Before I am accosted by all my nearest and dearest, it’s not for me!! Sorry folks, I know you would have enjoyed a good ‘ol “Told you so!” at my expense, but it’s not to be. My stance on reproduction is just that, my stance, and it certainly doesn’t stifle any enjoyment in watching my friends rise to the challenge and meeting the fresh new little people they bring into the world.

I had lunch with a dear expectant friend last week and couldn’t resist showing her this baby present in progress! I hope it didn’t take away from the future presentation when it’s complete and blocked and wrapped all pretty-like; I couldn’t help myself - I love gifts that I’m so excited about I can hardly wait to present them! I picked these colors (bet you can’t guess which!) especially with my friend and her soon-to-be little baby girl in mind and have been so excited to see her reaction. I told you colors come in chunks around here, whether or not I consciously plan it that way.

Purple & Green - of course!

Though you can’t tell much from the picture - I was focused on capturing the color (still not quite true) and not the WIP itself - this is the Drops striped baby cardi, aka “b14-27″, available free here. I love this cardigan - I’m enjoying watching it grow from side to side rather than up and down as I’m accustomed to, and the way that the short row stripes shape the body and yoke. I also love all the terrific creative color and striping combos that other knitters have done.  It was a toss-up as to whether I would knit this or EZ’s famous February baby sweater (Ravelry links), but this one won out by a hair. I wanted to strike just the right balance between sweet and functional - with parents like hers, I think this is going to be one well-rounded little girl and I couldn’t see her in a too-pink color or too-precious style (not that there is anything wrong with either of those things, my pink-loving friends! This combination just seemed better suited for this particular baby).

The knitting is moving much more slowly than I had hoped, mostly due to the color changes. I decided that as much as I loved this design, I wasn’t sure I could handle weaving in all those ends and had to find another alternative. Enter the back join! Cool trick. My only regret is that it does interrupt the enjoyable flow of garter stitch - but when I circle around to the other side and have only two ends to weave in, I sense that it will have been very worthwhile. For some strange reason I actually enjoy seaming, but weaving in ends gives me fits. The sweater is about 50% complete with just over two weeks til D-Day, provided of course that she’s an obedient child - so give or take a little! In other words, I’d better get moving if it’s going to have a chance of fitting her.

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Now playing: The Avett Brothers - Tear Down the House
via FoxyTunes

My first exposure to Two-End Knitting was an article on the technique in Vogue Knitting’s Winter 2006/07 issue; Meg Swansen On Traditional Scandinavian Two-End Knitting. I had not yet attempted any colorwork at the time of reading the article, though I had been following the Stranded Colorwork Challenge KAL, poring over patterns and techniques (yarn dominance? stranding in the right or left hand or both? tension concerns?) and would soon begin my first project. I was intrigued by the the idea of stranding from one ball of yarn for warmth and fabric structure, and the hats in the photos shown in one and two colors had a unique look to them. I knew that I would come back to the article and technique at some point once I had a little experience.

Last fall, after completing a couple of colorwork projects, I participated in a design challenge centered on color - one of the tasks was developing creative uses for handpainted yarn. Though I was stumped on this portion of the challenge at the time, when I began swatching with Gryphon’s Eidos yarn for a pair of socks or mittens, the two ideas came together. Two-End knitting, and a handpainted yarn? I thought that the technique might be well-suited to working with the varied colors & complexities inherent in such a yarn, and fight pooling in cases where it might be a concern. I loved the effect, and it became the basis for my P.S. Mitts.

Being that the only reference point I had at the time was Meg Swansen’s article, I knew that I was using a modified version of the technique. It worked quite well however and achieved the desired effect, but I did find myself wanting to learn more and so I began doing more research on the topic. This post is a result of my curiosity, and an effort to give some background on the historically accurate method, and the modified technique used in the P.S. Mitts pattern. For lack of a better term and at the risk of sounding heretical, I’ll refer to the version used in the pattern as “Modern” Two-End Knitting. This does not indicate a disdain for what is known as the “Traditional” method, or insinuate that it is either better or worse - only that some knitters in recent years have chosen to employ a modified version of the technique (perhaps I should follow Meg’s lead and use the possibly less-inflammatory term “Non-Traditional” instead!)

First, the Traditional Method.

