Ask Anything | What is the best or fastest way to knit?

One of my favorite classes to teach at retreats, shops and fiber festivals is called The Mechanics of Knitting. We begin with a personal stitch analysis where knitters have an opportunity to study how they naturally knit as we discuss how small movements impact the stitch size and the structure of the fabric. Then we experiment with a variety of styles and methods, beyond the basic English and continental styles most knitters are familiar with.

Every time I teach this class I have a student who asks me what I think is the best and fastest way to knit. My answer is a resounding "it depends".

"Best" and "Fastest" are not necessarily the same thing

Some knitters equate fast knitting with the best knitting, but that's usually not true. Most of us are not production knitters who need to churn out projects as fast as we can to make money. Even for me, a designer whose knitting helps me put food on the table, racing through projects doesn't lead to me making more money (or even enough money) to pay all of my bills. So why do I have to speed through every project?

It's okay if you feel differently, but I knit because I enjoy the entire experience. I like feeling the yarn in my hands as I form stitches. I like looking at all the pretty colors of yarn at the yarn shop and deciding which fibers will work for my project. I like making the choices that will help me create a beautiful, useful, one-of-a-kind finished object. I crave the satisfaction of a job well done and I want to knit items that are high-quality and long lasting. I mean if I am going to invest a significant amount of money and time into my materials and knitting, I want to create something that's going to be well-loved and used for a long, long time. Otherwise, it would be a whole lot faster and easier just to run down to the big box store and buy some cheap, disposable junk.

But I digress...

The best way to knit

The "best" way to knit is the way that makes your knitting experience the most enjoyable and allows you to achieve your desired results. Two important considerations in developing your personal "best" way to knit are:

1. Is your style/method physically pleasing? If any part of your knitting motion causes you physical pain or discomfort, it's time to make modifications, try something completely different or at the very least, get up and take a break.
2. Are you able to create your desired fabric? If your stitches are too tight, too loose or uneven, again, it may be time to make some modifications to your form or try something new.

Trust your instincts

Too often I hear from knitters who have been told they knit the wrong way, so I'd like to take a minute to reiterate. If your knitting style/method feels good to you and you're able to create the fabric you want, that's great! If you want to test drive a different style/method of knitting (continental, English, Norwegian, Portuguese, etc.) so you have options, that's great too. You may find that different styles work well for different stitch patterns or yarn/needle combos.

And whichever styles and methods you use, don't forget to keep practicing to develop your muscle memory and make your experience even more enjoyable so you can knit your best knits.