I’m practicing my stranding. Why? Sheer, shameless jealousy. My good friend (She Who Will Remain Nameless) strands like the wind. When she’s done, her work looks like it’s already been blocked. Turn it inside out and every float is an image of perfection.
I can’t stand it. My stranding looks like it should be named “Knitting by Mixmaster”. The stitches are all wonky, leaning this way and that, some big and some small. The floats on the back either tightly pucker the fabric or loop lazily, just waiting to snag the finger of the unsuspecting wearer.
I’ve tried every stranding technique known to man. Both strands in the right hand. Both in the left. Using gizmos like the wire guide. And the plastic guide. The least disastrous for me is to hold one strand in each hand. The two hands disagree with each other about tension, though. The right hand makes little stitches while the left makes big ones.
I’m using the cute Freyja Hat pattern by Courtney Kelley for practice. The pattern calls for some purl stitches, but for sanity’s sake I’m just knitting so I can concentrate on getting some consistency in my stitches.
Maybe by the time I get to the top of the hat my stitches will have improved. If it works, I will have put envy to good use after all!
You’re going to laugh at me but I strand by holding one yarn in my right hand, using it, then dropping and using the other yarn(s). I keep the balls arranged so that I keep the yarn that’s dominant, dominant. I am actually pretty fast, and the tension stays even.
Love it! I’m going to have to try this. Thank you, Stephannie!