Two-End Knitting (or Twined Knitting - Tvåändsstickning in Swedish) is a type of traditional Scandinavian knitting used to make double-thickness mittens, socks, and other garments, but most typically accessories. It is worked in the round, according to Anne-Maj Ling, author of Two-End Knitting, using two ends from the same ball of yarn (or one strand from each of two colors) and throwing with the right hand. The ends are alternated stitch by stitch, and the strands are twisted around one another in the process. First, one stitch is knit with the first strand of yarn, then the other end of the yarn is carried over the top of the first strand to knit the next stitch. Each strand is carried over the previous one in this way as the strands are alternated producing a dense, warm fabric. This twisting of the strands over one another is the primary difference between Two-End Knitting and other types of stranding. Though the technique is traditionally performed using the right hand to knit both ends of the yarn, it can be worked using the left or the right hand without a notable difference in the fabric, and can also be worked using a combination of the two. Though I did not carry a yarn in my left hand while knitting the swatch below, I did use my left hand to assist in the twisting at times. Note the twined stranding on the wrong side of the work.

Because of the continuous movement of the ends of yarn one over another, the strands become quite twisted and require periodic untangling, my favorite method of which is detailed here - securing both ends of yarn to the ball and holding them as they spin!

**Edited to correct untangling link above, the new link includes a great photo tutorial of Traditional Two-End Knitting as well, please check it out! Thank you Theresa & Laura!**

Also due to the twisting of the strands, Two-End Knitting is traditionally worked using Z-plied yarn. A standard S-ply yarn will become more and more tightly twisted in the knitting of a piece, causing a more obvious bias of the stitches and the piece itself if the twisting should become too severe (most of the yarns typical to handknitting are S-Ply - see the links at the end of the post for references regarding S-ply vs. Z-ply yarns). For this reason, typically only small pieces such as mittens or hats are recommended to be knit using a standard S-ply yarn, so that this effect will be less noticeable and less cumbersome to work with. In contrast, a Z-ply yarn will become LESS twisted as it is worked in Twined Knitting. Those of us who are spinners as well as knitters could easily reverse the directions of our normal spinning and plying to achieve a Z-plied yarn for this purpose. This is on my list to try - I would love to see the difference in fabric worked with a Z-ply yarn instead. There is one US source for Z-plied yarns that I know of (linked below), so there seems to be rather limited availability (If you know of any other resources, please let me know, I would be happy to add them to the list!) The swatches here in this post were knit with The Sanguine Gryphon’s Eidos, a standard S-Ply yarn - You can see in the unblocked photo below the tendency of the stitches to bias to the left, a condition only partially remedied by blocking.

unblocked (left) & blocked (right)

The Traditional Method of Two-End Knitting uses some very lovely and intricate stitch types which are distinctive to this type of knitting, and often are used to embellish two-ended stockinette knit in either one or two colors. The stitches can also be utilized to full advantage in the Modern Method. I have not had a chance to experiment with them yet, but wanted to give them a passing mention here as they present some very intriguing options. Anne-Maj Ling presents some gorgeous patterns in her book using the special stitches and both single color and two color Two-End textured knitting. Stitches include the Deep Stitch, the Crook stitch, and the Knot stitch - see, intriguing!

Now, the Non-Traditional or Modern Method.

The key difference here is that the stitches are NOT twisted. Knit stitches are alternated with the two ends of the yarn, first one stitch with one strand, the next stitch with the second strand and so forth. The end not in us is held to the back of the work without carrying it over the top of each previous strand. In this way it is no different from any other type of stranded colorwork knitting, except that the ends are alternated every stitch.

Normal stranding (without twisting)

This method is advocated by both Meg Swansen in the VK article mentioned above and Priscilla Gibson-Roberts in Knitting in the Old Way as more straightforward (I also understand that Sheila McGregor may have expressed a similar preference in her book Traditional Scandinavian Knitting, but I have not been able to lay my hands on a copy yet to check this) - no twisting of the yarn, no need to untangle, no need for a Z-twist yarn, but both are also clear that this method is not historically accurate, and PGR goes so far as to say it “is not true Two-End Knitting”. According to Meg Swansen, in her VK article, an experienced knitter may not be able to tell the difference between a swatch worked in the traditional fashion versus one using the non-traditional method from the right side of the work, but on turning the piece inside out, one can see which portion has been stranded and which has been “Twined”. In my experience working with the S-plied Eidos, I do see a difference from the front of the work - though it becomes more subtle with blocking, there is a difference in texture between the lower portion of this swatch (knit stranded), and the upper portion (knit traditionally). I wonder if the difference would be as evident with a Z-ply yarn?

Unblocked (left) & Blocked (right)

I have seen it mentioned (and the source for this one escapes me at the moment) that the Traditional Method produces a less stretchy fabric. I did not notice a difference in these small swatches, but I wonder if the Two-End knitting would lose some elasticity over a larger expanse of fabric particularly if using an S-ply yarn.

