Benefits to learning continental knitting?

[KatzKnitter]

I knit continentally and I had a really hard time learning the purl stitch.... I've though about making a video of my method, because it took me so long to understand it, and wonder if I could help anyone with the problems that I've had...

I would gladly watch your video. Most of the videos are made by pro knitters who have been doing it forever, and they make it look so easy. But I wonder if it also depends on how dexterous you are with your left hand.

[crazykntter83]

That could be it. I'll have to try making a video. I'm wondering if I could successfully do one with a webcam. I will have to try it when I get home....right now we're at my girlfriend's Mom's house waiting out the storm because we're afraid that we'll lose power. We also have a heater that doesn't heat our apartment too well. Her Mom's house has an excellent heater and a fireplace, so either way it goes, we won't be freezing to death!

[KatzKnitter]

I will have to try it when I get home....right now we're at my girlfriend's Mom's house waiting out the storm because we're afraid that we'll lose power. We also have a heater that doesn't heat our apartment too well. Her Mom's house has an excellent heater and a fireplace, so either way it goes, we won't be freezing to death!

You'll have to stay through Wednesday. Plenty time to buy food, it's not supposed to hit till early AM. I guess you don't go barefoot in your apartment the way I do.

You're just north of my friend in Moore, OK.

Some people use a webcam, others find it's easier with someone filming them. The most important things are good lighting and good closeup shots. And I see most people use large needles and bright yarn to show each stitch, or even a new color to show the current row.

[crazykntter83]

We're in Tulsa, and it's already hit. There's ice and all that lovelyness outside already. We're supposed to get at least a foot of snow, last I heard.
Oh believe me, I go barefoot in my apartment. I'm hot natured, and for some reason I like the feeling of my feet being free. They don't really like to be enclosed in things.
I'll definitely use bigger needles and bright colored yarn. I have plenty of it, because I love bright colors.

[KatzKnitter]

Yeah, just hit NY, ahead of schedule, as it's 2:30 AM here. We've had 56" of snow since Christmas, and we usually average 22" for the whole winter. I hope your friend's house is cozy. Knit some socks today.

I wear socks all year round, crews and peds in the summer, knee socks in winter because I can't wear wool slacks. Today I bought a round needle for flat knitting just to get the feel of it, a #8 in 16". I think for English it's not any faster than straights. If I really hate it after a few days, I'll skip the socks before I invest in yarn.

[Jan in CA]

I don't have a video of ME knitting, but I knit english like this one -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxuKeg3PQJw

I've gotten the motion down where it's really pretty fast.

[suzeeq]

I am absolutely doing English the right way, but it's obviously inefficient for most of us who are not speed knitters. You're dropping the needle, wrapping the yarn, then stitching, 3 processes.

You'll get more efficient if you don't drop the needle. Watch some videos by different english knitters on youtube and find a way to hang on to the needle and wrap the yarn. Don't look at the How To ones, they're slow and awkward; the one Jan linked to is a pretty good one.

[KatzKnitter]

Good.

How did you make out with the storm? It was icy here this morning, but mostly melted now.

[Mazie]

Try the Russian type of knitting, simply perfect for those of us with short fingers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKO2iqdBPSU
Ravelry has a forum on Russian knitting that is slightly different than this but this is the video I used to learn this type of knitting and won't/can't knit knit English or Continental. Won't do one, can't do the other.
I find this is the fastest way for me and I want to share it with as many as possible.

[KatzKnitter]

That looks like continental to me.