Are you a fast knitter? Any tips?

[TammySwansonTwo]

I have been knitting for about six years - around that time I had to stop working for health reasons and I was knitting an awful lot. The problem is, I’m so slow still. I have lovely twin boys and want to make lovely things for them, want to make stuf for charity, but everything takes so long because I’m so slow. I wanted to make the boys blankets for Christmas, I’m only 80% through the first one. One of them is unwell and I’d love to be able to finish a lovely blanket for him but it’s so hard in the time I have.

Any tips? I switched to continental years ago which helped to an extent but it takes so long to make anything still and most knitters I know are much faster by this point.

I do love the process but I want to be able to complete more projects.

Ok, so to give you some kind of answer, but not really answering your question as such... I am a bit slow at projects. Recently dug out a cardigan project for myself, and realised when I saw the price on the wool that I should finish. I won't tell you how long that's been on the go, but I have found that joining a knitting group (they meet twice a week, but I can only manage once) means at least I get on with it for 2 hrs a week. They are an interesting bunch of women who I probably wouldn't have met otherwise.

I’d love to go to a group, maybe in a few years when the twins start school.

I read somewhere that learning to knit without looking at the knitting should be our priority because that means we can knit anywhere.
Obviously knitting chunky would be faster that using finer wool.
Some yarns are slowing me down. I recently finished scarf from wool which wasn't twisted and that was the reason why it was fiddly.
I am working on learning not to look at my needles. Changing old habits is very hard

How would I go about finding a group?

I've knitted for a very long time. I wouldn't say I am particularly fast though. But it's learning to get into a rhythm, and also keeping at it. Its very easy to put it down after a couple of rows, so you need to be prepared to keep at it. It depends on the pattern and yarn too. I find if the pattern is too easy, it gets boring, so I put it down and don't pick it up, or its a very tricky pattern, so I put it down and don't pick it up either!
Basically - practise :)

Cat - maybe ask on your local facebook, or the library may have info ? Lots of local yarn shops have groups too , if you have one

Do you knit English or continental? I found learning to knit continental made me a lot quicker. I'm still not the fastest but it did help

I switched to continental after 12 months. Practice is not the issue, at least it wasn’t - I used to knit pretty much all day every day for a few years, I’m just slow. I need to figure out where I can simplify my movements I guess?

I just googled knitting groups for my area. We meet in the library.