this video is well explained and demonstrated. It shows you everything you need to know to get started knitting. I found the beginning too long and wordy, I just wanted to get on with it, but after that it got quite good.
I understand this tutorial might not be for everyone, however, some of the comments below are quite harsh which I don't understand. If one does not like the tutorial, why not just skip it and find a different one?
I was not able to do the purl stitch but you got me to it! Thanks so much!!! I'm a first time knitter and I'm very slow at it but I'm taking my time and enjoying it.
Best teacher ever! I don't care if some people think you talk too much, because for someone who is starting to learn, this kind of teaching is very appreciated. I am very thankful I found your pages.
I have been knitting continental size for about 12 years. I taught myself how to knit from a book from the 20's my grandmother had and thats how women all knitted back then.
Thank you so much for posting this video on how to do continental style knitting. I was only taught the English style. I wanted to learn to do another style for when my hands get tired. I watched about 10 different videos before finding yours. It was the best one to help me understand how to hold the yarn and move the needle. I saved it to come back to and follow along in the future. Thank you.
Hello, dear, thanks to your video and to your great explaining l understood! l'm a knitter since 39 years (only in the round or with a loom) but there've been so many people l grew up (1 year children's home and at hospital for another 3 years and then many others) and they all showed me their ways to do when l begged long enough;) ). But it never was comfortable to me. So for a long time l gave up... My stitches have always been as you do but my purls have been as awful as you may think in nightmares and it hurts, always and ever!!! I never understood how to wrap my yarn over my index finger and how to put it down while purling. But l knew somehow this would be my way,too! Now with your video in my mind l purl easily and l'm happy and l can smile while doing! l do it fine and as if l never would have made it different to now! Thanks to you! God may bless you! Please excuse me, my English isn't as well as l want it to be. l hope you understand what l want to say. Thanks! Thank YOU!
So after watching this video, I was able to follow the knitting portion just fine. But had a really hard time grasping the purl stitch. I made an adjustment to the way I wrapped the yarn and haven't had any more problems. Thank you for stating that you have a preferred method, which gave me the courage to obtain my own preferred method. The general information was very beneficial. Thank you.
While the video is a bit chatty..I don't care...I've taken the time to find a video which shows this style of knitting and this video worked for me. Thanks for your efforts and sharing your talents!
Best purl method EVER! Thank you so much. I had started knitting after several English method attempts. I always gave up and returned to crochet. Then I kept hearing about continental style so have been trying it out. I handled the knit stitch fine, but couldn't get the purl until I watched your method. Dropping the index finger makes so much sense. I'd watch other vids and they just confused me, one even said some people's fingers just don't want to do this, GAH! That did not help. So once I saw your purl method and tried it I'm purling up a storm, lol. Thanks again for this vid.
There are so many different ways of achieving good results. This is good. If it isn't good for you, keep searching, don't give up. You'll get there. Thank you.
I am a left handed crocheter who is trying to take up knitting... and after several days and many videos later THIS is the BEST method for me! I loved your tutorial it was extremely helpful! I did have to use the long tail cast on. I find that method much easier, since I'm new to knitting. Thanks again for this wonderful tutorial! I knitted my first scarf and it looks great!
Wow, your method really helped me GET IT. You hold the yarn in your left hand the same way I always have when I crochet, and now I'm knitting smoothly. I'm practicing away and it looks better each row. THANKS!!!
I think you did a great job explaining the stitch you were also so patient in your explanation. I read quite a few very positive remarks about your teaching below. Please forget the negative remarks, you have helped me so much. Thanks once again.
The best tutorial I've seen yet!!! Thank you so much. I am developing arthritis in my right hand and it hurts to throw my yarn with it. I think this will be a life saver!!!
