Knitting - English, Continental or both?

**Luckybustert** · 12-19-2009, 08:50 PM

I promised myself I was going to improve my knitting skills in 2010. I got a DVD with step-by-steps to brush up on the basics, and I signed up for a class to learn how to knit the fingerless mittens at a local yarn shop. I skimmed through the DVD last night and noticed it demonstrates both the English and Continental styles of knitting.

The lessons I've had so far were Continental, but I'm not all that good at it and everyone I've met at the yarn shop I go to knits English style and kind of turns up their nose at Continental...which seems weird to me because I've heard Continental is more efficient. What do you knitters think? What is your preferred style and why? Do any of you do both and, if so, which would you pick if you had to stick with just one? Do you find that you actively use both, or alternate between styles, while knitting? Curious minds (mine) want to know!

**Lady_V** · 12-19-2009, 09:11 PM

I do a sort of modified English. I keep the yarn on the right, but I don't 'toss' it, I take the yarn on as in Continental

**mauimagic** · 12-19-2009, 09:22 PM

Great question - I knit the English style because that's what I learned a million years ago. Cannot understand why there would be an attitude towards one style or another - but please let us know what you find out!!

**Missy** · 12-19-2009, 09:40 PM

I thought I was knitting continental, but after sitting in with a few ladies at a knitting group, i found out I dont' do either. i guess when i was learning, I just kinda took some of each and a little of neither and I ended up knitting somehow. I let go of the yarn in between stitches, hold it all wrong, but somehow...it works.

**hotprincesscm** · 12-19-2009, 09:50 PM

I just learned how to knit last weekend. I sorta taught myself. I got a bunch of books out of the library(from the children's section, LOL) and didn't understand them at all even with the pictures. So I went onto you tube and watched a couple videos. All I know it that I can do one stitch, and I think it's a "knit stitch" Whether it falls under English or Continental I have no idea. I'm sure I look ridiculously uncoordinated doing it, but I have knitted and entire little square in a weeks time and now am working on my second. I'm very interested in learned different styles! I'm taking a knitting class starting in January and hope to learn a little more! How can you tell if your doing one style over the other???

**Lady_V** · 12-19-2009, 10:04 PM

**McD** · 12-19-2009, 10:14 PM

I do the English style.

**hotprincesscm** · 12-19-2009, 10:42 PM

I think I do the English as well.

**mauimagic** · 12-20-2009, 12:57 AM

Mahalo for posting those videos - I had forgotten how to do the continental style. Interesting how she doesn't talk about tension when showing the English style - it's equally important to both styles. Still think it doesn't matter - whatever works for you

**pat in east texas** · 12-20-2009, 11:40 AM

When I'm doing long rows of knit stitch,I do Continental. It's definitely faster. If it's combined knit-purl stitches, or plain purling I do English. I just have not gotten the hang of purling Continental. I almost took lessons from a yarn-shop owner, but when she said very seriously that I would learn to purl Continental, and "you will LIKE it", she scared me out of it

**YankeeMom** · 12-20-2009, 05:46 PM

I thought myself exactly how the second video shows "picking". I am fastest that way. Later, after a few years of knitting, I did teach myself continental (super fast for purling!). I'm still faster picking. I find it difficult to make myself get faster at continental just because I know that picking already works for me

When I do knit continental, I knit just like the second video does continental.

**Shelli_wnj** · 01-12-2010, 06:21 PM

I knit English (that's "throwing", right?) because that's how the books showed it!

I desperately want to learn continental, however I am so slow when I try, I always go back to english. I think most people who are coordinated at continental knit faster, at least from what I have seen. But if you can knit, you can knit, right?!

**sunshine** · 01-12-2010, 07:34 PM

I'm a lefty, that was taught to knit the English way - RIGHT HANDED. . . too hard for me to retrain my poor brain again to learn the continental - although I've tried a few times.

**miss_thrifty** · 01-12-2010, 08:40 PM

IVE tried continental and cant seem to get it. i think thats whay im dont do socks and mittens lol I tried doing them years ago.
i do the other way of knititng where the yearn is always in my right hand.

**ohwhataday03** · 01-24-2010, 01:27 PM

I just started knitting continental last night and I like it better. I think I go faster that way. No one said that you have to do it on way. I know a woman that knits sock inside out and the design are the way they would be if it was done right-side out! It's up to you how you knit, I crocheted before knitting so maybe its why it better for me.