Et Tutorial, Brute?

I want to knit yarn like Shakespeare knit words.

Ok, so I missed the Ides of March for posting this newsletter, but we’re still close, right?

Bad puns aside, let’s talk about Knitting Tutorials!  I spent a good bit of my week filming, editing, and posting some tutorials to my YouTube channel.

So far, I have five tutorial videos posted, with more coming soon.

At this point, I’m focusing on tips and techniques that appear in my patterns.  Therefore, these are generally techniques that I know well and enjoy using.  I hope the videos I make help others to learn useful knitting skills.

After I uploaded the German Twisted Cast On tutorial, I got to thinking about my history with this cast on.

Yes, I said history with a cast on!  I’m a Knitter…

I remember trying out the German Twisted Cast On years ago, and I immediately dismissed it.  I believe, at the time, my go-to stretchy cast on was Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Cast On.  Side note: Jeny’s is also a fabulous cast on, and perfect for certain situations.

But as I watched the famous designer’s German Twisted tutorial then tried it myself, I felt that it just wasn’t stretchy enough!  Immediately I ditched it and went back to my pal Jeny.

A year or two ago, I decided to give the German Twisted Cast On another go.  I wondered if I might not have given the cast on the chance it deserved.

I’m glad I did. 

I found out that it is a dance-like fluid cast on that makes a lovely yet understated, reversible edge.  Really, if you just wrap your mind around bending your thumb as you go, it’s rather fun to make!

And, if you do it correctly, it is exceedingly stretchy.

The Fairlea Hat uses the German Twisted Cast On

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All of this musing leads me to wonder which previously dismissed techniques or patterns will eventually bubble up to become beloved options in my arsenal.

I think this is the best argument for trying all of the new knitting techniques you come across.  No, you may not like the technique.  No, you may not think it’s as spectacular as the teacher claims.  But, you may find it clicks with you—now or in a decade.

Trying as many new ways of knitting that I can find has led me to a place of believing that: 1) I can master any technique if I want to; 2) we all have different strengths and preferences, which creates a wonderfully knit world in which to live; and 3) if I want to take an existing technique and tweak it so that I like it better—even if it isn’t traditionally “correct”—I can.  (And I do.  Et tu?)

In the end, knitting is merely knotting string artfully using pointy sticks.  In the world of creativity, the best artist is the one who has mastered all the rules, but who chooses to bend or, at times, shatter them.

Learn as much as you can, then use your knowledge however it best serves you.

The hat pictured above as Evidence for the Loveliness of the German Twisted Cast On is my new Fairlea Hat pattern that is coming out in about 2 weeks!  Have no fear, I will talk (a lot!) more about this soon!

Cheers, and go knit something that makes you happy.

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