This is explained in such a straight forward way, it is just what I was looking for, I am an English style knitter, but needed to do continental for a fair isle item and this video will help me so much. Thank you
Thank you so much!!! I've been crocheting for years and have always wanted to learn to knit but always felt too intimidated! Thanks to you I have actually learned to knit in the span of one afternoon!!!!! I'm soooo happy!!!! :)
This is excellent! I have tried an inch per stitch as recommended in a sock book I have and found that there was way too much waste at the end. I love the two skein method you showed. You have a new fan!
I like the continental method, because I started to learn English and wrapping the yarn with my left hand would confuse me. What I found confusing was whether I had the yarn in the front for purl or in the back for knit. Continental just looks so much easier. Now I will practice the continental. I always crochet in the past. Thanks for the lesson!
Thank you for this tutorial, I am a beginner knitter and apparently a continental knitter but not left handed just how I learned I guess. I have subscribed so I can learn more and eventually make socks😁😁💜
Wow! this is great! Thumbs up from me! Saving this to show my elderly aunt... who's learning to knit. We're both experienced crochet'ers and this technique is easier to follow than the English technique.
My mom learned from her swiss grandma how to knit and she knit continental. Then my mom taught me this way. We never knew it was different until we joined a knitting group. Also I just recently started to crochet and the transition was pretty easy because I'm used to having the yarn over my left index finger.
I have been having trouble figuring out/seeing how I’ve been making all KINDs of mistakes, and your video and this style have actually helped me understand and SEE what I have been doing wrong in the past. I still have yet to learn HOW to correct my mistakes, but now I’m finally moving forward! Thank you for your patience in making this helpful, clear video. It's all about the practice now. 😊
Wow! This is the best tutorial ever on this subject. I've been knitting English for 10 years and, kept saying: "Someday, I'll learn Continental. You have inspired me to begin the process. Your advice at the beginning is great as well... about using a good yarn vs. acrylic... and, the needle sizes for beginners. I'm using DB's Cashmerino, size 7 bamboo needles. Working like a charm, well... except for the cast on. LOL, But, all the rest are even... looking good. When I can do the ribbing as well as you... I know "I will have arrived." I teach knitting at Joann;s and I'm appalled that "the company" tells new knitters to begin with size 10 or 13 size needles, even for youngsters... and they advice worsted weight for adults AND bulky/chunky for kids, acrylic of course!! Whoever makes this decision at the Corporate level is definitely NOT a knitter I take extra needles and yarns of better quality (my leftovers), and I teach those with smaller hands to knit with smaller sized needle, such as size 7 or 8 dpns (youngsters and adults with small hands. Before the lesson is over, we switch to the larger needles and the company's yarn of choice. Thanks so much for this easy to understand and execute tutorial. I promise to practice and get as proficient as you. Thelma
38SThelma Cota So glad you enjoyed the video and it has encouraged you to try a different style of knitting. DB Cashmerino is a great yarn to practice with, I wouldn't want to put that yarn down. LOL!
THANK YOU!! So much for going on to the second row. I actually needed to watch some other videos to understand the stitches better, but this video was the prefect one to come back to so I could see cast on, first row, and second row in continental. I could have assumed but I really wanted someone to tell/show me what to do once I had all my stiches on the right needle. Thanks again!
Thank you! I have been crocheting for a few years and always wanted to learn to knit. It was always so awkward for me. From crotchet, my hands already know how to tension the yarn with the left, my left thumb and middle fingers already know how to hold the work, my right pointer finger already knows how to keep tabs on the stitch... I am finally knitting! THANK YOU!!!
This is how my mother taught me to knit when I was about 10. Watching this brought back memories! I haven't knitted ever since because I prefer crochet. But I may go back to this. Thanks.
I have wanted to learn this method of knitting for many years ... I can do it ... basically ... but not very fast at it .... hoping doing this tut will help me get faster so I can do it on a regular basis. This is the BEST tut I have found online to date. Thank you.
