How to knit Continental style 

I’m turning 70 this year and have been knitting “English” for at least 55 years. Two days ago I watched this video and today I’m halfway done a 2x2 rib on a pair of mittens in the round continental! Thank you for a very clear well explained tutorial.

I was never allowed to do continental, because that's how the Germans would knit. It was a way to distinguish if a woman was on the right side or the wrong side. I know it's been 80 years since the war started and yet I still feel reluctant. I remember my grandmother hitting me awfully hard on the hand when knitting continental as a little girl. It seems so much faster, but also more complicated to where and how you put your needle in the stitch.

I never knew I did this until watching this. I moved from crochet to knitting and ig this just picked up with me

This was a great presentation on Continental knitting. Would love to see a purl tutorial video just like this with the same detailed instructions! Thanks so much.👍I'm new to knitting; this style is an easy transition if you crochet.

I've watched probably 10 videos trying to get this style down, but yours was the one that finally did the trick. The "roll back, roll forward" motion is what was missing. Once I started rolling the rest just clicked. Thank you!

Wow! That's fast! I don't know why I'm so reluctant to switch to continental. I feel so stubborn. I think it is because my tension is really even with English, I've been doing it since I was 6 years old, and I don't mind purling. I can't understand why some people dislike purling so much and can only guess it must be hard to do in continental style. But that's only a guess. This is a great tutorial and if I ever work up the courage, I'll rewatch this one to learn.

I just loved the toddler playing in the background. It means so much more that this beautiful project is going to keep someone warm :D

Jessica, until I watched your videos (several times 😊) I was unable to knit Continental Style with any kind of comfort or fluidness. Suddenly it made sense to me and I am knitting and purling away! Thank you so much!!

Thanks for this tutorial! I am teaching myself continental for my colorwork (to switch between w/ english). But, as an english style knitter, I have to say I disagree with you about continental knitters being able to knit for longer without their hands getting sore! I think this just goes for whatever your hands are most used to ;)

Thank you for this. It really helped me with a hat that I am knitting in stranded color work. Would you please demonstrate the purl stitch in continental in the round as in when doing a 2 x 2 rib for the brim of a hat.

Thank you so much for this very easy to follow video. I have also knitted for over 55 years and I picked this up in no time. Why didn’t I know about this years ago? I will be practising this on circular knitting needles today!

I was talking to a yarn shop owner today who suggested this style of knitting instead of the regular. I’ve been crocheting for years, and every time I’ve tried knitting, I just can’t get the hang of it. This does loom a lot easier since I already hold the yard as shown in the video. I’m definitely going to try this.

I have watched a couple of videos on how to do Continental style knitting yours is the best I have seen so I think I can seen so I will try again ! Thank you

Thank you so much. I was getting awful cramping in my left pinky, didn't realize that I was trying to grip the yarn but the second you said that it clicked into place!

Got It! That was fantastic teaching, thank you so much, now on to purling continental please!

I learned the Continental style right from the beginning (as a child from my grandmother), so it is my natural style of knitting. I find it also really fast and comfortable, and the English style appears to me quite complicated with the whole throwing and stuff. But I think it's mostly personal preference and what you are used to do, switching is surely not easy. I think you could have shown purling also, just to cover both the basic stitches. I am moving my index finger downwards when I purl, wonder if you do that as well.

Thank you for this video. You’ve shown clearly how simple it really is.I have knitted all my life but never been able to grasp continental style. No excuses now.

Thanks for the tutorial. I’ve been knitting English for 20 yrs but now I’m doing my first Fair Isle sweater and I want to carry MC with my left hand and CCs with my right to get better tension. Oy vey. This is harder than I thought but I’m going to knit the whole body Continental if it kills me and hopefully by the time I get to the yoke, I’ll be a pro.

Thank you!!!!! Can you demonstrate purling?

Will you be publishing more videos? Specifically how to do continental while purling and switching between knit and purling.

I absolutely loved your video! You made it VERY easy to follow, and I got the hang of it in a very short time…..thank you so much.

I have always been a "thrower", but due to arthritis and hand surgery, I am trying to learn Continental. It appears that you use the middle finger of your left hand when doing knit stitches. I am having a great deal of trouble with the tension and the rhythm. The yarn on my index finger seems to get longer as I work and therefore, the lefthand rocking motion doesn't work. Do you have any advice for me? Thank you!

Very interesting video. Can you show purling the Continental style?

This is the single best continental knitting tutorial I have ever watched!!!❤❤❤

As a Danish person this was how I learned to knit :) I did not know there was other ways :)

Thanks, I always called this German knitting as my Mom's best friend was German and she knitted like this so fast that one's eye could not follow each stitch and her tension was like a machine

How about purling using the continental style? Is it the same way ?

Great video...it looks like you may be pushing your stitches with your left middle finger?

Your knitting skill is so admirable. It may take so much time and attention for you to acquire this level of skill. Thank you for sharing.

