Left and Right Twists - Continental Style

[Cindy]

Does ANYONE know how to do a left and/or right twist using the continental method? I need to drop both stitches off after the stitches are done, and so far it unravels, which means I'm not doing it correctly. I find it very difficult to do these stitches using the contniental method, and I do not know how to knit the English way - never have - never will! HELP!
cgp1280@yahoo.com

[salsa]

Hi Cindy,

I knit continental style and I think I understand what you are asking... A couple of weeks ago I was trying to work out how to do this cute "woven-look" stitch which sounds kind of like what you are describing.

In this stitch, you had to knit the second stitch on the left needle WITHOUT slipping it off, then knit the first stitch, and THEN slip both the stitches off together. This is effectively a "left twist" which causes the stitch to look "criss-crossed" (I think you can use this method to do cabling without using a cable needle in order to make the cable "twist").

The trick is that when you knit the first stitch (which is the second stitch on your left needle), you have to knit it from the back. Amy has a great video on this site on how to do this:

http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/videos/k1tbl.avi

It's called "knitting through the back of the loop"

For cables you can knit multiple stitches together through the back of the loop.

Sorry if I am misunderstanding your question and describing something entirely different!

[Cindy]

Thank you for you reply. However, if you have ever tried to to this stitch (Left Twist) using the continental method, you will find it very difficult to PURL through the back of the second stitch and then knit the first stitch. My problem is - where do you put the yarn for the purl stitch (in front or in back of the needle), and in which direction do you insert the needle to do this purl stitch (towards left or right)? It is VERY diffcult and takes way too long to accomplish for one lousy stitch. I end up having to use a crochet hook just to pull the yarn through that loop. Would the same effect be accomplished by doing a cable stitch, putting the first stitch on a cable needle (behind or in front of work?), purling the second stitch from the front (not back) and then moving the 1st stitch back on the left needle and knitting it? For me this might be easier than the finger gymnastics required to do this left twist using the continental method. I know how to do a knit in back of a stitch. It's the purling in back of the 2nd stitch that is comlicating things. Recommendations? THANKS!

[salsa]

Hi again Cindy,

Can you post the instructions for the stitch that you are doing?

Edit:

I just did a quick google search. According to:

http://www.knitting-crochet.com/terms.html

there are various ways to do left twist and right twist

Left Twist:
1.Skip 1 st and purl the 2nd St through back loop, then knit the skipped St, then Sl both sts from needle together :

2.Skip 1 St and knit into the back of second St, then-knit the skipped St, then Sl both sts from needle together. (This is the one I was thinking of)

3.Skip 1 St and knit the second St in'back loop,, then slip the skipped St purlwise onto right-hand needle, then slip the knit St.


Right Twist:
1.Skip 1 st and knit the 2nd st, then purl the skipped st, then sl both sts from needle together.

2.Skip 1 st and knit into the front of second st, then knit the skipped st, then sl both sts from needle together. (This would seem to be easiest with the continental method)...