Rebeckah Walsh The best thing I can suggest is to keep practicing. When I first started to learn this method of knitting I wasn't very fast at all, and it took a lot of focus, but as I continued to practice I got better and faster. What you should do is get a skein of yarn and just make a swatch, practice every day for 10-15 minutes and before you know it you will be faster. This is what I recommend for just about anything practice makes perfect.
This is the only way I can knit. Problem is the right pointer finger now has trigger finger or tendonitis due to overuse of my pointer finger. I can't knit any other way. I can't not use my index finger to pull it through.
Great tutorial for beginners! I learned to knit toe-up socks by watching your videos... and I can't thank you enough. I am now an addicted sock knitter.
As mentioned by others, I, too, crochet, so holding the yarn in my left hand is natural; therefore, the Continental approach to knitting is a far better fit than the English method. Like others, I've tried English and just couldn't get the hang of it. I especially like the continental cast-on method. The video is great! Thank you.
Thank you for the tutorial. I'm learning how to knit and was told continental is quicker if you can learn it. I know that it will just take practice before I can flow with it. It was done a little fast for me to watch, but I just adjusted the speed setting to slow it down and that helped me a lot.
I came to Continental knitting on my own as a leftie. I taught myself knitting from a book, when I abandoned crochet as too hard (I know, everybody says it is so much easier...NOT FOR ME!) and I just naturally wanted to use my left hand more than my right, so the control freak leftie is perfect for Continental knitting!
Very good demonstration. I developed RSI from English Knitting and learned Continental for relief. Pearl is a bit fiddly to learn but perfection comes with practice.
My only regret about this video is that it assumes that the new knitter wanted to learn English-style of knitting and watched the companion video first. I feel like this particular video cut corners and assumed that the viewer already knows the basic of English-style of knitting, but doesn't make it clear that watching the English-style beginner video is a requirement. Insisting that we're going over something "again" or that it's just like in the previous video is a bit of an assumption. Even though I'm trying to reinforce a friend's beginning Continental knitting lesson from Sunday, I'll likely have to go watch the other video just so I get actual beginning instruction for knitting from the cast-on. Otherwise, I appreciate even finding a video for (mostly) beginners that goes over Continental-style knitting, so thank you for making this!
I have severe rheumatoid arthritis. I am a beginner knitter. I need a technique that uses as little joint interaction as possible. This type of cast on might be easier on my hand joints. Watching the German style cast on made my thumbs hurt just watching it, lol. PLEASE help. Thanks for the demo.
Very good clear video, thank you. Trying to learn to knit with two strands of yarn, in two hands. So I had to learn continental in order to do that (I knit english). This was very clear video of how to do it. Thank you.
When you are casting on with continental it goes faster if instead of removing and reinserting the right needle each time you just move it behind the left needle and tighten the yarn.
I was watching Arne knit Norwegian style; similar, but the yarn is tensioned differently. Movements are minimal, and he is fast. Knitting is a school subject in Norway, for boys and girls. Arne and his buddy have a website, if you want to see it.
Thank you so much; it is very useful for me. In my opinion, the steps of them are quite similar to English method somehow this Continental style is a bit faster.
I taught myself to knit English style ( thanks to the internet) I don't throw I wrap, I've been dying to try continental it's hard to get my hands to work that way after doing it English!! will keep trying as like it's said practice practice practice . watching you knit almost sent me to sleep lol very relaxing. Thank you for doing a great video very helpful. xx
I knit left-handed continental style. I hold the yarn with my right hand and knit left to right. When I was a child I had three different people try to teach me right handed and fail. My great Aunt Alice taught me to knit left handed in about 30 minutes and I have been knitting ever since. Only right handed people try to say everyone should knit right handed.
