Learning to knit faster is something that requires a commitment of time and practice to achieve. Each individual's knitting style is personal and unique; tension, knitting gauge, the manner of yarn wrapping around fingers, and the chosen knitting needles are all shaped by one's habit. With regard to the hand used to hold the yarn, the knitting world is divided between those who knit in the English Style (otherwise known as Throwing, etc.), where the yarn is held in the right hand, and Continental Style (otherwise known as Picking, German, European, and more), which requires holding the yarn in the left hand. There are, however, additional knitting styles.
Many of the world's fastest knitters opt for Lever Knitting - which may also be known as Flicking, Peruvian, Catholic, Australian, Irish Cottage, and other names - a method that has become popular amongst knitters who produce their items professionally, although anyone is capable of learning it. This knitting style allows the knitter to produce pieces quickly, as well as providing a form of protection against knitting-related injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and other pains of the wrist and joints, since the hands are positioned with palms facing upwards rather than down, thereby enabling faster movement.
What exactly is Lever Knitting?
In Lever Knitting, the knitter holds the working yarn in their dominant hand and threads it around the working needle without completely removing the dominant hand from the knitting needle, creating a sort of levering motion in a back-and-forth direction. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, famously known as the Yarn Harlot, is one of the many knitters who use this method to produce pieces quickly.
The Benefits of Lever Knitting.
Lever Knitting is fast technique of knitting. Many knitters who make use the craft for regularly producing garments and accessories work this style to be fast on their knitting. The knitting style avoids delays due to wrapping yarn around the needle tip, as well as efficiency thanks to the fact that one need not pause to add more yarn. You simple use the knitting needle for all the action. Additionally, this style can reduce knitting-related injuries as mentioned before. If not for the benefits, it is worthwhile learning new techniques, as you never know which would work in achieving results.
How Lever Knitting is done?
The process of Lever Knitting involves the holding of the yarn in the right hand, similar to the English knitting style, but one of the needles is kept stationary in a position that acts as a lever or pivot, while the other knitting needle does the actual work. The yarn is typically wrapped around the fingers of the dominant hand and the hand is moved in a back-and-forth motion to form the stitches, distributing the yarn tension across the fingers of the hand while resting at ease in the palm. This smooth, uninterrupted flow cuts down on the strain of making the yarn work over the needles. It is often used by professional knitters, who have to be able to knit for several hours a day without discomfort.
Lever knitting is simple to learn with a pair of single-pointed knitting needles, one of which can be placed beneath the arm while working and is thus only manipulated by the other hand. With practice, this style can also be used with circular needles and double-pointed needles.
When learning a new knitting style, one may experience frustration, particularly if they have been knitting for many years. As the hands must be reprogrammed to perform in a different way, the knitter should remain dedicated to their practice, seeking advice from online tutorials and adhering to the new style of knitting without reverting to the old style. Many in the knitting community have discussed their experiences of learning this method and, although it can take a while to become accustomed to it, the efforts are often considered worth it.
The Mindful Collection, a unique range of knitting needles and accessories created to enable knitters to take advantage of the meditative properties of the craft, also helps those with knitting-related injuries. This collection comprises of stainless steel needles and accessories, a sustainable material with many beneficial features. Each set of needle tips carry an inspirational word to aid the user in their concentration, aiding them to stay in the present moment while they craft.
Source: https://fistpal.com/blogs/45993/Want-to-Knit-Faster-Try-Lever-Knitting