Great tutorial! Thank you so much for this!! Would love to see purling as well. The only suggestion I have is if you could please use a lighter yarn as it's difficult to see with a dark yarn against a dark table. Maybe it was just me and my poor eyesight. Thank you.

Thank you SO much for showing this in such detail and in slow motion, multiple times so I could follow you without feeling lost and confuzzled!! I think this one video will finally have me knitting confidently after years of trying. Thank you thank you!!! (Definitely subscribing now, after watching one video! 😊)

Crocheters, you are already there. 😁

Thanks for showing it more slowly. It doesn't work for me unfortunately, but I have to use it sometimes when working with two colours.

Yaaaahhh deciding to learn while working a brioche project is not the right choice. Lol I’ll be back on the next project lol

I can do both ways. As an experienced knitter one way is no faster than the other. But I do prefer the overall look of my work done in thrown style, especially stockinette. It‘s just a personal preference.

It seems that no matter how I hold the yarn it gets very loose over my index finger, so I have to constantly adjust it. Any suggestions?

I initially learned American style, but never could get the hang of it, when I changed to continental it was so much easier. however, I don't understand how you move the yarn up on your left hand. I always have to push the needle down at the end of the stitch with the right hand. can you tell me how you raise you yarn continuously with your left hand. land you.

The sweater you are wearing: I love the cuffs! What pattern is that?

yay! soooo easy! thank you. is there a video of purl continental knitting?

This video was super helpful! Thanks so much!

Great tutorial and beautiful filming!!!

It looks like your left tall finger helps move the working stitch over to the right needle and your left thumb holds the left stitches back enough, then pushes the next stitch up to be worked . Is that right?

I've been knitting continental for years but I don't hold the left needle with my middle finger as the guide. I do realize it's a good way to guide the yarn into the stitch but I let the middle finger sort of hang down onto my garment. It's kind of hard to change a way of doing something but I just may try to change it to where I use the middle finger as a guide.

It is a goal of mine to learn this method. Thank you for sharing. Do you have a preference of metal needles vs bamboo?

I'm 72 yrs old and have actually decided to stick to the English style knitting... I learned when I was only about 8 or 10 yrs old. So after knitting for 60+ yrs using English style, I found it difficult to change to continental ... knitting...

I have so much trouble with my tension being too tight but the yarn just slips through my fingers too easily whitly trying to do continental. Looks like I'll have to try wrapping the yarn around more fingers maybe?

I knit continental the way I tension my yarn is wrap around once an uner my knuckles and I hook my yarn and wrap around the knitting needle and so on so forth I didn’t start knitting till after I was done camping with my family

Fantastic. Thank you very much

This was really helpful! Thank you!🧶

Does it matter which hand you use for this? Cuz I'm right handed and it's so hard to do this with my left hand lol

I don’t understand how you’re “picking up” the stitch. Mine immediately slides off again, yours looks like it’s almost glued to your needle! I just don’t get it 😭

Ok o can't knit stockinette if you don't teach me to purl as well 😂 I think you meant garter for knitting it all. Thanks for the good audio description though. So helpful for my vision loss

So helpful, thanks!

So I'll have no problem learning to knit this way as for me in my mind, I crochet the exact same way.

I live in England I have been knitting all my life. I NEVER hold the wool like you do. The wool is wrapped round the right hand kneedle with my right hand.

Great presentation. Recommend lighter color yarn against a lighter background for easier viewing.

So how to join circular needles when doing continental.

This may be an obscure question, is it possible to swap between knitting continental style and purpling english style within the same piece?

Im a crocheter that only knows basic knitting because i pursued crochet more than knitting, but i just realized this whole time the way i hold the knit that i thought its just something I improvise for easier knitting, I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS CONTINENTAL THE WHOLE TIME AND ITS ACTUALLY A TECHNIQUE😭😭 i just realized while watching this just now.

How about purling using the continental style?

I just can't keep it around the needle to pull it through

the needle/yarn motion seems very similar to crochet in this method

Before you said your 3 year old, I was thinking "oke cute, she must have a pet bird or something"

No wrapping around the pinkie needed! Just hold the yarn between fore- and middle fingers.

I learned continental as a child. I was curious about how you hold your yarn. Though you show everything, I think you should explain the direction of the yarn when you wrap around your pinkie finger. Is it wrapped clockwise or counterclickwise?

I tried to do this but my left hand muscles feels overworked.

Continental knitting is just a generic term for a knitting style where you hold your yarn in the hand that doesn't hold your working needle. Depending where you are from on the "Continent" there are variations. And lot of people develop their own personal ways to knit. There is no wright and wrong, as long as it works for you ( from a continental knitter )

So you’re actually snagging the yarn under your middle finger…

its not working

I wish it was thicker, lighter colored yarn. It’s hard to see.

Thanks... The toddler noise was too distracting for me though.

Instead of showing off maybe slow down and actually show how to do it.

Too fast

I cannot see what you're doing at all!! You need much more visual contrast between the colour of yarn and the background!! Much better lighting too...this video is so so so so so so dark!!