Knitting tension with nerve damage

[ariandar]

Hi all. I've been watching this community for a while, and finally had a question arise for me that I feel I need help with.

I have some nerve damage. It's not actually in my right hand, but the cervical-7 nerve root, where I have a tumor merrily gnawing at it. The doctors aren't really sure whether I will lose more motor control than I already have, as we try a second time to eradicate it. Anyway, it translates to motor control issues and some numbness and most often pain in my right hand. When I type too long, knit too long, sew for too long, etc etc, my pinkie and ring finger first will stop listening to me and just flop around uselessly, until I stop and stretch them backward in a way that makes people cringe. And then second, the pinkie, ring and middle finger will cramp and curl inward, painfully, while I try not to drop my knitting. It's really aggravating.

So... I know the first thing people will suggest is to knit Continental instead of English. I am miserable at Continental, and have been since before all this happened. I can't see myself going that route and not just giving up knitting altogether, if that is my only option.

I've been looking at these tension ring things - cro-knit and something from Clover for stranded knitting, as well as something they're calling a knitting thimble? Has anyone used any of these devices, and are they worth trying to hold the tension of the yarn? Because more often than not, what is triggering my troubles isn't throwing the yarn so much as trying to hold the tension.

Especially since I just up and decided to try my hand at socks on DPNs for the first time. 'Cause I'm a glutton for punishment. ;-)

If you have any thoughts on this, I would be grateful for the input. Thanks!

Comments

[tephra]

Maybe try Portuguese style? The yarn is tensioned simply through the fingers of the right hand without wrapping any figers with the yarn traveling either around the back of your neck or through a pin near your shoulder (or a hook on a necklace). I've played with it a bit and the tensioning is mostly between the index and middle fingers in my experience.

Bonus tricks with this style, the yarn is always in the front, so no moving the yarn back and forth between knits and purls. Yarn overs before knits are essentially "automatic", just have the right needle over the yarn before knitting the next stitch.

[ariandar]

I honestly had never heard of this technique before. I mean, I had seen pictures of older women with the yarn over their necks, but didn't put it together that they were doing something differently otherwise. This is very interesting. I think I will try some swatches this way. Thank you very much!

[tephra]

I only stumbled over it because I was looking for ways to do k1, p1 patterns without having to toss the yarn back and forth between every stitch. Everyone kept raving about the Norwegian purl but knitting continental does horrible things to my left hand. Finally someone on Ravelry asked about knitting with the yarn in front rather than purling with the yarn in back and the Portuguese method was revealed. :)

I haven't used it much, but the most annoying problem I have with it is that I have a tendency to move my knitting closer to me when things get tricky, which screws with the yarn tension. I'm sure if I used it more I would break the habit but for now I find it easier to just use my many years of habit and knit English. I like having different style options to get around my, thankfully occasional, problems with my hands though.

[wildebeest]

I'm sorry to hear about your tumor. :( I have carpal tunnel in both my hands so I can definitely agree, it's the tension more than anything that bothers you.

I'm also a thrower. Experiment with how you hold the yarn, before you try a tension ring thing. Sometimes I can finagle some cool ways to wrap it around my fingers that makes it easier to hold.

http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-82309-Crafters-Comfort-Glove-Medium/dp/B002Y2GY7U/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1327967312&sr=8-4 Do you think crafting support gloves like these might help at all?

Also, just straight up, take breaks. Set a timer if you have to, or only knit during X TV show or something. Pacing myself's the best thing I've found so far.

[ariandar]

I have considered those kind of gloves. I don't know how well they'll work in the summer when it's 100 degrees here (I'm in Central Texas), but I have considered that some kind of compression might help.

It's funny, I do tend to keep holding the yarn like I had always done, wrapped around my pinky, even though I know I can't feel it there and drop it often. It wasn't such an issue with bulky yarn, but the finer stuff seems to drop more often.

[thistleingrey]

Much sympathy for the nerve issues. My joints are hypermobile, so I've never been able to manage tension with a cocked finger. I knit ± English style and hold the yarn between thumb and forefinger, such that my arm does most of the throwing. Given that your woes center on C7, that may not be of much help, but arms and shoulders tend to be stronger than fingers.

Seconding the suggestion to look into Portuguese style (also used in Greece, Egypt, Peru, etc.).

[ariandar]

I think I may go for that Portuguese style, at least to try it.

[indeliblesasha]

I don't have any issues with my hands, so I have no idea if this suggestion will be workable for you, but I wanted to suggest the way I hold my yarn, as a fellow thrower.

Let's see if I can figure out how to explain this....

Hold the yarn so it's on the palm of your right hand, pull it back through the first and middle fingers, and then forward under the middle finger. When I move it over my needle it hooks over the top of my middle finger. I control my tension by squeezing my first and middle finger's together.

Now, obviously this works better with thicker yarns. When I need more tension with fingering weight and the like, I just wrap it around my middle finger again. I also make sure I am holding everything very gently and lightly, and account for the fact my tension is very loose. But, I can knit for hours on end without any sort of cramping at all, so I think it's worthwhile.

I'm so sorry to hear about your tumor, and I hope they can get rid of it. ♥ If you do lose more motor control, you might find sticking to bulky yarns and large needles is the best options to keep you knitting, short of switching styles. (I am working on a cabled purse on size 13's right now, it's a blast.)

