques as we tend to adapt patterns to our own preferences. Your thoughts on the evolution of this process are most helpful and provide food for further thought.

[@FeannaFey]

I couldn't actually watch their whole video on color dominance because, while I didn't entirely understand the issue, I also couldn't imagine that so many expert knitters were just bad at what they were doing and holding their yarn wrong. (And at the point I came across the video, comments were disabled, so probably some people told them so.) I thought Rox made it sound much nicer than it was here, kudoes to her for being gracious. Though I do also think, that sometimes we have to keep in mind that different countries have different communication styles, and just because there are so many people from the USA around on international English sites, the USA way to communicate isn't the only one, and people aren't necessarily being terribly rude for using their own communications style. That said, there is also the issue of men in female spaces. Especially when they are suddenly the ones that are very popular and actually making money off of it. This doesn't mean that I don't want men to enjoy knitting! I absolutely want everybody who enjoys it to be able to do so! And there are women who are popular and knit. But sometimes it's interesting if you pay attention to who is valued, and given opportunities to make money. (Like how so many women cook, but so many more chefs are male. Or how a male author suddely "invented" a genre of youth literature that had several women writing in it years before him.) I think the least you can do as a man who does want to pursue a career in an area like this is work at being sensitive to the culture that has been created by the women already there.

[@helencooke8079]

I needed this video so much, thank you!

[@AnnaKlura]

"Exploring your choices" - sometimes there are too much choices and it's difficult to know which one to chose. I guess it's a good dilemma to have cause you get to knit more and in different styles. I never liked knitting socks but now I am very eager to try it out. And this is only cause I have watched your videos on how to get them to fit your feet. Thanks! Oh, and I also love your overthinking things.

[@karisather1832]

The science about washing wool, great idea for a show. There is lots of information in the hand spinning world about the chemistry of getting wool clean. Judith MacKenzie and Alden Amos are great resources. I use Unicorn Fiber Wash and Fiber Rinse is a game changer for many “scratchy” wools. Unicorn power scour takes the grease off without damaging the fiber. Dawn dish detergent also works well. I had been told years ago that Woolite turned the whites yellow and should not be used on wool but I don’t know if that is still true or if they changed the product.

[@lyncampbell1626]

Lovely video. Thank you.

[@gfixler]

I definitely think a lot like you. I also think about how we take for granted received wisdom, and I don't like it. I have a bit of a non-conformist in me, and a curiosity, so I'm always trying things for myself, to understand them better, instead of just believing anyone. I do woodworking as well, and two things come to mind. One of them is Chris Schwarz, a woodworker who's also done a lot of work for Popular Woodworking. He's one of my favorite woodworkers, because he doesn't settle for passed down wisdom, like "don't go against/across the grain." He explores ancient texts, and learns things like that it's really handy to go against the grain for some things. I remember a talk he did where he wanted to understand more about plane blade angles, so he got a variety of woods, and set up planes at all the angles, and tried every combination, and took notes, filling a table with very useful info. That's the kind of thing I love to do. The other thing I thought of was woodworkers in a forum talking about using black gas pipe, not the galvanized pipe in your pipe clamps. The problem is the greasy black pipe leaves marks on the wood, so you had to put some tape on it, which is tedious and annoying. The clamps won't slide over it, so you end up peeling it up and applying more all the time. The galvanized pipe is nice and clean and dry. I asked the forum why we couldn't use that, and got a lot of "I don't know" and "that's just what I've always heard." So, I went to Home Depot and got some galvo pipe and tried it out. Tightening the clamp, it instantly cracked through the galvanized coating, leaving flakes all over, and leaving the pipe so sharp and jagged that it scratched up the face of the wood. I returned to the group with the info, and got a lot of "Good to know!" and "I never even thought to wonder about the other kind of pipe!" It didn't turn out to be useful, but it might've, and sometimes it does, and you realize the old, handed-down wisdom needs some updating.

[@suemauer5965]

I really enjoyed this episode after I got past the cringing at the guilty thought that perhaps I had set up some animosity between you and Arne & Carlos. While I'm sharing what a terrible person I can be, I have to admit to feeling quite smug for quite a long while about my lack of problems with yarnovers. I love to read the Ravelry Techniques forum, and I would see many people asking for explanations about yarnovers, after a purl stitch, or after a knit stitch, or at the beginning of a row. I am primarily a continental knitter, and a yarnover is about the simplest thing there is. I could not understand the problem... until I put my yarn in my right hand and worked through these situations for myself. It was humbling.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Oh, there's no animosity (as far as I know!) and we each have different areas of expertise. They are diagnosing problems knitters have within the context of what they are teaching (Norwegian knitting). My week of revelations was based on trying to apply techniques I knew to a situation that required a different approach, and trying to solve that problem. While tension is not what causes yarn dominance, tension is probably the biggest challenge to overcome in any type of stranded colorwork.

