Viking Knit: Wire sticking out

Radegunde wrote

on Jul 4, 2009 4:57 AM

Hello,

I'm not sure this is the right place for my question ...

Every time I have finished a piece of viking knit, I encounter the same problem: Once I pulled it through the hole and it is beautiful and visually just like it should be, I need only to finger it a bit to feel prickly wire-ends sticking out - just a little bit, enough to *** but not enough to cut them of.

Does anyone here have had the same problem? 

I think it has to do with how to continue with a new piece of wire: Normally, when I come to the end of a wire, I pull it through the last loop, pull the new wire through the same loop, and cut the end of the old wire two rounds further, leaving approximately 2 centimeters to hang free inside the knit. Only apparently, they don't want to hang free.

For any suggestions as to what can I do, I would be deeply grateful!

Radegunde

Kokopelli wrote

on Jul 5, 2009 1:03 AM

 Radegunde, I hope I can explain it in English good enough. When I come to the end of a piece of wire I take a new piece and insert it in the last loop, but the opposite direction the old wire comes out. I twist the two pieces together to anchor the new wire, leave about 1cm and cut the rest of the twisted wires. Then go on with the new wire. When you pull it through the drawplate and the twisted ends stick out, just grab them with chain or needle nose pliers and bent them a bit, so they point to the inside of the chain. You can see what I mean in these instructions, but you have to twist the two loose wire ends:

http://www.fineartbyrocio.com/vikingknitdirections.html

Hope this helps! If not I'll write you email or retype it in German.

Radegunde wrote

on Jul 5, 2009 2:33 AM

Twisting! I never thought of that, thank you very much Kokopelli!!

I'll try it out as soon as possible! (Must buy some new wire first).

Apparently a word in my post above has been replaced by three stars. Did I choose a bad word? In the dictionary I just looked for a word with the meaning "making a little hole in my finger" .

Radegunde

Kokopelli wrote

on Jul 5, 2009 11:38 PM

Glad that I could help!

Hm, I don't know which word you chose, but sometimes it is a bit weird which words are replaced by stars. Sometimes it is not even clear to the Native speakers here on the forums.

Gyspy Mary wrote

on Jul 6, 2009 12:19 AM

 Thanks, for the Viking Knit website link. I had never heard of 'Viking Knit'.Now I want to try that.

Mary

Kokopelli wrote

on Jul 6, 2009 1:33 AM

It's an absolutely amazing technique! When you start knitting, it looks like crap, but once drawn through a drawplate. Wow! That was one of these moments, when you fell in love with a technique.

LoisB@23 wrote

on Jul 6, 2009 7:39 AM

 Glad Dagmar was able to help you, I myself have never tried doing any vicking knit! As for the word, did you choose p ri ck? with out the spaces? that particular word DOES mean poking your finger with a sharp object (like a needle or some wire) but sadly has also been used as a slang term with a whole other meaning. Too bad internet filters can't tell between proper use of a word, and derogetory slang!

Lois

Radegunde wrote

on Jul 6, 2009 12:04 PM

Hello Lois,

yes, that was exactly the word I used. 

Are there other words like that, with a double meaning you don't find in any dictionary?

It is quite confusing for non native speakers!

By the way, your parrot is a real beauty!!

I own one too: mine is an African Grey who unfortunately loves to make disgusting sounds (he picked them up from my husband of course)

Radegunde

LoisB@23 wrote

on Jul 6, 2009 4:05 PM

 Ahhh... that explains the word not showing up. *sigh* I'm sorry to say there are a fair number of words that have been stolen from their proper use and given new and undesirable meanings. I can't think any right now, but If you find a word gets edited out, try looking it up in a slang dictionary online. THey can often tell you the OTHER meaning of the word.

Thanks, she's a green cheek Conure, and spoiled rotten! Too funny that your African Grey has chosen those sounds to imitate.... they're funny in what they choose to say and what they ignore....

