(no subject)
I'm wondering about slipping stitches. Specifically, I've noted that a lot of patterns are emphatic about whether you should slip a stitch purlwise or knitwise. I assume they do so because it makes a difference in the FO, so I wonder what a knitter can assume when there are no explicit instructions. My inclination is to always slip knitwise, unless I'm purling across a whole row, wherein it makes sense to slip purlwise.
Does it actually make a huge difference when it's not specified? I'm getting more and more into knitting lacy patterns that call for a lot of slipped stitches, and many of these patterns don't address how to slip a stitch. My first assumption is that this means it doesn't matter, but there's so much variance and ambiguity in the different stitch patterns, and even the knitting how-to guides I've looked at (online, in patterns, videos, and books) that it's hard to tell.
Also, a more minor question, which I hope is okay to ask here: I much prefer knitting with circulars than straights because of the reduced stress on my hands. I've been told that it's not a good idea to use the longer circulars for smaller projects (i.e. if you're knitting something that's, say, twelve inches long, and all you've got is a 40 inch circ, you're better off acquiring a 24" at least, if not a 16," than in using the 40"). I'm unclear as to the reason, especially if you're using the circs to knit flat, so I was hoping for more opinions on the subject? Since I'm currently interested mostly in lace work, I was thinking of getting some 16" circs in the smaller sizes (0-4), or possibly 24", depending on which length I decided made for an appropriate general purpose needle.
Does it actually make a huge difference when it's not specified? I'm getting more and more into knitting lacy patterns that call for a lot of slipped stitches, and many of these patterns don't address how to slip a stitch. My first assumption is that this means it doesn't matter, but there's so much variance and ambiguity in the different stitch patterns, and even the knitting how-to guides I've looked at (online, in patterns, videos, and books) that it's hard to tell.
Also, a more minor question, which I hope is okay to ask here: I much prefer knitting with circulars than straights because of the reduced stress on my hands. I've been told that it's not a good idea to use the longer circulars for smaller projects (i.e. if you're knitting something that's, say, twelve inches long, and all you've got is a 40 inch circ, you're better off acquiring a 24" at least, if not a 16," than in using the 40"). I'm unclear as to the reason, especially if you're using the circs to knit flat, so I was hoping for more opinions on the subject? Since I'm currently interested mostly in lace work, I was thinking of getting some 16" circs in the smaller sizes (0-4), or possibly 24", depending on which length I decided made for an appropriate general purpose needle.