It’s been a few years since I knit the Meisi Gloves by Julia Mueller, but my fascination for twisted stitches has not dimmed a bit. I remember working these gloves in the autumn of 2014. Though I am a devoted morning person and therefore can’t keep my eyes open past 10:30 at night, I somehow found myself glued to the chart, stitching away, well past three am. It was one of those thoroughly satisfying projects that a knitter never forgets. Like a really good book, you’re almost sad when it’s over!
Fast forward to 2018. I find myself experimenting once again with the fluid, enigmatic movement of twisted stitches. I’m enamored of the punctuation these stitches bring to knitted fabric and the way they emboss the fabric’s surface. This technique adds line weight to knitted patterns in the same way an artist would with a pencil sketch, allowing particular details to rise to prominence. Twisted stitches work and play well with others because they create movement and visual focus.
Here are twisted stitches limning the edges of a cable. I’ve carried the twist through to the ribbing.
This is an interesting new cable by Norah Gaughan from her latest book, “Knitted Cable Sourcebook”. I like this cable so well that I’ve worked it into a snuggly stole and have chosen the elegant Telluride by Classic Elite, a blend of superfine alpaca, linen and donegal.
Currently, I have another twisted project in the works. I can’t talk too much about this one, but suffice to say that it uses twisted stitches in a more linear, graphic way.
I’ve never been one to work cables without a cable needle. I can’t stand the stress! That moment of holding those lost little stitches between my fingers feels so awkward, and the thought of dropping or misshaping one…well. But here’s another thing I love about twisted stitches: they are little teeny cables worked without a cable needle! It involves working stitches out of their regular order and can only be done comfortably over a couple of stitches. Try it!
Right Twist: K2tog, but don’t remove from the needle, knit the first st again, remove both from needle.
Left Twist: Knit tbl of second st on left needle, but don’t remove it. Bring right needle to the front, and knit the first st, remove both from needle.
So easy! So fun! Eunny Jang is, I think, the reigning queen of twisted stitch knitting. You can find a great twisted stitch tutorial HERE.
Happy Knitting!
