wondering about continental knitting

[crochetingnetta12208]

ok i have tried continental and i'm wondering how many knit that way that are americans. I have friends and not a lot of them do it that way. It is so easy for me and faster. I"m just afraid of losing stitches and I hope i dont. I was just wondering this question.

[Creations248]

Actually, I know a lot of people who knit this way. I don't - but a lot of my friends do.

[alibra]

I understand that a lot of lefties use continental knitting, I am a lefty but knit in the conventional method. People tell me continental is a faster method, and I think a lot of Americans use it.

[smokeyp81]

I knit that way, and I'm a lefty. Years ago, my Mother tried to teach me "American" and I couldn't get it, so on to crocheting I went. After my Mom passed away I took all her knitting supplies determined to learn to knit. I took a class and the teacher taught continental, I find it to be very easy.....you hold your yarn in your right hand just like crocheting.

[Amy]

I'm also a lefty and knit continental. But I deliberately chose to learn to knit continental, versus the other way, because of all I'd read that it's faster that way!

[Crocus58]

I knit continental, I learned from my Danish greatgrandmother, but I hold my yarn in my left hand - I've watched people knit in the "American" style (my aunt knits this way) but just "don't get it", continental seems so much faster, I don't even have to look at what I'm doing - just like crochet

[classic crochet]

I guess I'm the oddball I knit combination.

[DesertCrocheter]

Yup, I knit continental, too. It looks painful to throw the yarn from your right hand. Even thought I'm right handed, I can't get the right hand to work that way when knitting!

 

Classic crohcet, I knit combination as well, which is different than continental. Continental just refers to whether you hold the yarn in your right hand or left hand. Which do you do? Our combination style actually makes the stitches differently, so is a whole 'nother animal from continental vs English style.

 

I spent the summer teaching myself to knit the English way (still continental, though) because knitting in the round is more complicated when knitting combined, and I had to undo a tank that came out all screwy and slanted when knit in the round combination style. I don't like ti though; it doesn't feel natural. But I'm so dang proud I finally mastered it (even if it did take a long time).

 

Patty

[classic crochet]

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Patty. I've always thought it was the way you knit! I hold the yarn in my left hand.

[DesertCrocheter]

You be continental, baby!

 

My friend wanted to take a continental class at our LYS, and they wouldn't let her take it because they said it was for advanced knitters. I burst out laughing when she told me, and said, "See? I don't knit backwards, I knit advanced." I mean really, advanced to learn to hold the yarn in your other hand?

 

Hmmm, wait, I can't figure out how to hold the yarn in my right hand. Maybe advanced is right!

 

Patty

 

BTW, we are NOT oddball just because we knit combined. We just get to the same end differently, that's all.

[Crocus58]

Continental just refers to whether you hold the yarn in your right hand or left hand.

 

Now I thought Continental was "picking" and American was "throwing". I'd never heard that it was the hand you held the yarn in . . . .

[goodie2shoes]

I have learned a lot from U-tube videos

I think the most obvious difference is the hand you hold and move the yarn in but which way you wrap the yarn makes a difference too. As far as pickers etc. not sure what that is I have even heard someones knitting method called Lever Action, but what ever they call it it is a variation of a few main types.

Here Continental

 

Here the videos at knitting help show many different varieties

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knit-stitch

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/purl-stitch

 

There are as many as there are flower varieties watch the different videos with some yarn

and needles and try and see what feels good.

It really doesn't matter what it is called, just find a method that is comfortable for you

I taught myself continental because I hold and tension the yarn just like I do when

I crochet so that seemed normal to me. But I use a Norwegian Purl stitch when I am ribbing

I purl normal when I have a whole row of purl stitches. Try different stuff ........Oh when bored

I purl with my left thumb.

[Karen C.]

I use the throw/English method of knitting. I have heard that the continental method is more natural for crocheter's because the yarn is held in the left hand, but it feels awkward to me. I would love to learn to knit that way just haven't invested in the time.

[beccanae]

I just started learning to knit and tried both ways and found the continental much easier. I think it is because I learned to crochet first so I am used to having the yarn in my left hand.

[Kelle]

When I finally succeeded in teaching myself to knit a few years ago, it was because I had seen a video showing continental style, and suddenly everything made sense! I was similar enough to crochet for me, that I understood how to actually do the motions and make the fabrics I wanted. I'm glad I finally learned as I just couldn't get it to work trying the "throwing" method.

 

Cheers!

 

~k

[crochetingnetta12208]

well now I cant go back to english method. I know how to do it but my mind is telling me continental method. I like it. I guess I am trying to get comfortable with the english method but continental is comfortable for me. So continental it is.

[DesertCrocheter]

Now I thought Continental was "picking" and American was "throwing". I'd never heard that it was the hand you held the yarn in . . . .

 

Nope. English/American style is to throw the yarn and make the stitches by picking, right or left hand; doesn't matter. Combination scoops the yarn. The knittinghelp videos are excellent at showing the difference, as are the animated line drawings on Annie Modesitt's website. We combination knitters have our knit and purl stitches sitting two different ways on the needle, which is no big deal if you know that when working in the round, or need to deliberately twist a stitch for a pattern. Otherwise my stockinette looks like your stockinette, and my purls even a little tighter (Annie has a good explanation of why this so on her website).

