learning Continental

[paperflowers]

I'm a thrower trying to learn continental. Which fingers should I be using to hold the left needle? I started cheating and holding it under my arm .

[Knit Happens]

hold the left needle like you would hold a piece of crochet that you are working on, and hold the yarn in your left hand as if you were crocheting also. Continental is much like crocheting. See how that works for you. Hugs, Donna

[RunningMommy]

I'm a thrower as well and taught myself continental this week for the sole purpose of doing fair isle (holding one color continental and the other english style)

 

Anyway, I had a really hard time holding the yarn taught with my left hand while holding the needle. I realized that I was trying to hold the needle with all of my fingers but in order to keep the tension on the yarn I had to hold the needle with my thumb and first 3 fingers only. As soon as I did that, my pinky was free to control the tension and it became much easier.

 

I don't know if that makes any sense but I hope it helps

[sarasara]

I agree with Donna's suggestion. I'm a thrower and couldn't figure out Continental knitting until I learned to crochet. Then, it suddenly made sense! If you pretend you're crocheting, it becomes easier and you'll catch on fast.

[snugsmontreal]

im a thrower and even though im an avid crocheter i still couldnt get the continental right, for some reason i always twist the knit stitches and i am so much faster with my throwing anyhow i gave up on it

[lisalu]

I agree that Continental knitting is very much like crocheting. I hold the right needle just like I hold my crochet hook (knife hold).

 

In my left hand I hold the needle just like I would hold a piece of crocheting I am working on. I hold it with my thumb and last three fingers. My index finger holds the yarn out where I can "scoop" it. I also hold the yarn exactly as if I were crocheting - wrapped around my pinky, under the middle two fingers and over the index finger.

 

The motions of making a knit stitch are nearly identical to the motions of making chain stitches in crochet....you are pulling "loop through loop". The main difference is that you are working those stitches across a needle rather than down a chain. And you don't have a hook to grab the yarn to pull it through, you have to get used to grabbing it with your needle and scooping it through. Once you get the hang of that it is EASY!

 

knittinghelp.com has a short video showing how to knit Continental which is very clear and helpful. Good luck and happy knitting!

[paperflowers]

I can crochet great, but when I knit the left needle tends to fall out of my hand. It got a lot worse when I tried continental, hence the armpit method. I've actually gotten a lot faster doing it this way.

 

The lady in the videos uses her left pointer finger to hold up the supply yarn and her middle finger to interact with it. I need to see if I can do it that way.

[lisalu]

I know it feels really awkward when you are trying to learn a new method of doing something. It is kind of like trying to write with your left hand (if you are right handed). But if you can crochet, you can knit Continental. It just takes practice like anything else new. You are going to have to just do it - over and over - until it begins to feel natural. You can certainly hold the needle anyway you want, under your arm or with your foot or whatever! But it will probably be more efficient in the long run if you practice until you can hold it in your left hand just like you would hold your piece of work while you are crocheting.

[Knit Happens]

what I can add is...practice practice practice. I know it can get boring, but it really helps.