Knitting in Continental

#1

Yesterday I had a few extra children in the house. Because they are young they had to be supervised. So I decided to start on my son’s socks.

[Does any one think that a seven year old with 9 inch long feet normal? :lol: Its a good thing my husband is tall!]

Anyhow… I am so :woot: happy I decided to learn to knit Continental even though I was a very fast American style knitter!

Yesterday I knit 1 whole sock and got the second sock to the point where I was to start turning the heel!

That makes me one :happydance: :cheering: :happydance: :cheering: :happydance: knitter.

[Does anyone else have a sore finger tip when knitting continental though?]

#2

I’m a continental knitter, and I think I’m actually starting to get a callous on my right pointer finger-tip!! Luckily, I knit mainly with bamboo and my Denise set, so the tips never do any real damage. I don’t think I’d ever be able to knit with sharp needles like Options though…my finger would probably bleed all over my knitting! :rofl:

#3

Birdie,

How long did it take you to successfully “convert”? I tried about a month ago and just could not get the yarn to stay on my left pointer finger. It was very, very frustrating.

#4

Yeah, my mom is an American knitter and she taught me how to knit. She was also a new knitter and had never heard of Continental knitting. She was convinced I was knitting wrong I started knitting continental. I’m so glad I started that way, 'cos I’ve been knitting for less than a year and can knit very, very fast.

#5

Im a new knitter and I was shown how to knit english style and it just felt uncomfortable… then I found this site…and decided to go with continental…it seemed to come really easy…

But when I first did continental, I just wrapped the string around my pointer finger twice. I started to find that it did not flow well at all and I constantly had to replace the string on my finger. Then I decided to try Amys favorite way (hooking the yarn around your pinky then dropping it over your pointer finger) and Im finding that MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better…

…

I can still only purl combined though… I find getting the yarn the other way impossible

#6

Your holding your yarn tension to tight.OR try grabbing the yarn just below your finger.I have always knit Con.My grandma always knitted this way and I just remember how she held her yarn so when I started a year and a half ago I just started knitting her way.I don’t have my finger pulling the yarn down for purling,I grab it like I do for knit but just do it in front.It’s really hard to explain but have never seen anyone purl like this except for grandma.And boy this is FAST knitting

#7

That’s what I do as well. I would guess if you’re having to push on the needle to get the stitch out that you’re going a little tight with it… it should slide down easily. I have actually developed a small callouse on my middle finger of my right hand from knitting… it does get tougher :wink:

I hold my thread in my left hand like I crochet, over the pinky, under the 2 middle fingers then over my index finger… holding the needles themselves with my middle finger and thumb while maintaining tension with my index finger. If it’s a really lose stitch or one that wants to give me problems being too loose I will wrap it once around my pinky without holding it too tight, this seems to help as well. I can knit English, but I just prefer Continental… it’s hard for me to go back and forth from purl to knit and back when I am using English style and my arms and hands don’t get so sore using Continental… it is extremely fast though once you get the hang of it :heart:

#8

Hi Julie I just have to comment on your unique purl method. It sounds like the way my mother used to do it. I remember she would give the right needle a twist over the row and then pick up the thread and twist back. I figured this was too many steps and started to bring the yarn around to the back to purl. Am I close? Ellie

#9

It didn’t take me very long to covert. But I wasn’t happy with my tension. So I knitted some doll blankets for my daughter’s crib just to kind of get an even tension.

I noticed today that my sore finger (the middle one) isn’t sore because of the tip of the needle. Rather it is me pushing hard on the stitch on the left needle to prevent it slipping off before I am ready for that.

I am using box store dpns. And Phentex yarn. (nylon/rayon blend). I won’t knit something for my kids unless the yarn is fairly indestructible. I thought they would complain about the socks, as my DD already has hers, but both kids continually reach for my socks over store socks on any given day. Even if I think they are :roll:

I knit them slippers when I started from good wool, and within 2 weeks the kids had worn large holes in the slippers.

But I am having to grit my teeth on the squeeks!

#10

You have to watch this to see how I Con. knit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuRLFl36tDY But this is how I purl (do not PURL like video)
Wrap yarn around little finger,yarn UNDER ring finger and middle finger,Then yarn over pointer finger.Bring yarn forward to purl
(But yarn still rests on pointer finger).Put right needle through front of stitch.My working yarn is over top of right needle and over stitch to be purled.Reach up with right needle and grab yarn and pull needle down with the working yarn on it Take right thumb nail and hold working yarn on right needle as you pull yarn through stitch,lift up right needle and pull stitch off left needle That’s how I purl.
Hope this isn’t to confusing