Although the Modern Method is simpler in terms of stranding, Yarn Dominance is one factor that is not an issue with the Traditional Method. Because of the twisting of the strands in the Traditional Method, the working yarn is always carried above the previous strand, and therefore neither strand is dominant. The difference is quite subtle with the handpainted yarn, and can really only be seen close-up - but in a single color where the Two-Ended technique produces a subtle textured stripe, I expect that it would show up more clearly.

Can you see where I (inadvertently) switched which end was carried in which hand, changing the dominant strand?

As I mentioned, I plan to do a follow up to this post with some experiments with Z-plied yarn, and an exploration of the special stitch types. Please let me know if there’s anything additional you’d like to see. Also, there are several great stranding tutorials and videos already in existence, so I have not put together videos for the P.S. Mitts as I did with the Chrysalis wrap - but if you would find it helpful, or would like to see a video of Traditional Two-End Knitting, please let me know.

Resources:

S-Plied versus Z-Plied yarns:

Why Ply?

Swicofil Twist Direction

Yarn making, twist and ply

Z-Ply Yarn Suppliers:

The Wooly West

Books & Periodicals:

Knitting Around the World by Threads Editors (OOP?)

Knitting in the Old Way by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts

Traditional Scandinavian Knitting by Sheila McGregor

Twined Knitting by Birgitta Dandanell and Ulla Danielsson - OOP

Two-End Knitting by Anne-Maj Ling

Vogue Knitting’s Winter 2006/07; Meg Swansen On Traditional Scandinavian Two-End Knitting

Patterns:

Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski - Minnesota Mittens

Homespun Handknit by Linda Lignon - Two End Mittens

Knitter’s book of Yarn by Clara Parkes - Double Thick Mittens by Adrian Bizilla; These are not referred to as using the Two-End technique, but use the non-traditional version of the technique.

Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush - Dalarna Socks

Website Articles:

Twined Knitting - Techniques with Theresa - Knitty Winter 2005

Examples of Traditional Two-End Knitting:

http://flickr.com/photos/tags/tvaandsstickning/

http://flickr.com/photos/tags/twinedknitting/?page=2

This is rather belated, but I have been wanting to take a time out to say thank you all so much for your positive feedback and comments on Chrysalis. I appreciate it more than I can say - it’s one thing to come up with a design that you yourself are happy with, but it’s quite another to hear positive feedback from other knitters! I understand that a few folks have purchased the pattern (and I’m so thrilled at the thought of seeing other Chrysalises - Chysali? - out there!) and this post is in an effort to offer some support to you as you knit or simply to provide a little technique study for those who might be interested.

But first, a little sidebar - If you have considered making this pattern, or if you just love Gryphon’s gorgeous yarns, this is a great time to purchase. Through February 20th, she is generously donating 50% of all yarn sales to help a family who desperately needs it. She has some gorgeous new colorways of Gaia, the fabulous cashmere/silk yarn used in the Chrysalis pattern. This one’s all mine - Moss on Bark. I love it every bit as much as the original and perhaps more!

So here goes - Two videos. Increasing and decreasing in Brioche Stitch as used in the wrap is not difficult, but is challenging to describe with the written word. I have done as clear a job as I can in the pattern, but it’s hard to tell how another knitter will interpret these instructions and you may read it differently. I am a visual learner myself - so for any others of you out there, here are guides to decreasing and increasing in Brioche Stitch. The videos do assume a basic knowledge of Brioche Stitch itself as described in the pattern, which will be discussed here in greater detail at a later date. (These are up on my YouTube page as well if you should have trouble viewing them here, however the picture quality is not as nice.) *

The first video below walks through decreasing in Brioche Stitch, and the second walks through increasing.

 

 Decreasing in Brioche Stitch: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Increasing in Brioche Stitch: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

(*)Although I’d like to just throw these clips out there and pretend it was no big thing - it actually was! The videos themselves weren’t hard, but figuring out conversions from my camera format so you can see them here without degrading the picture to the point that it was not at all helpful was something - if I told you how much time I (and, let’s face it, TAD - my in house tech support, what a guy!) have spent on it, you’d probably shake your head and tell me exactly where I could have found the easy answer! Anyway, I’m so glad we figured it out because I enjoyed the video-making process itself, Midnight enjoyed doing some voice-overs, and though there are things I would change or do over now that I see them here, I hope that they are clear enough to be helpful. I also think it might be a nice study for the PS Mitts when the pattern is ready or for future projects. So, this is a long way of asking - What do you think? Helpful? Not? Did you have any trouble loading or viewing them?

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Now playing: Garden State - Such Great Heights - Iron And Wine
via FoxyTunes

I pinky swear that I will NOT start another project, until I finish one. In this particular case, that would be both mitts. One mitt only counts as 50%. Even though I’ve suddenly lost my motivation as it’s near 80 degrees today. They tell me it will get cold again next week and I’ll be wishing I went ahead and finished them already.

