English Knitters, I need your input...

[amy]

I just came across a thread where a woman said she can knit English (yarn in the right hand) without letting go of the right needle to wrap the yarn! I'm impressed! I didn't even know this was possible!

My question for you all is.... which way do you do it? Please let me know by answering the poll! (I suspect most of you do let go of the needle. But if not, I will consider changing the way I shoot the English videos.)

Also...if any of you out there can knit this way: Do you live near Amherst, MA? Would you be willing to show me? ...

Update, 11/30/04:
Rick (Cellcept) has sent me a video of knitting this way. Now I just need to practice! Then I'll put up my own sample video for the curious.

[ekgheiy]

Hi!
I wrap w/o letting go.
Woo-hoo ... go throw ... go throw ...
8)

Hey Amy,
Should have caught me four years ago; I went to college up there and would have been glad to meet up with ya! Oh well ... maybe one day I'll get a web cam .... or better still ... borrow my mom's!!

[Marnie]

I knit both english and continental. I let go of the needle when I throw. If you saw the way I knit when knitting english, you'd be surpsied I ever finish anything. I completely bastardize the process. I also wrap incorrecty and knit STst without turning my work (knit right and left handed). It's a product of having taught myself to knit before really being able to read well.

[jacquieh]

I knit the English way but don't let go of the needle. I have noticed that I hold the yarn around my right hand differently to some - I have it counter-clockwise around my index finger - I get more leverage that way.

[Dioritt]

I knit both English and Continental and can't imagine letting go of the needle to throw the yarn. Surely it'd take forever to knit anything if you had to drop/pick up the needle for every stitch?

I find I'm much quick when knitting English even though Continental's supposed to be much quicker BUT only if there's puring involved. If I'm knitting in the round and only using stocking(ette) stitch, it goes quicker the continental way. I guess it's all just a matter of what you learned, when, why and how?

~Sharon

[Clare]

I don't let go of needle when knitting English style. I've just watched your video of how to knit English style, and I don't lift my hand off the way shown in the video. I used to, but then my Grandmother told me off and showed me how to do it without removing hand from needle. Basically I rest needle in crook between thumb and forefinger on right hand, with wool wrapped around forefinger and needle slides back and forth in crook. Sorry, difficult to describe and as I live in UK probably not going to be able to show you!

Clare

[Cellcept]

I CAN knit without letting go of the needle but I'm not that wonderful at it so I 'm a THROWER from way back <g>

The lady in the video's of the Coats Knitting Made Easy cd is proficient at throwing while holding onto the RH needle. I envy her as she can really "go to town" at it.

Rick

[amy]

I just checked my inter-library loan service, to see if the have a video called "Coats knitting made easy." No luck! Is this definitely the title? I'd love to see the demonstration!
Thanks,
Amy

[Cellcept]

Yep, its called Knitting Made Easy by Coats & Clark. I bought my cd at Hobby Lobby near the knitting needles.

Rick

[amy]

Thanks, Rick.

Too bad my library loan service doesn't have it. If I hadn't already spent so much on books in the last month for this site, I'd go buy it! It sounds perfect!

Amy