 

How do I know this? Because I got tired of my friend telling me I knit 'backward' and 'weird' and 'wrong', so I went online, did resrearch, bought some books, and proved to her my way was just an alternate way, not wrong. She was so disappointed to learn she knits like everyone else, just Continental. She'd gotten a swollen head thinking she was all unusual and exotic because she holds the yarn in her left hand.

 

There is, however, a ravelry thread where people complain that English style has become known as American, when it should be called English (!).

 

I just keep my head low, read books, and knit or crochet. I'm actually enjoying learning this technical stuff, techno-research geek that I am, and understanding why and how stitches were formed differently, what that means for my pattern, and all that other geeky stuff. Norwegian style? I'd love to learn it, whatever it is. Any other style you can throw at me, I'm there.

 

Like they always say, as long as what you knit turns out the way you want it to, who cares how you got there?

 

Patty

[goodie2shoes]

Norwegian style? I'd love to learn it, whatever it is. Any other style you can throw at me, I'm there.

 

Like they always say, as long as what you knit turns out the way you want it to, who cares how you got there?

 

Yep I'm with you... I love learning other ways and then try all sorts of things and if they fit I use 'em if not I figure it increases my knitting knowledge so it's all good

I heard about Norwegian purling on Ravelry was curious and investigated, it appealed to me because the yarn was held in back just like a knit stitch so to change from knit stitch to a purl stitch and back and forth the yarn didn't have to be moved front to back . For me, I can't beat it for ribbing!

On this page next to the last video is Norwegian. Hmmmmmmm on the same page is a method for "knitting back" hmmmmmmm I might try that and see what it feels like,

 

I am self taught on purpose, I didn't want someone telling me I was doing it wrong, or that there was only one way to do it.

[lisalu]

Okay, FINALLY I got it. I never did get the distinction between Continental, Western, English, Combination, picking, scooping, etc. etc. etc. These videos show what they call "Continental knitting and purling WESTERN style" and "Continental knitting and purling COMBINATION style". The knit stitch looks exactly the same to me - except that you are working in the back loop in the combination style. I gather this is because you work the purl stitch in a way that twists the stitches so they have to be untwisted by working in the back loop. Okay, I got that. The way I knit is the Continental Western style exactly as they show it in these videos so now I know! (The so-called "English" method where you hold the yarn in your right hand and make an additional movement to "throw" it over the needle is not shown here.)

 

http://www.grumperina.com/videos.htm

[Knit Happens]

I knit both ways, and also combination. I like combination for ribbing and the first and last stitches in a row if I'm looking to be extra "neat". I learned first english; then combination, believe it or not because a co-worker knitted that way and called it continental...then continental. I've never told her that her continental is combined...but she still wonders why if she sees me knitting I'm doing it the english style. The problem with combination is when you're working a pattern sometimes the stitches won't work out correctly because of the way combination twists. I have yet to look for the "fix" for that, tho I'm sure it does exist. English is also the first method I teach because it is easier for the student, in my experience. If they are subsequently interested in continental or combined, then we go there. It's a great idea to at least know both continental and english if your hands get fatigued.

[DesertCrocheter]

The problem with combination is when you're working a pattern sometimes the stitches won't work out correctly because of the way combination twists. I have yet to look for the "fix" for that, tho I'm sure it does exist. .

 

In most cases, I think you can just untwist before you knot or purl that stitch, can't you? I haven't had any problem to date except when using circulars. It does mean you have to understand the stitches, what they're doing, what they're going to do in the pattern, and you can't just knit without thinking. Which is why I'm such a slow knitter.

 

Annie has some substitutions on her website (like ssk for k2tog, when knitting combined). Or, my preferred lazy method: I just decide not to make that item if the substitution is too tricky or hard to keep track of! Patty

[DesertCrocheter]

Okay, FINALLY I got it. I never did get the distinction between Continental, Western, English, Combination, picking, scooping, etc. etc. etc.

 

You're not the only one, Lisa, so don't feel bad. Most people don't need to know the difference. It's only we who knit differently (or are techno-geeks that just like to know weird things) that need to know and understand to decipher patterns, all of which are written for English/American style knitting.

 

One of the reasons I hate charts is that I have to sit and write in pencil on the pattern 'ssk' for 'k2tog,' for example, otherwise I'll start zooming along making my ssk's, and will unconsciously start to knit 2 together and then all of a sudden, my slant is going the wrong way partway through the item. And I'm terrible at tinking (my new knit-speak word) and frogging knitting, so I hate it.

 

Patty

[poemfish]

I knit continental style. That is the way they do it in Germany and that is where I am from. :D

[Lady_of_Roses]

I'm learning how to do continental. I can knit just fine for the most part, but I'm really slow at doing the purl. (I do regular continental knit, and continental pic for the purls). It's ok though because I knit English style (off and on) for so many years, I figure it's only right that it's going to take me some time and practice to get the continental down.

[Knit Happens]

....just wait until you want to try fair isle and think about do it "the two handed" method!!!! Joy. lol