[@andreamoore7035]

I kept refreshing the page since I got home from work waiting for the Casual Friday video. I came to these same conclusions you did (as you discuss in this video) about colorwork from watching your video last week. I also watch Arne & Carlos, but more for the humor and commentary and to watch Arne knit. To demonstrate your point about preferences, I prefer lifted increases and frequently substitute that for m1 in patterns. But sometimes I find that does not look right in the project. I tink back and use increases per the instructions. As far as generalizations, I like to make the following statements to see if people pick up on it: I always thoroughly hate all generalizations and absolutes! As far as wool wash, Kristine Kelly is a researching educator (science, but another field) whose channel I have been watching. I love how she reviews, and she did an episode last year on wool washes.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Patterns rarely tell you *why* they have selected one technique over another. You never know if it's because it's the best choice, or simply the designer's preference, or the one the designer thinks is appropriate for this "level" of project, or because they don't know any other way to do it! I often make substitutions, myself, based on my preferences, and every once in a while, I get to a point in the project where I discover *why* the technique I did not use was called for, and I either have to live with my (not as good) choice, or rip back.

[@kdgeckoknits274]

Great episode. I, too, have wondered why some knitters insist certain methods are superior to other methods. Like the latest knit-in-the-round (and often top-down) trend for sweaters and tops. I recently purchased a pattern that requires knit-in-round, and while it's great to knit one's way through a pattern (avoiding purls), I so dislike the "jog" that occurs, regardless of how subtle the job is in the finished garment. It's probably just psychological, but it really makes me crazy. I do and will on occasion employ the knit-in-round method to keep my knitting skills sharp, but knitting flat and usually bottom-up construction is my preferred method; it is neither a better nor worse method, just my preferred method, as I think and prefer the finished project results. I think color work knitting is probably best or easiest done in the round, but I have not yet ventured into this arena.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

My preferred method is bottom up for the body, and top down for the sleeves!

[@theastewart6721]

Great podcast! I’ll have the check out the place in Natick. I grew up in the town right next to it. Maybe you would consider showing us some of your stranded Knitting techniques in a Techniques Tuesday video. Very interesting subject. I was also a thrower originally but switched to continental about 40 years ago. I have never had trouble with the purl although I know many people do. I’ve seen some great tutorials on how to do it differently. I think one may even be the Norwegian Purl. Not sure though. I also totally agree with what you are saying about accepting what we’ve been told that one way is the right way. I got a kick out of the Woolight/Tide story. I laughed out loud. Thanks for another great podcast. Glad you got that dirty sweater clean!😀

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Norwegian purling was the first method I could actually do, after failing with several other methods, and I used that one for several years. (I have a video on my channel somewhere on that.) My Continental knitting method has some similarities with my throwing method, that I hadn't noticed until the past year or two, which is that I keep my right needle quite still, just as I do with my long, straight needles, so I am still mounting my left needle onto my right needle. I also use my right index finger to anchor the yarn against the working needle as I pull the loop through the old stitch. Works for me!

[@theastewart6721]

That’s what counts! I find my left needle is quite still most of the time. When I’m knitting my left index finger hardly moves. I think I grab the yarn with my right needle. When I’m purling then I move my finger up and down. I’ve seen others use both their index and middle fingers. As you say, whatever work!😀. My teacher hates purling Continental. She is a thrower but will switch to Continental when straight knitting sometimes for speed. It’s funny how we are all different. I think she is going to teach us Portuguese Knitting too. That should be interesting! See you Tuesday!

[@theastewart6721]

I’ve been having a ball watching all of your older videos on knitting and purling! I see how you anchor the yarn with your index finger. Seems like a good way to do the stitches. I can’t wait to watch more of your videos. I watched the one on backward or mirrored Knitting. I have seen a few tutorials on this before. I doubt I’d ever use it but I find it flippy to say the least. And interesting. What I really need to concentrate on is my finish work. Seaming is my Achilles heel! 😀

[@lisarametta9977]

Well said :)

[@sandygrogg1203]

I think that being a little defensive about the methods and techniques is something that is part of the human condition... We tend to want to stick with what has worked fir us... It’s that “we’ve always done it this way” thing.. Quilters have long discussions about whether new fabric should be prewashed ...or not,., . Some people really get very defensive with their opinions on the subject...I...btw...am a non prewasher... I love working with nice new fabrics... Today’s quilt shop quality fabrics simply don’t shrink very much, and are truly ciolotfast... Reds might be the exception, but I have never had a problem with them. I’m a fairly new Knitter, so there is a lot that I don’t know... I was surprised to hear that I should not use Woolite on will Knits... Frankly, I think the whole issue iof what to use to wash wool Knits is a marketing ploy to sell wool washes... Thanks for another great podcast...👍

[@LoveoftheDarkFiberArts]

I'm in your camp as far as quilting. I like the look I get when I use brand new fabric, and wash it for the first time after it's finished. I feel like I get that "old fashioned" quilt look faster than waiting for it to be washed many times. As far as wool wash...there is a whole camp of folks who think that wool never needs to be "washed" but only soaked, or aired in the sun. Then some folks use hair shampoo and it seems to work just fine.

