Several times I have said that the knitting sheath should hold the needle firmly.
Yet, just now I caught myself using a US00 needles in a knitting sheath bored for US1 needles. In fact, I have a whole tray of needles smaller than US1, and all my current knitting sheaths are bored for US1 or US0 needles. Yes, I knit with needles that fit very loosely in the knitting sheath a good deal of the time.
Well, I put a lot of effort in to learning to do that. And, I find that students have a lot of trouble if the needle does not fit firmly into the knit sheath.
I still think that learning to use a knitting sheath is much easier if the needle is held snuggly. It is not necessary, but it is easier. And, it is more important for gansey needles where there is a spring load on the connection between the needle and the sheath.
I just saw your needles mentioned in the fall Interweave Knits. Congrats on that!
ReplyDeleteHave you come across a method where the fit of a sheath is adjustable? Is there some kind of substance that can be used to fill the hole such that needles of different sizes can be used?
ReplyDeleteThanks for that information. I'd been wondering whether I had to make
ReplyDeletea dozen sheaths or could get by
with fewer, if I turned to your
system completely.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI´m curious about knitting with a sheath. I use the continental style - would I have any help from using a sheath? I do mostly socks and stockings at the moment.
Katarina from Espoo, Finland
Hello, I found your site through links to gansey.com. I am an American ex pat living in the north of Scotland. I knit and have an interest in ganseys--both history and technique. Your blog is a great source of information. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have seen several sets of knitting sheaths with adapters for different needle sizes. I am thinking about doing something similar but have not gotten to it yet.
ReplyDeleteA bit of warm wax or "hot glue" can be pushed down the needle hole (with a warm needle.) Or, a bit of fiber (horse hair, combed top, or waste yarn)can be pushed into the hole.
Or you can just learn to knit with the needle loose in the hole :)
How many knitting sheaths do you need? I can live very happily with just one. I do most of my knitting on #1 needles, and most of the rest on #0 or #00; and can work very well with those needles in a knitting sheath bored for #1 needles.
ReplyDeleteKnitting style does not matter.
ReplyDeleteA knitting sheath gives you leverage to make knitting easier.
While I have focused on ganseys, Rutt's souce on info about knitting sheaths and the terrible knitters of Dent was proud of the lace that she knit with her knitting sheath.