I'll Knit If I Want To: Episode 41

Welcome to I’ll Knit If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions! In this week’s episode we cover: 1. Hi! I´m a Swedish knitter living in Shanghai and I never miss an episode of "I´ll knit i f I want to". My question is about ergonomics. How do you knit for hours every week without getting pains and aches? When I’ve been knitting for more than a couple of hours, I can feel my hands and wrists protesting, which scares me so much! It would be awful to be forced to stop knitting because of an injury. Do you have any knitting tips and tricks on how to keep your hands, shoulders and arms strong and pain free when you love knitting? Knitting Ergonomics Carson Demers: www.ergoiknit.com/ 2. Is there a trick to winding skeins of yarn into cakes. I bought a new winder this summer which will hold up to 400+ yards of yarn. That is convenient but my big problem is when I do center pull I end up with yarn barf. Happens almost every time. Do you have any suggestions. 3. Strange question... I have been knitting and crocheting accessories for years but recently completed my first sweater (the Weekender). I love my new knitwear and want to make sure it's well cared for. It's winter in Michigan and I'm curious how your woolens handle body products like deodorant, body oils and creams. I know I have to be gentle with washing and don't want any of my moisturizers to ruin my wool. Thanks! Deodorant: www.beautycounter.com/product/clean-deo/variant-17… 4. I knit my very first pair of socks for the Curio Kal (actually, my intention was to be part of the KAL but life was too crazy and started the day after it ended..) and I'm hooked! I have a few questions about socks... You chose the after thought heel for this sock, which fits so well and I find so comfortable, but how do you choose which type of heel to knit? I know you have said that the Fleegle heel is your favorite, why? Why didn't you use it for the Curio sock? Also, what are your thoughts on a tubular bind off? Is it as stretchy as Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy BO? And one more question, do you have a favorite washable sock yarn? I'd love to knit a pair or two for my granddaughters and I know they wouldn't be interested in hand washing. My experience with washable wool is it stretches and can pill. Maybe I haven't found the right one yet... Thanks so much Andrea, you are a delight! 5. I am a new spinner. I took a beginner class and love it so much I bought a wheel. I also bought yarn-i-tecture on your recommendation. Do you have other recommendations for new spinners to continue to improve? Books, podcasts, etc. Yarnitecture: www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/28925914-yarnitectu… Worsted to Woolen Online Spinning Class: www.craftsy.com/class/drafting-from-worsted-to-woo… All the School of Sweet Georgia spinning classes! : www.schoolofsweetgeorgia.com/spinning/ Rachel Smith: welfordpurls.com/ The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: www.goodreads.com/book/show/10473930-the-fleece-fi… 6. Bonus question: A week or so ago you said you’d explain how you walk and knit. But I watched the video and never heard the explanation. Did I somehow miss it? Or was it a separate video?? Thanks. Very curious about walking and knitting!! I am wearing the Birch Pullover: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/birch-pullover-2 www.dreareneeknits.com/shop/birch-pullover Ask a question for next week’s Q&A: forms.gle/pKM9gF9SixkdQwmS7 (For specific pattern questions that you need an email response to, please email the address listed on the last page of your patten!) Sign up for the DRK Newsletter: eepurl.com/diPxsr