Otherwise known as me attempting to write a post for the sake of blogging daily when I have nothing especially fascinating to share. But a few people have asked questions recently and I thought my anwsers might be helpful to share.
The long tail tubular cast on tutorial:
Q. so, question, when do you transfer to the circulars? after you do the two set-up rows and before you rearrange into 2×2 rib? or after you rearrange into 2×2 rib?
A. It doesn´t actually matter, it´s really not going to make any difference to the result. I usually work the rearranging row with the circular.
Q. Why do you need to begin on straight needles before switching to circulars?
A. This isn´t so easy to explain, but because the cast on has no firm bottom edge once you slide it onto the cable there won´t be anything to hold the stitches in place as stitches. Not one to blindly follow advice I have tried this, resulting in a horrible tangled mess.
Q. The directions are the same for people knitting continental style correct?
A. Yes, basically. If your are knitting combined or another style make sure that your stitches aren´t twisted.
Not a question, but Marnie helpfully shared another way to rearrange the stitches. There is an implied question about why I do it the way I do there though and the answer to that is simply that I find it faster and less awkward. This is mostly just one of those personal preference things, but each method probably works better with different yarns.
No one asked this, but you can use one of the other tubular cast on methods for 1×1 rib, Italian, yo etc and rearrange the stitches in the same way.
More tutorials:
Q. Can I request a light circular cast-on video tutorial?
A. Yes, I was planning on doing it next anyway. I know that the tutorial referenced in the Elijah pattern is pretty brief so a video would help. Personally I got it much more easily when I read the instructions for the non circular method of the cast on.
Any other tutorial requests?
My accent, I had so much fun reading the responses to my question of where you thought it might be from. Scotland does have many very different strong accents, but mine isn´t one of them. No English heritage though, just Scottish and Irish. I quizzed a few friends and apparently the video features my `clear teaching voice´rather than my normal one, which is pretty changeable anyway. I do get asked pretty frequently where I´m from, and America and Canada are usually suggested, but I have no idea where I picked that up from. Too many movies?
Q. Can you share the pattern for your dress?
A. Er no. I sort of made it up as I went along and have almost no pattern drafting experience even making things for myself let alone sharing them. I am planning on doing more dressmaking soon, I say that all the time but I really mean it! So if I do I might try and share what I did.
Q. Will you be selling the Coraline pattern?
A. Yes, absolutely, and I´m sorry it´s taking so long.
Q. What yarn are you using for the Print O´ the Wave Stole?
A. It´s custom dyed from Posh Yarn. Of the top of my head I think it´s Cecilia, cobweb weight 50% cashmere and silk. There´s a silly story behind the yarn, but I want to write up an actual post about the project.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh, thank you for the last answer! I may well head over there now. Also, I am enjoying knitting the Elijah pattern so much I almost don’t want to finish it. Wonderfully clear instructions!
Darn I really liked that dress!
And I’ve lived in Texas my entire life and I’ve been asked (once) if I were British. Also, people from the NE US didn’t believe my friends and I when we said we were from Texas.
I guess we enunciate and don’t have strong Texas accents?
I heard Ian Rankin interviewed on the telly the other night, and he’s Edinburgundian (?) and he sounded exactly like you. So I guess you have the accent you’re supposed to have. Apparently he and J K Rowling catch up for coffee all the time, because they live mere yards from each other, as does Alexander McCall Smith. They call the area Writer’s Block, which I found hilarious.
Your ‘clear teachching voice’ is pretty understandable, especially for non-native speaker. If you’d do any other video, please stick to that (although it may be interesting to hear your ‘everyday voice’).
I’d give the tubular cast on a try on my next project, that would be mittens, and also knitting english. I’m knitting continental for years now and am looking for a challenge, so english knitting will do for that. What I don’t know is how to hold the yarn with the right hand while knitting english.
Oh, I finished Elijah tonight. I’m with Dawn: clear instructions made it fun to knit. His adventures with ‘The Maker’ will be uploaded the next days. :o)
doh, i just realized, after reading your answer to my question, that i totally phrased it wrong. i meant to ask, when do you join in the round? before or after you do your 2×2 rearranging row? that makes a little more sense :)
I am a scot too and get asked ALL the time, most at college decided I was Fife or Aberdeen, I am actually from the borders but never really picked up one of the thick accents of the towns here, I am not keen on them LOL
Your voice reminds me of Gail Porter’s. It does occasionally have a hint of Irish though, particularly when you say ‘yarn’. Is your teaching voice the same as your telephone voice?
Your accent may sound canadian to some because of your vowel sounds. For example, the Scottish English pronounciation of ‘about’ may sound like the Canadian English pronounciation, especially if this isn’t accompanied by a strong degree of other features associated with the various Scottish English accents.
You just sound Scottish to me!
I actually thought you sounded kinda Midwestern-American with just a hint of an English accents.