.. but you have no adventures in your life! Yes! I have! I am knitting a shawl! :D

[antimatter]

I was tiptoeing and being very indecisive what to do. I used to knit and crochet many years ago. In some way big choice of yarns intimidates me. Bur I like a bit of a challenge too.

I went to the local wool shop and my eye got caught by this pattern (as there was a shawl made with the same colour on the shelf).

I had so much adrenaline in my bloodstream trying to work out al lthe stitches - who needs parachute diving!

[Marcipex]

I've just started a hitch hiker shawl. I've pulled it out four times now though.
I think this time it's right. The pattern never says how many stitches you should have at any given point, so I can't check easily if I've got it right.

[antimatter]

never seen hitch hiker shawl pattern before! (I was away from knitting for ages!)

I have been looking at some videos of fast knitting and trying to work out how to change positions of my fingers for this technique:

I knit european style anyway but to change habit of many years seems nearly impossible!

[Marcipex]

I looked at that, it's v. Interesting as I'm a self taught slowbie.

[tribpot]

It's very hard to learn a new technique but if you keep persevering you will get there. I was taught to knit 'English-style' like many of us, and self-learnt continental a couple of years ago. I would now try and teach people continental to start off with, rather than have them learn it later, although so far everyone I've taught wants to do it English-style, as they've seen people in their own families!

antimatter, it sounds as if you may not be aware of Ravelry (here's a link to the Hitchhiker pattern on it). This is where hundreds of thousands of patterns are indexed, and many can be bought through it.

[antimatter]

I've registered in Raverly ages ago and need to check my account tonight. Thanks for reminding me!

I also watched russian style of knitting and there are few shortcuts which would help me to speed up my knitting

[tribpot]

In terms of techniques, is an interesting one, but I wouldn't attempt to learn this myself :)

[PetulaGordino]

it's useful knowing both continental and english styles for stranded work. i learnt english to start with but taught myself continental so that i could do stranded work two-handed

[tribpot]

Agreed, although I now use for my right hand when doing stranded knitting - its similar to continental so it makes it go faster.

[PetulaGordino]

Oh that's what I do! I assumed that was the same as English knitting but it's not! (I had to actually get some knitting and check to make sure because it's so instinctive now that I hadn't really thought about it )

(They do blether on at the start of these videos don't they)

[PetulaGordino]

Interestingly my mum taught me and she is left-handed, but doesn't do continental style, so maybe that's where I got it from

[tribpot]

They do - the worst ones are where it's sponsored by some random American yarn brand and we have to go through 'thank you to xxx for the ball of whatever-it-is yarn etc etc'. Cut to the chase for god's sake! :)