How do you hold needles properly?

[jljorna]

I'm very new to knitting and I've taught myself everything.
I know how to do all of the basic stictches and other things etc.
My problem is the only way that I can knit is to rest my right hand needle on my stomach or leg or something like that to hold it still.
Not only is this very uncomfortable (!) but I think it's really slow too. And I want to try out joined needles too.

Some advice please!!!!

Thanks

[Sheri]

Do you knit English style or Continental? I keep my elbows tucked against me and needles off my lap and high enough to see clearly but I knit Continental and always knit with circulars. The gals I see who knit English mostly rest one needle on their thigh or much lower than I do which would be most difficult for me to do. Guess I'm not much help here ....

[jljorna]

I knit English style, but I'd like to change to continental.
The trouble that I have is keeping tension in my yarn to loop in around. It just seems to get twisted in my fingers or I drop everything.
I can't seem to loop behind without using my whole right hand and holding both needles in my left...

[Simply_Renee]

I knit continental- and hold my needles by grasping them palms down and I keep my pointer fingers straight on the needles helping with the stitches.

My advice would be to look @ the continental videos if you're trying to learn that, and knit-knit-knit! The tension thing will resolve itself with practice so don't worry about that. It's really awkward at first but you might find it faster than english. Or you might decide that the way you do it is better for you!

About propping the needle- that's the way I used to do it & that is how my daughter knits too- she knits in her own style that suits her just fine. Yarn Harlot (famous knitter/author/blogger) uses her straight needles by tucking one under her arm if memory serves. You can't really prop the needle with a circular, but if that's what works for you with straights then do it!

Good luck!

[gotta knit]

Lots of videos right on this site, showing both english & continental. Don't worry about what they're showing so much, just watch how they're holding the needles.

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips

As far as using a circular needle, you can knit back & forth like 2 straight needles if you want, don't have to start out with something in the round if you're not ready.
Good luck!

[Alyce]

I use strictly bamboo because I like the feel of them. I haven't tried Addis but I do have some KP Harmonies that I bought to learn "magic loop". I really like the wood and the pointy ends. The cables are nice adn thin but I still have a little trouble with them curling a little much. I may just need to run them under some hot water to straighten them out some.

[heatherg23]

Hi,

I did the exact same thing you did. I used my stomach to balance the needle when holding them in one hand (for the knit stitch). I've been knitting for 2 months and I just "figured it out" 2 days ago.

One thing I did was to see how other's held the needles & yarn. Search on the net for online knitting instructions, this website has some videos available. If you have cable there is a show called Knitty Gritty. You can see how other's knit.

For me it just took practice and patience.

Heather

[heatherg23]

Hi again,

I just did a posting but I thought of something.

See if this helps in holding the needles.

1.Do a row, knit or purl doesn't matter.
2.Take the needle, with the row you just did, and put it in your left hand and make a fist , turn your fist so the needle faces the ceiling. If that doesn't make sense basically make a fist, the sided of your fist should face the ceiling and the floor, and insert the needle, pointing upward.

3. keep that position and open up your thumb and 2nd (index) finger. Like an "L"

4. In your right hand take the right hand needle and insert it as if u were going to do a knit stitch.

5. When the needle is in place take your left hand thumb and index fingers, that are open, and hold the right needle. You will need a little more help so your middle finger can help to balance them so let the side of your middle finger knuckle rest on the right needle.

I hope that makes sense and works for you.

Heather

[diehlsb]

Hi,
I am an experienced knitter, but left-handed. When I decided to learn the continental method, I had to switch the "tension" hand and the "working" hand, because I had the same problem you did with keeping the yarn taut. In other words, I am used to holding the yarn in my right hand. So I do that, then use the left needle to pick off the stitches continental style. Purling is especially easy this way, and the tension seems the same as when I knit the english way.