Stockinette Stitch in PERSIAN STYLE or NO-WRAP KNITTING
The sample on the left is American/Continental knitting. The sample on the right is Persian knitting, also called Russian or Combination knitting. While the American style is tighter and more even, the Persian is faster, easier, gives good understanding of the nature of the sts and makes knitting with color simpler.
In the Persian/Russian/Combination Style:
1. Hold the yarn with your left hand.
2. Instead of wrapping the yarn around the needle, hold it so it's easy to simply pick up the yarn with the needle (without wrapping around).
3. In the American way when purling the yarn wraps around the needle from up to down. In the Persian style the yarn comes from down to up.
4. That difference in the purl stitch causes the knit stitch in the next row to be angled this way ///// which is the opposite direction from the purl stitch. So in the knit stitch you insert the needle into the back of the stitch.
I find this help me to knit a knit row and purl on purl, as the st itself resist being knitted against it angle.
Hand and Finger positions
If you would like to try it I recommend practicing the left hand position for few times before starting. The finger holds the yarn and controls it by slight movements. The middle finger secures the next stitch in line, and permits the work to be done freely on the current stitch, without fear of loosing it.
Purl Stitch
On a purl row the back of the knitting is facing you, and the yarn should be in the front, between yourself and the knitting.
1. First st is the freebee, slip it to the right needle without knitting it.
2. Insert needle into the next st, into the middle, and out towards you.
3. By moving your finger slightly, position the yarn in between the right needle and the knitting. See top photo on the right.
4. Create the new stitch by pulling the yarn out with the right needle.
5. Release the old stitch and move to the next.
Finish the row, and then
Knit Stitch
1. Insert the right needle into the back of the stitch. If the stitch is not angled like this / then you did something wrong on the previous row.
The first st is a freebee, slip it to the right needle without knitting it.
2. Insert the right needle into the next st:
into the middle, then out through the back, pointing away from you.
3. Move the yarn so it is between the right needle and the fabric.
4. Pick up the yarn with the right needle and out with the new st.
5. Release the old stitch, and move to the next.
* I usually do not knit/purl the first stitch, but just slip it to the right needle unknitted. I find it creates an easier edge to work with. Experiment and see - which look do you like the best?
Purl -
into the stitch
and place yarn between the needles
Purl -
pull the new stitch out
Knit -into the stitch then place yarn between the needles
Knit - pull the new stitch out
These are my books about how to knit pictures. They begin with detailed explanation (photos and all) of how to cast on,knit and purl in American and Persian knitting.
The book 'Color and Picture knitting' is the twin of 'Knitting with Baba' which includes stories of my life and knitting with Meher Baba.
While knitting pictures is my spiritual path, the pictures themselves are not limited to me faith alone.
The books are available here and on Amazon
There are many videos on You-Tube that illustrates this style of knitting. Here are some that are clear and one step at a time:
Knit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYZd7CvLERc&feature=related
Purl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXcp8WPs47U&feature=related
Enjoy...
