the blue blog archives: by george, I think she's got it

Wow, this continental knitting is really cool! It's starting to feel like actual knitting and not like some strange and frustrating hand exercise. I'm not getting quite the same speed as I have with my right hand yet, but that's mostly because I haven't quite worked out how to let the yarn slide over my fingers from the skein. Either I pull too much and the yarn just falls off my index finger or too little and I end up with insanely tight stitches. But hey, I've only been a continental knitter for two days here!

So, once I get the hang of this, will I ever want to go back? I'll have to go back to complete the projects that were already in progress. But after that, I'm not sure. What have your experiences been with learning a new technique like this? At the Knit Out, Kaffe Fassett said that Elizabeth Zimmerman once told him to buy some circular needles and it would change his life. He said, "I did and it did." Has anyone found learning continental knitting to be a revelation like this, sort of opening a door and making many other things possible? Or is it the case that you can't teach an old knitter new tricks?

posted by alison at 3:20 pm | in techniques

Comments

Aloha, Alison:

I taught myself Continental knitting on circulars after knitting as a right-handed thrower for 40+ years. I like having both techniques available. I must admit, however, that unless I have a very good reason I prefer to knit the way I learned. I find it less stressful on my arms and hands since I tuck the right-hand needle under my right arm. It seems to take a lot of the weight off the rest of my arms.

Posted by: Darilyn at October 18, 2002 3:38 PM

Oh yes ! I love learning new ''tricks'' - twang the old brain cells !
I'm knitting my 2nd pair of socks on 2 circular needles. This time 2x socks on 2 circs. So much fun.
Knitting continental IS faster ,and labour intensive.
My ''revelation'' was an Elizabeth Zimmerman moment. Now I convert most things in the round... who really ''likes'' sewing up seams ?
Also ,how empowering it is to BELIEVE that you can knit anything in any size ,in any yarn. I loved becoming a thinking knitter.

Posted by: Emma at October 18, 2002 4:36 PM

You inspire me to try continental knitting. I have a small ability to do it when I'm working fairile but I've never tried to do a whole project that way. Purling continental has always bugged me. Did you have much problem learning that? My friend Joanne is always ranting at me about how much more efficient continental knitting is. I just hate to give in and admit it. Maybe I'll just be a closet continental knitter.

Posted by: Larry at October 19, 2002 10:22 AM

As I am European I can only do it the continental way. When my mom tyught me first, I always had problems with the proper tension, but then someone showed me to let the yarn go from outside btw the pinky and the ringfinger. That helps to control the tension. Depending on the wool one wrap around the index finger is than enough. I admit that purling is a problem, because often the purled stiches are knitted looser, which shows in the finished garmet. I have developed a funny way to tight the purled stiches after each one is knitted by just lifting the index finger.
So keep going, you will make it!!

Posted by: karin at October 20, 2002 4:35 AM

I did try continental knitting for a while, but switched back to my regular throw with the right hand deal, because I noticed that my purl stitches were looser than my knit stitches when using the continental method. I don't find a difference in efficiency between the two, because I'm ambidextrous so I use both hands equally anyway. Also, I use circs - and only circs - and that keeps my knitting fast and even. Some people actually ask me if I "knit with the machine" because my stitches are so even. I definitely recommend using circular needles, even when knitting flat.

Posted by: Becky at October 20, 2002 10:08 AM