The second sleeve is never interesting to talk about -- unless you can talk about trying something different with it.
I'm a real newbie when it comes to two-color knitting. It was while working on the Zebra Striper dress that I finally managed to get both hands in on the action. My normal "mode" of knitting is Continental style, and I have to admit, it was a real mental hurdle for me to get over to get my right hand pulling it's weight.
I'd always read that which hand you carry the yarn in has an impact on the final fabric. On the first sleeve (the one on the right), I knit with the main color in my left hand (my dominant knitting hand) and the secondary colors in my right. You can see that the secondary color stitches (i.e. the non-red stitches) almost fade back into the fabric, while the red controls the show. On the second sleeve (the one on the left) i knit with the main color in my right hand and the secondary color in my left. In this, the secondary color stitches are much more prominent. The main color stitches are also a bit looser (I know it doesn't look that way... I accidentally neglected to do some increase stitches because I am not good at reading instructions and decided not to rip back and just make it up as I moved along the sleeve since it doesn't really make much difference) and the color stitches come to the foreground much better. Unfortunately, this meant that the knitting went slower, because my speed with my right hand is not all that good. But I like the general effect. So I'll have to file this information for future reference.
Now all that remains is to do the alternating color rows. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the sleeve.
My other project is to figure out what I'm going to take with me to knit in Austin (we're looking forward to a little burst of warm weather and getting to see my adorable nephew for the first time). I figure with two small children and no grandparents for miles, there's not going to be a lot of free time, so it's likely going to be a sock project and my next baby toy project. But just which sock project should I take... or should I start another one, just to be sure that I don't "run out" of sock knitting?
I'm a real newbie when it comes to two-color knitting. It was while working on the Zebra Striper dress that I finally managed to get both hands in on the action. My normal "mode" of knitting is Continental style, and I have to admit, it was a real mental hurdle for me to get over to get my right hand pulling it's weight.
I'd always read that which hand you carry the yarn in has an impact on the final fabric. On the first sleeve (the one on the right), I knit with the main color in my left hand (my dominant knitting hand) and the secondary colors in my right. You can see that the secondary color stitches (i.e. the non-red stitches) almost fade back into the fabric, while the red controls the show. On the second sleeve (the one on the left) i knit with the main color in my right hand and the secondary color in my left. In this, the secondary color stitches are much more prominent. The main color stitches are also a bit looser (I know it doesn't look that way... I accidentally neglected to do some increase stitches because I am not good at reading instructions and decided not to rip back and just make it up as I moved along the sleeve since it doesn't really make much difference) and the color stitches come to the foreground much better. Unfortunately, this meant that the knitting went slower, because my speed with my right hand is not all that good. But I like the general effect. So I'll have to file this information for future reference.
Now all that remains is to do the alternating color rows. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the sleeve.
My other project is to figure out what I'm going to take with me to knit in Austin (we're looking forward to a little burst of warm weather and getting to see my adorable nephew for the first time). I figure with two small children and no grandparents for miles, there's not going to be a lot of free time, so it's likely going to be a sock project and my next baby toy project. But just which sock project should I take... or should I start another one, just to be sure that I don't "run out" of sock knitting?
The difference in colour dominance is really not noticeable to me in the photo. The colours are really attractive, though.
Just for your info, the photos are not appearing in bloglines since you made the update to you blog. Not a major problem, but thought I would let you know.
All the best,
Dawn
The difference looks subtle to my eye, too, but I know that it is real and striking in my own work. It can really change the look of a finished project.
As for your travel knitting, I'd just take something you're already working on. After all, if you run out you've justified a trip to a LYS!
The first time I figured this out was knitting Autumn Rose and it was this total and complete a ha! moment. It really does make a difference and I finally realized why my colourwork never looked as nice as others. Its a lovely sweater you're making.
I see the difference. Its not really noticable unless you are specifically looking, but its good to know for future reference.
I would bring a new sock project, but I might just be saying that because I'm going to start a new project tonight to bring with me on my vacation next week! You may not get much done with knitting time so sparse, but it will feel better than to find that you have a hour and nothing to work on.
I'm also a continental knitter that just finished my first fair-isle mitten. I tried holding one yarn in each hand, but found that the right hand yarn stitches were much tighter (thus moved to the background). This caused some puckering in the final product. I found much better success in holding both yarns in my left hand. It is a little awkward at first but faster and more even. I've ordered a Norwegian thimble, and two types of yarn guides from Joanne.com with the thought that this might help when needing to twist the yarns in the back of the work to reduce the float length during long single color runs.
I learned it when I made a pair of mittens that had single-stitch-wide stripes. The yarn that comes from the left side of the pair (whether in two hands or one) comes from lower down, so those stitches actually are slightly bigger. It would have been okay if I had been consistent, but I wasn't, so the difference really showed.
I think the dominance has to do with which color is below, rather than which hand is used--the color that strands underneath tends to show more than the one on top, as Tamar said. I hold both colors in my right hand when doing two-color work. The swatch I made for my Sanquhar gloves (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/annec/sanquhar-gloves) really showed the effect, especially when I put the swatch across the room. The pattern was completely muddled. I learned to keep the light color below the dark and they worked out well.