I tried that method and I’m having a hard time to hold the wool , i also do crochet so I imagine that it should be almost the same way to hold the wool on the left hand. I guest I need to practice some more. Thank you for sharing your method and video
Not quite. The way you hold the wool in kitting versus crochet is fairly different. In crochet you tend to wrap the wool around your finger, in knitting this is unnecessary as the friction between the needles and the wool will maintain tension. If anything, in knitting you don't have enough hands to wrap it :)
This is the BEST tutorial that I have seen! You're a natural!!! I have knitted for a life time but am learning how to it continental. I have arthritis in my right hand... the pain in thumb and index fingers hurt big time. ( learning DPN sock knitting) Will knitting continental style help my poor hand?
Sandy Moyer yes. I used have terrible pain in my wrist if I knit for too long. So I made come changes. I wear a very heavy sterling cuff (63g) on the wrist that I have the most trouble with. It helps alleviate most of my pain secondly doing the continental method has ensured that I can knit much longer (for hours) without the pain I used to have. The sterling Promotes healing. The heavier weight absorbs your body heat and radiates it back into the joint. I been wearing the cuffs 24/7 for 7 years and it really make a world of difference.
Practicing to knit with both hands for color work and this is the first tutorial that made sense to me! I had to watch in slow motion but it finally clicked and my stitches look almost exactly like the English ones. I need some practice, but I’m starting to get it
Thank you ever so much! I am teaching myself to knit and always wanted to learn the Continental-Style, by watching your tutorials you have inspired me to pick up my needles and start knitting again. I also spin my own wool using a spinning wheel, do you have any Tutorial on Knitting with Homespun? Again I want to thank you for the tremendous help. Kia Ora.
liz hauraki I don't have a video talking specifically about using hand spun yarn, but I can tell you that it is so gratifying to knit with your own hand spun.
Hi, I really like the technique you use for Kniiting and Purling. I just started knitting with continental about 2 weeks ago, and I'm still trying to figure out the motion. But i'm going to try what you've demonstrated here.
It looks like you wrap the yarn around the needle differently with continental. Am I i.aginining that? I'm visually impaired and it's hard to see. Thanks.
I'm a Florida girl, so never learned to knit until several years ago (In my 60s) when some of my snowbird friends decided to teach me. They taught me to "throw", but when I explored on the internet, it looked like Continental made more sense - so I taught myself. But now I'm knitting a bias garter stitch square that does a kfb on the stitch before the last stitch in the row. The problem I'm having is that when I do that increase I wind up with an edge that has an opening along the edge - almost like a yarn over (altho' a yo would be larger I guess). I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong - Any ideas on what would cause that? I don't know if it has something to do with the way I continental stitch - altho' it seems to be almost exactly the way your tutorial shows. (And the sample of the square doesn't show any opening along the edge) Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you so much for this video. Your technique is easiest for me to do. I really needed that tip about the right hand applying added pressure to pull the loop through on the knit stitch. I'm having a hard time with the pearl stitch, do you have a tip for keeping pressure?
GettingNailed When I do my purl I hold my Left index finger down and try to hold tension with my middle finger on the stitch that is on the needle. Hope that helps.
GettingNailed It does take some practice to get the right tension on your finished stitches. As I have told others, just keep practicing and watching other continental knitters and you will find what works for you. I watched a lot of different people knit continental and it took me a long time to find a way the felt comfortable to me.
I have arthritis so holding my finger up like that starts to hurt almost immediately. I do continental but I pick right off of my finger. I don't leave a space. I find it faster and it doesn't hurt my hands. I also crochet holding my yarn the same way.
VERY GOOD! Thank you . May I suggest for a next video, to use a little more light as well as a contrasting yarn and needle. It is better for us to visualize what is going on. But again, I loved and Im subscribing.
This was very helpful - I already knit (slowly) using the English method but I have been wanting to learn continental and hopefully speed up my knitting a bit. Thank you for the very clear tutorial!
I learned how to knit continental first and eliminated that aggravation. I watch English style knitters and shake my head. So much movement and time wasted when continental is so much faster and easier. Plus, you save damange your rotator cuff in your shoulder!
