Continental Knitting

[TangoLima]

This may be a bigger topic than I bargain for, but...

is there any advantage to continental knitting vs. "regular" knitting other than personal preference.

I see a lot of the videos are done using continental knitting, but I learned the "regular" way. Am I missing out on something or short-changing myself?

[RuthieinMaryland]

This may be a bigger topic than I bargain for, but...

is there any advantage to continental knitting vs. "regular" knitting other than personal preference.

I see a lot of the videos are done using continental knitting, but I learned the "regular" way. Am I missing out on something or short-changing myself?

Hi!

I learned English throwing style knitting and somewhere along the line I decided to try out Continental. And I was hooked, big time!
the following video shows a lot of the advantages to using continental and is the best "how to" I've seen on learning it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuRLF...eature=related

I've found continental to be smoother (for me) and much faster. You'll have to try it out, get past the awkward-all-thumbs stage and decide for yourself, but you might really like it.

And I've found it a decided advantage to be able to knit with both styles, especially in working with two colors as in Fair Isle. Having control of the needles with both hands really is a valuable skill.

Let us know how it goes!

Ruthie

[suzeeq]

It's really more of a personal preference, people find one style more comfortable for them than another way. Neither is faster, better or easier than the other.

[Jan in CA]

Some people are going to say yes, but it's really personal preference and knitting style. I know super speedy english knitters and slow continental knitters. One is NOT better than the other, do what works for you.

I will say there is benefit in knowing both though. It's a great way to work fair isle.

[linknit41]

I agree with the others who replied to this question. Both are fine, and it is a good thing to know how to do both--especially if you have trouble with stiffness/soreness in joints in the hand. Being able to change from one method to the other helps me when one hand is achy, as a different grip is used, which can relieve the repetitive motions soreness. linknit41

[OffJumpsJack]

It's really more of a personal preference, people find one style more comfortable for them than another way. Neither is faster, better or easier than the other.

Some people are going to say yes, but it's really personal preference and knitting style. I know super speedy english knitters and slow continental knitters. One is NOT better than the other, do what works for you.

I will say there is benefit in knowing both though. It's a great way to work fair isle.

I'm a Continental knitter and I say Sue and Jan are just being too 'moderate' and safe. I say, take chances! Make mistakes! Go wild and learn Continental knitting and purling!

Was I too thick with my enthusiasm? Well, the truth is that with continental one can often switch between knit and purl faster but it does depend on one's skill and speed. There are fast "throwers" (right hand or English) and some slow "pickers" (Continental or ?German?)

But if you learn both methods then you can do things like

Two Handed Fair Isle (Links to a Philosophers Wool video teaching two handed, two color fair isle method that weaves the floats in on the wrong side as you knit).

I say try it if you would like to learn the method. Then you will know better what is best for you. (And it doesn't hurt to know another method when someone else who knits that way comments on you knitting "the other" way. You can switch up for a few stitches and show them you know more than one method. )

But then I am the type that likes a challenge; My wife likes a challenge too. Perhaps that's why she married me.

[Jan in CA]

I'm a Continental knitter and I say Sue and Jan are just being too 'moderate' and safe. I say, take chances! Make mistakes! Go wild and learn Continental knitting and purling!

Wait a minute now...I did say there is benefit to knowing both. I just get irritated if someone says one is better because it's not true.

[suzeeq]

I agree with Jan. You can learn half a dozen different styles and find a use for them, but one is not inherently better than another.

[cacunn]

Let me throw another style into the pot - Portuguese (search YouTube - block here). I started out as an English throw knitter, learned Portuguese, and some Continental. I switch through all three depending on what I am knitting, where I am knitting.

Which is best is personal preference, which is normal is anything I am not doing because at best I am Abby-Normal.

I find that if my hands are tired that it helps to change styles for a break.

[Jeremy]

I knit both ways. For socks and lace I do english, for everything elsc continental and for fair isle both. For me continental is faster and more importantly ergonomically easier. But note, I said "for me". I don't think its possible to say one is faster than the other generally because everyone is different.