After finishing Miette, I was determined to learn continental knitting…and with Christmas approaching I thought I could make a cowl for my sister and mom. Last year, I had sewn wool cowls for them and they asked for more. Admittedly, sewing wool is much faster than knitting!
My sister is wearing the Mock Brioche, Mock the Cold cowl I was drawn by this pattern because it was fairly simple to knit, yet it has an interesting 3D design, and the designer said she knitted it in 3 hours…a quick last minute Christmas present…I think it took me over 10 and several days to finish it!
Dopo aver finito Miette, volevo assolutamente imparare a fare la maglia con il metodo continentale…e con Natale dietro l’angolo ho pensato di fare dei colli per mia sorella e mia mamma. L’anno scorso avevo cucito dei colli usando della maglia e ne avevano chiesti degli altri.
My sorella indossa il modello Mock Brioche, Mock the Cold cowl. Mi e’ piaciuto perché è piuttosto semplice, ha un disegno tridimensionale interessante e la creatrice diceva di averlo finito in 2 ore…un veloce regalo di Natale dell’ultimo minuto…credo mi ci siano volute almeno 10 ore e svariati giorni!
Mom is wearing the straight version of the Gaptastic cowl…I had originally started this project in 2012 on straight needles and only finished it this year. I also made her Honey Cowl but we forgot to take pictures! My only remark on the Honey Cowl pattern is that the small version turned out too long (no, I didn’t swatch it!) yet too short to wrap around the neck twice…so she may wear it as a capelet after all.
Mamma indossa la versione dritta del Gaptastic cowl. L’avevo cominciato nel 2012 con i ferri dritti e l’ho finito solo quest’anno. Le ho anche fatto Honey Cowl ma abbiamo dimenticato di fare le foto! L´unico commento sul modello Honey Cowl è che la versione corta è comunque troppo lunga (no, non ho fatto una prova!) ma è troppo corta per girarla due volte intorno al collo…quindi alla fine credo che lo userà come coprispalle
I used Petit Pan’s wooden buttons for the closure. Doesn’t my little sis look beautiful?
How did my continental knitting go?
My fingers went from feeling numb and clumsy to becoming more flexible…I was really worried at the beginning! Clearly choosing a simple pattern is the way to go. I had done several knit and purl rows prior to diving into the patterns. I certainly need to improve a lot but I appreciate having to move less my shoulder…yet I still get shoulder pain! [Note to self] Start a weight lifting programme to get more strength!
Ho usato i bottoni di legno della Petit Pan per la chiusura. Non è bellissima mia sorellina?
Come è andata con il metodo continentale?
Le dita all’inizio erano molto rigide e maldestre ma poi hanno acquisito agilità…ero davvero preoccupata all’inizio. Chiaramente scegliere un modello semplice è la cosa migliore. Prima di cominciare i colli avevo già fatto svariati dritti e rovesci. Ancora devo migliorare ma sono contenta di dover muovere meno la spalla con questo metodo…anche se mi viene ancora male alle spalle! [Appunto a me stessa] Cominciare a fare i pesi per rafforzare i muscoli!
Plans for next week?
I am nearly done with my shirt, just waiting for buttons to come through the post and then it will be buttohole time! Wish me luck on that!
I also want to start knitting the capelet…I miserably failed before Christmas, got frustrated and put it aside.
What about you?
Programmi per la prossima settimana?
Ho quasi finito la camicia. Sto solo aspettando i bottoni per posta e poi dovrò fare le asole! Incrociate le dita per me!
E voglio anche cominciare il coprispalle…prima di Natale ho miseramente fallito, mi sono innervosita e l’ho messo da parte.
E voi?
Sewing Princess 
Que bonitos te quedaron, aprender a tejer de esa forma es un tema pendiente para mi, mis cervicales se quejan mucho y por eso precisamente soy una tejedora muy lenta, me has servido de inspiración!! Besitos.
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Que bonitos y que envidia me das, porque mira que lo intento, pero me sale fatal…Estoy terminando un jersey sencillito para mi hija y le ha quedado amorfo…El tejer me desanima muchooo!
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I love the fact that you have to take up weights to improve your knitting – awesome! I’m a British knitter and I’m so used to it that even though I know it is less “efficient” I have never bothered learning continental. The cowls turned out great – what nice presents you made your family Silvia!
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Let’s hope I stick to my own plan…so far I haven´t! I think either method is efficient it’s all a matter of practice. And once you master one learning the other will certainly slow you down at the beginning. I was never fast so I thought I should give it a try…wanted to understand what all the buzz was about 😉
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Such great Christmas presents. What is continental knitting? And what is it the opposite of?
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Wendy, thanks for asking a knitting question I can actually reply to 😉 You´re so kind. Continental knitting is the opposite of English knitting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_knitting
In continental knitting you hold your yarn with the left hand and you pick the stitches. In English knitting you hold your yarn with your right hand and you throw the yarn.
The end result is the same, e.g. you can´t tell whether an item was made using one method or the other.
Some say Continental knitting is faster. So far I am slow with either.
The interesting thing for me is that depending where you learned, you know one method and know nothing about the other.
I was thought English knitting, for example.
This is an example of a knit stitch continental http://youtu.be/Bqua0MP7pF4
And this is a knit stitch English method http://youtu.be/6Mu-i9gzeUI
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Love your cowls! I’m nearly done with my Miette and I’m so excited to get on with my next project 🙂
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Those are such lovely handmade gifts and they both look great! and so warm and cosy. Your sister and mother are lucky to have you.
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Qué regalos más bonitos! Te quedaron genial!
Yo como Merche…tejer me desanima, en mi cabeza todo es genial y luego…puuuaaaggghhh!
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These are beautiful (both the knits and the models). You’ve done a wonderful job of them…I’m sure your mum and sister are thrilled.
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Thanks Evie! They seemed to be happy, indeed. My mom was actually asking why hers didn’t have buttons…so I might have to make her another one…;o)
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I didn’t know for a long time that there was a style other than continental knitting, so the first few knitting videos I watched on youtube to figure out English knitting charts confused the hell out of me. 😉
Those cowls are very pretty! I really like your sister’s, the buttons give it a really nice look. 🙂
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Yes, you are the lucky one! I can understand why you got confused. I had the same when I started knitting again and the person I took the classes from started showing me the continental method…I really thought I was lost and had forgotten everything! Same with youtube!
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Your mom and sister look wonderful in their beautiful cowls! I’m a continental knitter and never bothered to learn the other method. Looks like you are becoming a knitting fiend!
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Ah Silvia, what a beautiful family you have! Your mom and sister look like such lovely people.
You did a great job on the cowls – love the colour and the buttons! You’re a busy lady. I still haven’t finished Gianni’s Christmas sweater. I have another sleeve and a half to knit but I haven’t been knitting lately. I’m unfortunately very unmotivated to do anything lately, although I was recently eyeing some Liberty cotton to make some summer clothes and so maybe I will emerge from hibernation soon.
I have to admit that I only knit English. I know that continental is useful and quick, but it’s kind of an emotional thing. Having had knitting passed down to my through the generations of my family (all English and Scottish), and having developed my “own style” through my childhood and early adulthood, I feel affection for the way that I knit. 🙂 If I ever get injured though I will definitely switch over.
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