As an expert crocheter, this was the easiest style of knitting to learn. I had tried several times over the past coule decades to learn knitting, but had someone teaching me English and it didn't stick. Two weeks ago, I tried again, and this time I got it!
Didn't know this! But it makes sense. I have a damaged shoulder from a car accident, and knitting too long (I knit English) hurts my shoulder, so I'll have to try continental!
Both ways have their benefits, pros and cons, it's good to know both and appreciate the differences. I knit continental even though I started off with English-style knitting. English-style can be fast if practised and done correctly, likewise, continental knitting can be slow if not used to and done incorrectly, well there are many ways, slight variations, but for me I hold the yarn close to the knitting so that my movements are smaller and the purl stitch would be easier to execute, it's fun, don't give up. :)
I was taught the English way by my mother and that’s the way I’ve knitted for years. When the continental style became popular I wanted to see what the fuss was about and watched tutorial after tutorial and after persevering for what seems like forever, I have concluded that the English way is by far quicker and much easier. For one thing the continental way is very confusing and more obscure if you’re trying to watch a tutorial and the teacher is doing continental, the stitches are not clear because the winding the yarn around the needle seems to obstruct the viewer from getting a clear view. No thanks I’ll stick to what I know and find easier. Each to their own. There is no right or wrong way just whatever is easier for you.
I learned to knit the main st.s yrs ago but recently learned to continental knit.I wouldn't suggest wool for those who r allergic to it. Ive tried but it's too much. lol
Jodi, did you know that you don't have to knit the first stitch? I always just slip the first stitch off onto my right needle and then knit/purl the rest of the row. Makes a nice edge. :)
Christina Bond Yes, you can do that. Sometimes doing that makes the edge of your knitting a bit neater, but my edges are usually pretty neat so I don't worry about it.
Christina, I do it the same way then just slip all the rest of the stitches onto the needle with a twist of my finger. Personally, while I find that the continental knit goes faster the stitches are looser than American style, which in the end, might translate into a bigger size.
I am so confused. I have been knitting for four years now, and I recently started teaching a friend of mine how to knit too. So I've been searching through youtube for beginner tutorials for her, but I couldn't find -any- video showing it exactly like I do it.. I do the casting on using the tail (the english version as you called it) - and then I do the knitting like you do in this video (continental). I always thought "my way" was the most normal one, haha. I could never understand how people can knit the other way, holding the yarn in the right hand (when you're right handed). It looks like it takes forever!
some videos show wrapping the yarn around the needle in a different direction - I knit the knit stitch as you show wrapping the yarn around the front of the needle instead of wrapping around the back - does it matter??? thanks!
Melissa I don't think it matters, but you would have to try the different ways and see if you like one better than the other. I feel like there is no wrong way to knit and if you like what you are producing then you are doing it right.
+Melissa In Continental knitting you can make 2 versions of knit and purl - through the front loop and through the back loop. What you see in this video is through the front loop. It makes a lighter knit, while through the back loop makes a denser knit.
when I first learned I was a "thrower". I really want to learn this method to help me speed up and make my projects look nicer. I havn't knitting in forever and im just picking it back up.. I can't seem to get a hang of the wrapping of the yarn around the hand. im right handed so any tips could be helpful :)
Jaylue R I think I show how I do it in the video, but I have to admit that I have changed several times as I continue to knit this way. My only suggestion is to practice and try different ways. You will find what works for you. And watch lots of people knit, even if they knit English style, you might find a way that will also work for Continental. I know use a similar wrap around my pinky finger and then around my first finger for both methods of knitting.
I just cant seem to get a hang of holding the needle in my left hand...if I could fig out how to hold the needle im sure I could fig out how to hold the string :/
Jaylue R It just takes practice. Whenever I am doing something new for the first time or until I get the hang of it I try a specific method for while and then if I just can't get it to work for me then I try something else, and I continue in this fashion until I find what works best for me.
