Sometimes the best knitting technique is the one you’ve never tried. Whether you’re looking for a more comfortable way to knit, navigating changes in your body, or simply curious about different approaches, Portuguese knitting offers a surprisingly efficient alternative that many knitters discover by accident and never want to give up.
Portuguese knitting is a centuries-old technique that uses a knitting pin or yarn tensioned around the neck to create smooth, efficient movements with remarkably little strain on the hands and wrists. For many knitters, it can be a game-changing addition to their toolkit.
In this hands-on workshop, Beth Gorishek introduces students to the foundational knit and purl stitches of Portuguese Knitting while exploring why this style can be especially helpful for knitters experiencing hand fatigue, arthritis, repetitive stress injuries, vision changes, or other challenges.
Students will learn the basics of the technique, practice through guided exercises, and gain confidence using tools such as knitting pins and other tensioning aids. Beth also shares her own experiences as a disabled knitter and demonstrates how small adaptations can make a big difference in creating a comfortable and sustainable knitting practice.
Using a light-colored, smooth worsted-weight yarn and US 6–8 (4–5 mm) needles, or whatever needle size is most comfortable for you:
Cast on 25 stitches using any cast-on method you’re comfortable with.
If you’re comfortable doing so, work 2–4 rows in any stitch you already know to create a small foundation for your practice swatch.
Leave your stitches live on the needle. Do not bind off.
Bring the same yarn and needles to class so we can continue working with your swatch.
• Light-colored, smooth worsted-weight yarn
• US 6–8 (4–5 mm) knitting needles, or whatever size is most comfortable for you
• Your prepared 25-stitch practice swatch
• Scissors
• A Portuguese knitting pin or hook if you already have one, but please don’t purchase one specifically for class. A pin or hook is not necessary to learn or use Portuguese knitting, and we’ll explore other ways to tension the yarn.
Reminder: Please print any handout(s) prior to class and bring it with you.