I have been speed knitting lately. I have a deadline that I am racing to meet, and because of that, I have been logging the time, and measuring my progress.
Now, non-knitters can snicker away, but in order to crank out projects, many a fine knitter has been injured.
Let’s set out a few tips that will hopefully prevent some of the strains:
Knit “lightly”. Not loosely, but don’t pull, strain or force the knitting.
Hold the needles loosely in your hands. Do not choke them in the death grip.
Organize your project and your yarn so that everything pulls easily.
If you can, switch how you knit. Continental, then English, then back again.
Mostly, focus on “light” and smooth and not on the looming deadline. Knitting is meditative, and if you keep the time line in mind, you will start tensing up. It changes your gauge, your posture, and your project. Breath. And keep going.
Good luck. Break is over. Get back to work.
© 2005 – 2013 Kathy Lewinski & Susan Cornish
The only knitting injury I’ve had was the time I was standing to get off the commuter train, holding the bag with my knitting in it. The train lurched, the bag jammed against the back of a seat, and the needle point came through the bag and right into my thigh. I think it’s a good reason to use circulars. 🙂
Oh my gosh! That does not sound good. We have a friend who tells about getting off the bus & someone running after her yelling “knitter.” Her yarn ball had fallen out of her bag & was unraveling behind her down the street. The perils of commuter knitting.
I would not know how to begin speed knitting. I have tried to learn to throw but I knit a bit differently as I am left handed but do knit right handed. I hold my thread in my left hand, just is terribly awkward for me to hold in my right. Heck now I’m confusing myself just trying to explain, LOL. Guess my projects will just take a bit longer, I’d love to speed up, but then I wouldn’t have an excuse to sit and knit a bit longer!
Also even with a deadline take breaks. Even a few minutes every hour makes a huge difference. Change your body position too.
I don’t usually hurt my hands when I knit for deadline, but I do cause my back to ache something fierce.