I'm sometimes asked how I can knit when I struggle to read due to visual impairments.
Well, the first thing you need to know is how my eyes work - I have the type of nystagmus that kicks into action when you look at something for longer than a couple of seconds. Looking away briefly can help - but trying to read by keep looking up every few seconds makes reading more than a little nauseating! Also, reading for more than 5 minutes just hurts - a lot! I regularly have double vision, but I can reduce it if I position my eyes slightly to the side, so you can often see me with my head slightly turned to view knitting directly in front of me.
I can 'touch knit' like some people can 'touch type'. I've been knitting for well over 45 years, so most of it is muscle memory. Same with crochet and more recently - Tunisian crochet. I can glance down to check where I'm at, and to do the occasional weird stitch and look away before the dreaded wobble sets in.
There are a few other things that help me - that may help others too:
Contrasting needles: I have black needles (Knitpro carbon fibre - pictured above) and compressed wood (knitpro symfonie) for lighter coloured yarns, and different coloured needles for darker yarn - interchanging according to the colour I'm using and the pain level in my hands. (Yes, I have LOTS of needles and hooks!)
Memorising patterns: I like repetitive pattern repeats I can get stuck in my head, reducing the need to keep referring back to a pattern. Three sets of pattern repeats into the project, and I've usually got it. But if I can't memorise....
Enlarge the pattern on the tablet: On holiday, another regular there knows me as the lady who knits from a tablet. Apparently it's unusual...!
Because the format of most PDF patterns are in three columns, it's possible to zoom in to the bit you want to get the text size very large (and I have a large tablet)
If you can get patterns in a kindle book - even better.
Here's one I'm viewing using the xodo app on an android tablet.
Free standing magnifier: I currently have the sort you hang round your neck, with a stand that sits on your chest - positioned just right to magnify what your hands are doing. It's *ok*, but I will be investing in a floor standing one when I can afford it.
New glasses: finally, an optician has managed to sort my prescription so it cuts down on the amount of double vision I have (I still have it more in the morning and evening, but it makes daytime bearable). If you have glasses for close work - always wear them.
I know when to stop! If your eyes are blurring and hurting, you know it's time to put the knitting down and walk away.
My disability also means I have painful hands much of the time, so knitting and crocheting are physio for me. You don't have to put any pressure on the needles in the same way you have to apply pressure to cut vegetables, so it's very different.
Knitting is also proven to be good for your mental health - even if it hurts - so even more reason to keep going!
There's lots of advice out there on how to knit or crochet when your hands are dodgy, but I find the following is helpful:
Do warm up exercises before you start: Nothing strenuous - just gentle movement of all your joints in hands and wrists.
Use an arm support: I have a small cushion I can put under my forearms to reduce strain on my elbows and shoulders.
Stretch and move regularly, and use a supportive chair: Speaks for itself, but stopping and moving regularly can stop the stiffness setting in, and therefore reduce the dreaded pain. Make it an excuse for a cuppa (Or even a glass of wine!). A rocking chair is good to keep moving - but my favourite knitting place is my hanging egg chair in the garden.
Find needles that suit your hands: Some find Bamboo the best....but I don't. They tighten my tension meaning the stitches don't slide easily up and down the needles or hooks. For knitting, I prefer the carbon fibre needles, although the tips are quite sharp and prone to splitting the yarn. For fluffy wool, or when my hands are particularly painful the compressed wood style such as knitpro symfonie are more comfortable and less likely to split wool.
For small projects, I like children's size addi needles - light, easy to manoeuvre....and also fit into your handbag (Avid knitters will relate to that 😂)
For crochet hooks - it depends on the project. I have ergonomic handled hooks - great for Amigurumi toys. Cushion handled hooks for big projects. But my favourites are the knit pro symfonie for everyday small/medium projects, but they are prone to split fancy yarns.
Happy knitting! (or crocheting....or tunisian crocheting...)