[@sandygrogg1203]

LoveoftheDark Fiber Arts I, too love the wonderful “crinkles” you get when you wash a quilt for the first time..and the lovely new fabrics shrink up jus a trendy bit.. I have a friend who actually irons the crinkles out! Good Grief!

[@sandygrogg1203]

LoveoftheDark Fiber Arts PS... I have no hand knits...but if I did, I can’t imagine not washing them .. I have heard the airing out theory, and don’t buy it..

[@DixieGirl9876]

They are definitely pros and cons with the digital age and our craft.

[@T-marie-N]

Very interesting--thank you! One thing that occurred to me is that in trying something different you'll be comparing something you're likely very experienced with to something you're just learning. Any ideas on how to combat that? I've tried knitting 2 circs, magic loop, toe up socks, continental and Portuguese style but have remained with my original dpns, cuff down, flicking methods. As you say, I'll know that those other options are available if the need rises.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Just being aware that you have an experience bias is probably enough. Sometimes, people want to try new things, because the technique they've been using just doesn't work well for them, so they are motivated to really practice something different. I tried every method of continental purling I came across, because I was looking for something that matched the rhythm of my knitting. So I would try the new method in a swatch, working with it for a good half an hour. By that point, I wasn't great at it, but I could usually tell if it had potential. Over time, I adopted several different methods, one after the other, until I finally landed on the one I use all the time. But I still use the other methods at times. I use Norwegian purl for the first stitch on a needle, if a purl is called for. For purl decreases, I find the method where you push the yarn down works better. Muscle memory for one technique really interferes with learning a similar technique, until you've had enough practice. If you're happy with your current method, there is no reason to change, but it's still worth exploring things you haven't tried before. I converted from dpns to ML, not because I didn't like dpns, but because my kids were in sports (one was a figure skater, the other was a swimmer). That meant I spent a LOT of time in concrete bleachers. If I dropped a dpn, it didn't fall into my armchair next to me, it bounced off the bench and ping, ping, pinged all the way down. So my conversion to ML was in self-defense. Eventually, I realized that keeping track of one needle worked better for me than trying to hunt down 5 dpns, and over time, I decided a single 32'' needle was all I needed for just about any project. That doesn't mean I never use dpns (I'm finding they work better for these Latvian mittens than ML, for a number of reasons), or a 16'' circ, they just aren't my default choice. I really detest 2-circs, but it's a handy technique for me in very specific situations.

[@gfixler]

You may have already solved this, but one option would be to keep a numbered list of the wools used, then convert it to a binary number, and knit that pattern of holes and non-holes into a corner of the swatch with yarnovers. I've seen yarnover holes used to record the US needle size used in swatches, which I thought was cool. I say binary, because with a row of 8 holes and non-holes, you can have 256 numbers: 00000000, 00000001, 00000010, etc., up to 11111111.

[@gfixler]

The down side is that if you lose the list, no one will know what the wools are again.

[@jennywren2395]

Hello Roxanne, Could you tell me which continental purl technique you use. I have just started knitting continental but I am having trouble getting my head around purling. Anna of Dunkelgrun podcast has also spoken about the effects of using bar soap and hair conditioner on wool rather than wool wash and the chemistry which demonstrates why it is not good.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I demonstrated the way I purl in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOxYoWnZ755pJI There's a link in the description to the point in the video where I actually show what I do. Most knitters either keep their index finger very close to the needle, or they extend it away, so that will make a difference as to what purling method will work best for you.

[@ritaessix3287]

Hello Roxanne. For the topic of Wool Washes, the following link might interest you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5jGg3pqibWBsMU It is a comparison of how well 10 different wool washes clean stains. I hope it answers some of your questions.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Thank you! I will check it out. :-)

[@DFTBAandDS]

Have you seen this video? m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4TIqWSngbeXlas

[@RoxanneRichardson]

No. Is there something in particular you wanted to point out about it?

[@DFTBAandDS]

Roxanne Richardson in one part of the video, she talks about yarn/color dominance. It was the first video I'd seen that approached the subject in a logical manner, as you do.

[@TorchwoodPandP]

Arne & Carlos’ solutions to yarn tension : kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4SaapV6d5uXiK8

[@Dee-ot3tx]

Woman, you CAN knit,but you can also admit people do things different and you might not always be right or have to prove you are right