Is Russian Knitting True Continental?

[MerigoldinWA]

I recently learned about a style of knitting called Russian Knitting. They hold the yarn in the left hand, but it also uses a purl that seats the stitches backwards so that the knitter must knit through the back loop. Would this really be called Continental Knitting in the sense that we usually think of it, and as Amy shows on all her videos? I know Russia is "on the continent", but is it really Continental Knitting?

It seems more like it would be classified as Combined Knitting. What think ye?

[suzeeq]

That could be Eastern uncrossed combination knitting. Annie Modesitt's site has pictures that show it.

[biztec]

That could be Eastern uncrossed combination knitting. Annie Modesitt's site has pictures that show it.

Interesting! This is how I taught myself continental because I couldn't do it using the methods I saw in books, etc. It is very easy and fast.

[KnittingNat]

I think it still falls under Continental, because of the yarn being held in left hand and being "picked" and not "thrown". It's very fast and easy, but from what i know you need to reverse the decreases when knitting from a "regular" pattern. When you k2tog in that method, you're actually making a ssk in the "usual" Continental. I was taught to knit that way and i switched to "usual" Continental because of the dec issue, but when knitting plain st st it still comes handy.

[suzeeq]

I was thoroughly trounced on Rav when someone called an English knitter combined and I said I didn't think so. But apparently there are people who hold yarn in their right hand and knit that way. It's still 'combined' because of the way the purls are wrapped and knitting into the back leg on the knit stitch to keep it untwisted. They throw combined.

[Anarfea]

I read somewhere that would really be more correct to call "Continental" "German" knitting because apparently Spanish and Portuguse knitters also hold the yarn in the right hand. I don't remember where that was, though...

[suzeeq]

Yes, I've heard continental knitting referred to as German style. I think in Scandinavia they also hole the yarn in the left hand. Must be a difference between northern and southern Europe. Wonder how they knit in Italy?