How to Knit FASTER with Continental Knitting

If you're an avid knitter, you know that knitting can be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby. However, it can also be time-consuming, especially if you're a slow knitter. Fortunately, there's a technique called Continental Knitting that can speed up your knitting and make the process more efficient.

What is Continental Knitting?

Continental Knitting is a knitting technique that originates from Europe. In this technique, the working yarn is held in the left hand, and the right-hand needle is used to pick up and move the stitches. This is in contrast to the more commonly used English Knitting technique, where the working yarn is held in the right hand, and the right-hand needle is used to wrap the yarn around the left-hand needle to create the stitches.

Advantages of Continental Knitting

One of the main advantages of Continental Knitting is that it can be faster than English Knitting. This is because the movements involved in Continental Knitting are more fluid and require less hand and wrist movement. Additionally, because the yarn is held in the left hand, it's easier to control the tension of the stitches, resulting in more even knitting.

Another advantage of Continental Knitting is that it can be less tiring on the hands and wrists, making it a good option for people who suffer from arthritis or other hand conditions.

How to Get Started

If you're interested in trying Continental Knitting, here are the steps to get started:

1.  Hold the working yarn in your left hand, with the tail end of the yarn between your ring and pinky fingers, and the working end of the yarn over your index finger.
2.  Insert the right-hand needle into the first stitch on the left-hand needle, from left to right.
3.  Use your right-hand needle to pick up the working yarn from your index finger and pull it through the stitch on the left-hand needle.
4.  Slip the old stitch off the left-hand needle, and continue to the next stitch.

It may take some practice to get used to holding the yarn in your left hand and coordinating the movements of both hands, but with time and practice, you should be able to knit faster and more efficiently using the Continental Knitting technique.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a way to speed up your knitting and make the process more efficient, consider trying Continental Knitting. This technique can be faster and less tiring on your hands and wrists than other knitting techniques, and it can result in more even stitches. So, grab your knitting needles, some yarn, and give it a try!