Lois

Whency wrote

on Jul 7, 2009 11:47 AM

This is a youtube video the best I have found and as Dagmar can tell you, I am obsessed with getting this viking knit technique mastered.So with that in mind I have scoured the internet looking for anything to help me. I found this by accident but, it is the best. It's clear, you can see what he is doing along with hear the instructions. He has this one for free and he has 2 others that are companion pieces for sale on his website. If you really want to learn thats the way to go instructions on paper are good but I'm a visual learner so this helped me alot too. Hope this helps you ,as for the ends sticking out Dagmar is the one to listen too she has way more experience than I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfsyTn9XCsE&feature=PlayList&p=24CBD54BD0BCDC09&index=0

Radegunde wrote

on Jul 8, 2009 12:30 PM

Hello michelle,

thanks for the link!

Unfortunately my English is not good enough to understand all that is said in the video!

I managed to learn viking knit with the website Kokopelli gave above (AND a good dictionary nearby!!! )

Yesterday I got some new brass wire and started to viking knit a new bracelet, using Kokopelli's twisting-technique. Still 2 centimeters to knit, and then ... and then .... the viking wonder will happen again (at least I hope!)

Oh I LOVE it, pulling the viking knit through the hole - that's the best part of it, when suddenly it becomes so neat and beautiful!

Radegunde

LoisB@23 wrote

on Jul 8, 2009 1:16 PM

 Oh Radegunde, I so completely understand what you mean! I feel the same way when I need to straighten an edge on fabric for sewing. I make a little cut at one end and RIP it! SO satisfying.....

Too bad the video isn't useful to you, but I can imagine the challanges of trying to watch, and listen to a new skill IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE! You have my respect for being able to speak another language at all! I don't, though I know a LITTLE spanish, usually enough to get into trouble, but not be able to get out. My best friend is French, grew up just outside of Paris, but you'd NEVER know it to speak to her. Her english is without any accent at all. Well, she falls into a Boston (eastern US) accent, or a strong southern accent, but that's because she's got a very complicated life story.... born and lived in Alabama till she was 5, moved back to Paris with her mother till she was 10, moved back to the US, but to Boston....

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Hope you will post a photo when the new piece is done!

Lois

Whency wrote

on Jul 8, 2009 3:42 PM

 I'm sorry the video did not help. I forget not everyone on here speaks fluent english!

But at least Dagmar was able to help you. Please post a picture so we can see your finished viking knit. I would love to see it.

Kokopelli wrote

on Jul 9, 2009 12:37 AM

Yes, pulling it through the drawplate is really the best part! The knit looks like trash or a disaster on the dowel and then you pull it.......aaaaaaahhhhhhh, beautiful! So I hope the twisting works for you, too.  I have to train my teaching skills for the Viking Knit class I teach in January 2010. Yesterday I got the schedule for my classes and I'm so excited! So I'm glad you understood my advice.

Many people here tell that they love to learn from videos, but I like graphics/photos better. Don't know why, maybe because I have more time to look at a pic again and again and don't have to hurry up, because the video is running. But everyone learns different, right?

And don't forget to show us the new bracelet, Radegunde!

Radegunde wrote

on Jul 9, 2009 7:36 AM

Oh stupid me!!!

I couldn't stop myself from pulling it through all the new holes my husband made for me yesterday. It was such a pleasure (a bit like eating chocolate: once you begin you can't stop!) From the first hole of 10 millimeters down to the hole of 4 millimeters, I did them all. Well, and the last one of 4 millimeters, I definitely shouldn't have done: Now the bracelet has lost all flexibility and ressembles rather some sort of torque, which I could nearly wear around the neck! But, and this is interesting, the twisting technique worked! Never once through the whole process of pulling I felt there was wire sticking out!

I don't know yet what to do with it. (Perhaps a double bracelet with an ingenious crossing clasp?)

Anyway, I began a new one and this time I will resist the temptation of the holes! I will, surely I will!

Well Kokopelli, I really do regret that I will not be able to participate with your viking knit class, but it is a bit far off from my home (the nearest southgerman frontier-town, Kehl or Offenburg, would already take a voyage of 7 to 8 hours by train)

Radegunde