I pinky swear that I will resist the temptation of some incredibly gorgeous yarn that showed up on my doorstep yesterday (even though I already took some pictures because it’s so lovely.)

I pinky swear that I will provide some much needed WIP updates in the coming days, thus reminding myself that I have plenty of irons in the fire already and I do not (DO NOT) need to start anything else. Somewhere along the way this fall, all my big talk of focussing on single projects until they’re complete went right out the window.

Ok, enough on what I’m NOT going to do - Here’s some detail about this project!

I’m working these mitts in The Sanguine Gryphon’s Eidos 100% merino sock yarn in color Meno. The technique I’m using is a modified version of Two Ended Knitting (or Tvaandsstickning), where one knits with two ends of yarn, sometimes and in this case, from the same ball of yarn. The ends are used alternately throughout, one stitch in the first end, one in the second, producing a soft, thick fabric. Traditionally, the two yarns are twisted as they are knit, but some modern knitters choose to work this method stranding each yarn in the same hand throughout the piece - this is the method that I am using here.

I love the way the technique distributes the colors of this lovely handpainted yarn giving it a more muted, speckled look. I think my enjoyment of the interplay of the colors will help with the finishing! I’ve been playing with this technique quite a bit lately, and ways to incorporate purl stitches and “embossed” type designs. These will be quite simple though, the Two Ended technique being the only defining feature of the glove - I think with this colorway, it’s enough.

The mitts don’t have a name yet… I was thinking about P&S Knitter’s Mitts as their intended purpose it to keep my hands warm while knitting - P&S for Plain&Simple or…. for Pinky Swear.

Hmm - there’s an awful lot of swearing and pledging going on around here…. Does anyone else find themselves doing this more and more as the end of the year approaches?

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Now playing: Death Cab For Cutie - Blacking Out The Friction
via FoxyTunes

Slightly nerdy technique analysis ahead. You’ve been warned.

I’m done with the picot hem on the Festjakke, now onto the colorwork! I thought some of you might enjoy seeing this neat technique (though for some of you master knitters, I’m sure it’s old hat! I do love learning new techniques!) For my swatch, I started with a picot hem. I had never done one from a cast on edge before, so using this technique, I worked a provisional cast on with a crochet chain, which I then unzipped once I had worked the right side of the hem, placed the live stitches on another needle and knit them together with the next row. This worked quite well and I was happy with the results, but I have to admit that I dreaded counting out 309 loops and picking up all those stitches! So I went looking for an alternative that might be easier for me.

Knitting Help to the rescue once again! Amy’s video for an “Invisible (Provisional) Cast-On” (which uses a straight piece of waste yarn instead of a crochet chain) seemed like just the thing. And then, during the video, she launches into using the cable from a circular needle in place of the waste yarn, and I was totally sold.

No waste! No crochet chain! Live stitches already on a needle, ready to be knit! I did have a little trouble at first, and had to watch the video closely to see how she was handling the cable, I kept trying somehow to loop it over my needle, but that didn’t work too well. The cable or the waste yarn really doesn’t move at all, it just gives you something to wrap the working yarn around to create the cast on stitches. Once I got the hang of it, it went super quickly. And, because I have an extra circular in approximately the same size, the live stitches were all set and ready to be knit right off it to create the hem, no extra steps!

Amy points out that this method results in twisted cast-on stitches, which then need to be knit through the back loop so that they lie straight. In my case, this worked to my advantage as well (Hurray for serendipity)! Anytime I knit stitches from two needles to one (as for a three needle bind off), it takes a little maneuvering, especially when I am pulling the new stitch through. I’ve gotten the hang of it, and can manage quite proficiently, but this way, the stitches are facing each other! Excellent. Passing the left needle through the front leg on the first needle and the back leg on the second needle and pulling the yarn through it is actually smoother & easier for me because of the orientation of the stitches. Love it.

It’s the little things, I tell you. I will definitely use this trick again, It saved me an incredible amount of time (especially when you consider how many times I counted all those stitches, just to be sure!) I loved watching the curly strip of fabric turn into a lovely, flat picot hem! Yum.

Now the only point up for thought is this. The pattern calls for a fabric facing to the front of the cardigan to add stability. I’m pretty sure the intention is for the hem to fold up over the fabric edges for finishing. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to handle that one.

Have you discovered any fun new knitting tricks recently?
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Now playing: Ani DiFranco - Fuel
via FoxyTunes

Who is playing at the Carolina Theatre in Durham tonight. It’s been about 3 years since we’ve seen her live - I cannot wait!

**ETA - She actually opened with this one. Perfect.