What direction do you crochet - the ISK angle of things
August 29, 2024
Last week, a member of the YoolaISK group on Facebook shared that she was struggling to continue because her progress felt much slower than she had expected.
It's important to remember that "slow" is relative. While you might think your work is progressing slowly, it may not be, and slow compared to what? Classic crochet, knitting, or even other people's pace?
Everyone in the group encouraged her, saying that it will get better and that speed comes with practice. They were right—this is true not just for ISK but for anything. The more we practice, the better we become, whether it’s a positive skill or even something negative, like anger.
If you know my story about how and when I got into ISK, you might remember that there was a gap between my return from Switzerland and when I picked up ISK again. I don’t really recall what exactly prompted me to open that treasure box and start wire crocheting again, but I remember the feeling of losing my touch, the magic. The work wasn’t flowing, it felt slow, and the results were unimpressive.
I was disappointed with myself—how could something I used to do with my eyes closed suddenly feel so difficult? Then it hit me: I was going the wrong way!
I’m right-handed, so my work needs to progress to the right. This allows me to hold the work with my left hand, keeping the stitches secure, while my right hand has the space and freedom to move. I encourage you to try working in both directions to see how it feels.
When that member said her progress was slow, I suggested a few things, including checking if she was working with her strong hand in if she was working in the right direction. As it turns out, she’s left-handed but was working to the right, which is a big no-no! It’s like a right-handed person working to the left—it’s working against the flow. There's a video for left-handers that you’re welcome to watch! It focuses on the YoolaKnitter, but is also relevant for working with your left hand in ISK without the YoolaKnitter!
But here’s a big "BUT"! In some cases, you might consciously choose to work in the opposite direction to achieve a specific effect. So, while there is a "right" direction for your ongoing work, the other direction is also an option.
You might be wondering when those cases arise and what effect they create. One situation is when you want to make something flat that isn’t a flattened tube. For example, the tips of my Pomegranates have only one layer. To create them, I work back and forth until I reach the desired length, reducing along the way to form a triangle shape. The key here is alternating rows—one to the right, one to the left.
Another reason to work against the flow is if you want uneven color patterns, like in a piece made by Esti. She worked more freely in both directions to create those stains. Isn’t that an amazing artwork? in case you were wondering about the central Yin-Yang check this post on the blog, click here.
The same technique applies to creating a wavy, three-dimensional form. If you don’t want a symmetric tube but something more sculptural, playing with the direction you work in is one of the tools at your disposal.I don't have an example ready to show you right now, but maybe you'll think of one! 😉
Ready to start experimenting?
I’d love to see your results and your process. Remember to share your work in the YoolaISK group on Facebook and spread your love of ISK with the world!
Love,
Yoola
