Apr 01 2009
On the Edge
I am not a technical knitter. I definitely enjoy trying new techniques out, but I have to say that I often go with the tried and true. I still do a long-tail cast on for pretty much everything, and I still use double pointed needles. They work for me. Some knitters really like to broaden their repertoire and gain new skills, and I greatly admire that. If I absolutely need to, I will learn a new cast on or bind off, but I am just not one of those people…
…but I did find a new technique that I quite like – well, it isn’t so *new* considering it is a traditional technique used in Finland and Estonia, and possibly many other countries with long knitting histories…
Tuulia’s Karelian Embroidery Mitten
I started this lovely mitten pattern at the Nordic Knitting Conference a few weeks back, and I actually ripped out my progress and went down a needle size, so this is fresh and new. And my new technique is that little vikkel braid on each side of the stranded colorwork…
-Vikkel Braid Tutorial at The Daily Skein-
It isn’t perfect – it is supposed to be alternating colors instead of a random smattering of stitches – but I am pretty happy with how it looks, even with two red stitches in a row! (I am not losing sleep over it!) Tuulia patiently taught the class how to knit the vikkel braid and it wasn’t until I did this second go at it that it really “sunk in”. It took me awhile to do the one row, but it is worth it! Nancy Bush also uses this technique in some of her sock patterns, but I never knew how to do it until someone actually showed me. Thanks Tuulia!
…now I am gonna “vikkel” all the time! 
Well, maybe not all the time. Simple edgings are definitely appropriate for lots of projects; I still love the plain edge of the long-tail cast on in a pretty yarn…
…a new beret in a lovely kid mohair…
AMEN! i do short row heels All. The. Time.
your work looks gorgeous
what a beautiful start to a mitten! i am one of those knitters that likes learning new techniques. i do, however, always stick to my DPNs. i’ve never been a fan of socks on two circulars or magic loop. mostly, i like to challenge myself with lace and cable work because it’s interesting and fun! for some reason, knitting stockinette feels like a chore to me, which is really unfortunate.
I really like how that looks….will have to try…I assume it makes a good non-rolling edge?
I know what you mean — the old “If it ain’t broke” mentality, right? Guilty. But, in some cases, I’ll try something new when the knitting needs a little something special. This braid thing is particularly intriguing!
There is something hypnotic and wonderful about DPNs. Those mittens are off to such a lovely start.
Nice braid! I am a semi technical knitter? I like learning new things but I am also pretty traditional too. Like I just learned some new cast on techniques a few weeks ago – usually I am a long tail girl 100% of the time! I can see where this braid would work very nicely for some of the folk knitting styles, especially with colorwork as a way to frame it. Thanks!
That’s really lovely. I am going to have to learn how to do the vikkel!
Yay for the Vikkel! It’s a really pretty edge. I tend to stick to what I’m comfortable with too (I’m a fellow long tail cast on-er
), but do sometimes venture out, especially when I’m designing… That wispy blue beginning of a beret looks so pretty and ephemeral.
Oh, I hear you! You know, I actually tried to cast on a whole sweater on DPNs (like six hundred of them, it seemed!), just because I really prefer DPNs to circs? It didn’t take me long to realize my folly there, but I guess it just proves how set I am in my ways. It takes me a long, long time to pick up any new habits or techniques in knitting!
Beautiful colorwork, by the way. Your even tension is just lovely!
Oh, how I love the long tail cast on. And DPNs. This post really speaks to me, as I’ve found things in knitting about which I’m really happy and comfortable. I knit because I enjoy it, and if there’s something unenjoyable about it, I tend to shy away [rectangular stoles, for instance.]
So glad you posted this! I had done this years ago on a sock and couldn’t remember what is was called so that I could look up the technique, which of course I had long forgotten.
Yay!
Oh goodness, that’s pretty…and totally cool too. I’ve saved the tutorial and will give it a try sometime soon. Thanks for sharing.
Some things are so pretty that it’s totally worth it to expand our technique repertoire for them. The vikkel braid certainly qualifies!
It is very nice to see tradition in books and blogs !
I have just post on forum on Ravelry for Serbian traditional yarn and patterns ….. but we all have some problems to found it …..
Best wishes for this work !
The braid is lovely!
Oooh, what a pretty little vikkel braid! I don’t know how to do that yet, but it’s a technique I definitely want to add to my repertoire. I do like learning new techniques, very much, but once I find something that really works for me (like, oh, I don’t know, yoked sweaters?
), I tend to stick with it.
Ha, I’m totally the new technique girl. I find that to be especially true at this point, after knitting for a few years. Those little details that I didn’t care about so much before are more important to creating a nice FO to me now. But hey, there are some things that can’t be argued with, like a good long-tail cast on.
This technique, however, is a little different, since it’s more about fashion than function. Those little touches can add a lot of personality to knits.
Both mitten and hat look lovely! Enjoy the process! xoxo
Yay for long tail cast-ons and dpns! However, I do like to learn the occasional new technique and expand my skills (the most recent being double knitting). That braid looks very interesting – I learned another braid recently for use on hats, but this one looks worth a try too!
Well it looks good to me, and now I want to try it =) I only do long tail, too, nothing else is stretchy enough so far, but new stuff is always good.
I’m totally the opposite — I love to learn more. I’ll read pages and pages of basic “how-to” books just to glean a couple new tricks. I’m a fairly new knitter but as a result of extensive reading and trying new things, I know a lot about the details of knitting.
But, that doesn’t replace what “master knitters” end up knowing by instinct and experience from having spent many more hours practicing the craft. No matter how much reading about sleeve shaping I do, it doesn’t mean much until I’ve sat down and knit numerous sleeves and seen how they turn out in an actual garment. Knowledge is good but experience and practice are just as important.
I love that braided look, and bookmarked the link so when I feel brave I can give it a try.
The braid is beautiful. A technique that I have yet to learn. It is hard to beat the long-tail cast on for ribbing, though. And, if it works and you like it, there’s no need to do anything else!
Sometimes, I wonder if I’m not doing a little bit of every new technique without ever really finishing things. But I haven’t tried this braid ….yet.
I like new techniques, but like you I often go with the tried and true. I love the mitten and can’t wait to see the beret.
Hi there, Lollygirl–I just discovered your blog and wanted to say how much I admire your amazing knitting and your photography skills. Sigh. So beautiful! I’m more of a sew-er than a knitter, but maybe if I keep looking at your blog I’ll become a better knitter by osmosis?!
Have a great day!