[ariandar]

Thank you. I do find bulky yarns & larger needles easier, and I gave up on the idea I'd ever do knitted lace. But I so wanted to make socks. :-\

Consciously moving where I hold the yarn may be the very thing. I so automatically loop it over my ring finger and pinky, without considering the other fingers.

[indeliblesasha]

Well you know, I just finished a lace scarf in aran weight yarn, and you can totally knit socks in worsted :) so really, you don't have to give up on either ;)

And yay! I hope you can adjust to a different way of holding your yarn without having to change hands. I'm not any good with my left hand either. :)

[geeksdoitbetter]

i'm here to second the idea of lace fabric being made in other weights of yarn

also, lace fabric wants to get made with crazy large needles (like size 8 needles for lace weight yarn)

[zinelady]

Have you tried taping your little finger to your ring finger in such a way that both fingers can't bend? I recently jammed my little finger and it was hurting when I knitted socks, because I kept bending the joint. My son in law who is a chiropractor tape the joint in such a way that it couldn't bend and then I was able to knit.

I would also suggest to use two short circular needles to knit socks rather than 4 or 5 double points. It's easier to hold and knit socks with circulars than it is with double points, especially if you're having trouble with your fingers.

[ariandar]

Haven't thought of taping them. I wonder if that would work?

I did consider just buying a pair of circulars in the same size. Guess there was always a sort of "achievement unlocked" mystique around DPNs, yanno? :-)

[geeksdoitbetter]

like all knitting, in my experience, the first 5 rows suck no matter what style/how many needles

and, you aren't *holding* 5 dpns - you're still just holding one needle in each hand. the others dangle just like the rest of the fabric does when using one circ

[lullabymoon]

I was wondering about those rings myself for when I'm trying to crochet (have the same problems as you there because I haven't figured out the best way yet).

YMMV but, I have next to no sensation in my hands and the best way I've found to keep the tension for knitting is to weave the yarn under my index finger and over my middle finger (starting out at the piece of knitting and leading to the ball) and take my time, keeping the fingers fairly close together. This really came about with messing about with the yarn and I do have to admit, a fair amount of it is muscle memory.

I would suggest trying different needles - both me and my mum (who also has hand problems) find bamboo to be much easier to knit with than metal or plastic, because they flex slightly and are less slippy so we don't have to grip as tight to keep everything where it should be.

Practice and pacing is the main thing I use - when I'm using smaller needles or a thinner yarn for the first time I can only usually last about five or ten minutes a day and have to slowly build it up. It's a bugger and I absolutely hate it sometimes but nothing I've found yet beats it.

[ariandar]

It happens that they are bamboo, and I do like how sticky they are. Maybe I'm still worried about dropping stitches, since I've never used DPNs before, so I'm really gripping them harder than necessary.

[geeksdoitbetter]

i had a terrible time when i first started using dpns

grip
of
death

the best thing that helped was the Knit Fix book, which shows how to pick up dropped stitches with a tiny crochet hook

and, putting the proper number of stitches onto the 5 dpns - i'd been using only 4 dpns and the stitches kept sliding off the back of the needle. moved to 5 dpns and viola! everything fit

[ariandar]

This sock pattern has 16 stitches on each needle, and when I look at them, I see that they fit nicely and aren't anywhere near the tip of the needle... yet I really am gripping everything in fear it will all fall apart and I will be a failure. And I watched a video where the person kept emphasizing keeping tension tight when moving from one needle to the next in line, talking about "laddering" that will be inevitable if you don't do it right and... gah.

I had thought to bring it with me to my appointments at MD Anderson over the next several days, but I probably don't need the extra stress and will bring a book instead. LOL

[geeksdoitbetter]

i embrace laddering!

seriously

i can't even handle folks who'll look at my sock and nitpick

they go on my feet, for crying out loud

i have worked so hard to avoid the culture of perfectionism in my crafting world

[lullabymoon]

Ah, I've not tried DPN's yet, though they are on my wishlist, but I understand that worry perfectly. Good luck with it and lets us know how you get on!

[rattlecatcher]

Yeah, I'm a continental knitter, simply because for me, purling is e-v-i-l with the yarn in the right hand. And I hated continental at first because it was really really hard. But I learned dvorak, I told myself, which was of the nerviest nervewracking I could imagine (20 years qwerty), so I just kept at it.
Which is not to say you should do it - if you kept at it and it just didn't go, then OF COURSE you stop! Knitting is supposed to be enjoyable and if it really seems like the end isn't in sight, then the fun is definitely not happening.
Instead, I guess, you keep doing things like this - asking around - and trying what other things people suggest, like this portugese thing that sounds intriguing. I'm already imagining matching up a yarn ring with my outfit, because let's face it, knitting accessories are the bomb. ;)

I'm so sorry about your situation and am keeping good thoughts for you. I'm also keeping good thoughts for you to find a style or tool that keeps the tension right - luckily, nothing says I can't have both good thoughts at the same time.

[debbiecakes]

I think the portuguese style is pretty awesome. I'm going to have to give that a go too!

But my suggestion would be to mirror knit or knit left handed. This would put the tension in the left hand but still have the familiarities of throwing. I've been meaning to learn to mirror knit so I won't have to turn my work.

Best of luck! :)