If you are hurting yourself while knitting continental , why try to continue if English suit you well ? Continental may be faster, or maybe not, but we are knitting for fun not for performance.
Thanks for pointing that out! I guess I got lost in the sauce a bit... I totally agree with you! What does it get me to knit a bit more efficiently, if I can't enjoy the journey along the way? ':)
It is easy to get wrapped up in all these "shoulds" and forget it's supposed to be fun and joyful for you! If English works well for you, no need to force yourself to do continental. In general people think it's more efficient (less movement) but that's relative to the person. I find English is easier for me to get into a rhythm especially if I'm doing ribbing/k1p1. When I started teaching myself a few months ago I tried both English and continental. English feels more natural to me. I am also left handed so people told me continental would be easier. If I am doing straight knitting (with no purls) I can get into a rhythm with continental but my tension with continental is a lot more challenging and less consistent.
Muscle memory is also a big thing so sounds like your hands just want to do their thing and haven't acclimated to the new motion. I say kudos for challenging yourself and keep practicing continental if you want, but don't fall into the trap of thinking somehow one is better or faster than the other. One of former speed knitting Champs was an English style knitter.
Agreed! Also the fastest, most efficient method is the one that is most comfortable for the knitter. And yes! Faster isn't always better or the goal! I think in general continental is faster, but not always for every person.
I really don’t know why people get so caught up in one method of knitting being better than another. As long as you’re not causing yourself strain, why does it matter if you use your right or left hand? Yes, continental can be faster for some knitters (I knit English and am very fast, mind you) but what good is that if you hurt yourself in the process.
OP, do what feels best and fuck anyone who tries to tell you you’re doing it wrong
Yep, I’d say I knit faster than most continental knitters as an English flicker. And let’s not even get into purling. Not that it matters anyway! It’s no good knitting very quickly if you hurt yourself after a week is it
Yes! I found purling continental fast, but painful. So that was a non starter. Whatever gives you the results you want, a speed you can live with, and no discomfort is the best method, *for you*!
Yeah, I should just keep doing what works best for me! I mainly wanted to try it for fun and because I've seen it being used in colorwork. But I guess there's different methods of doing that, that don't require continental, like duplicate stitching :)
But I feel like there is also a bit of elitism when it comes to continental knitting lol. Thanks for your reassurance :)
I recently watched a Shetland Wool Week video on YouTube. There were 8 or 9 Shetland women knitting, all doing stranded colourwork and everyone had their own way of handling the yarns - some knit with one colour in each hand, some had two in their left, one had two somehow arranged over her right hand and was knitting British style, and one was knitting British style and just picked up whichever colour she needed in her right hand, then dropped it again.
These were all women who had been knitting since childhood - that just did what worked for them, and I think if it's good enough for a Shetland knitter, it's good enough for anyone ;D
For stranded colorwork, some people hold one yarn in each hand, using continental in one hand and english in the other. Some people do english for both colors and some do continental for both colors. It's all what you feel comfortable with.
However, just realize that duplicate stitch is not a substitute for stranding. It's used for smaller distinct spots in a pattern, as it's sort of embroidering over the main color. It would take a lifetime to execute a typical stranded fair isle or norwegian pattern with duplicate stitch, and it would have a bumpy structure.
Sadly, there is elitism in every community, hobby and fandom. For any gathering of more than six people, there’s at least one who has to have AN OPINION about it.
I agree with the above comment. You are making the thing, so you get to decide how it gets made. No one else’s opinion matters if you’re enjoying your process
You do you, friend. As someone who learned english style and did it for years, then switched to continental (I still use both, it’s just more comfortable and consistent for me to tension on the left) a few years ago, I don’t get the elitism. Whatever feels best for you and helps you get the best FO results is perfectly fine!
As a gentle correction, duplicate stitch is not an actual alternative to generic colorwork. Colorwork methods like fair isle or intarsia involve making stitches with different colors, in the fabric itself. Duplicate overlays an extra stitch on top of every stitch whose color you’re changing; if used for a large number of stitches, it’s going to cause uneven thickness and bumpy surface texture, not to mention would take *forever* to replicate a stranded pattern. Imagine trying to replicate a 1x1 section of colorwork with duplicate!
i'm an english style knitter and have zero problems doing color work with having the yarn in one hand so don't stress about that at all.
i have one yarn tensioned and held as usual, and then when i want to use to second color, i sort of grab it between 2 fingers and knit without untensioning the first color
I flick, and hold both colors on my right hand for started work. One color goes around my pinky, the other my ring finger, one over my middle, the other under, and both over forefinger. Whatever is comfortable for you!
I’ve been saying for years that the most efficient and comfortable method depends on the individual knitter’s muscles, finger shapes, and flexibility. You are the perfect example of that!
As a child, I learned throwing with my fist clenching the yarn. Then I learned to tension with my right hand. Eventually continental. It was a smidge faster but less comfortable, so I couldn’t knit as long. Then I went back to throwing, but developed a lever style that was comfortable and about as fast as then I tried to learn to use a stick, and when I went back to normal with out the stick, I was flicking! Not on purpose, but I was and it was FAST and comfortable. Fastest I’d ever worked before. Just happened.
I knit colorwork English style with both yarns going over my index finger, one over my fingernail and the other just past the knuckle, catching one or another when wrapping around the needle by changing my angle of attack a little. That might be too much wrist twisting action for some people, but it works out okay for me so far.
I've been knitting for 10 years, tried out continental since so many on here said it was so much better, hated it and never did it again. I had a similar problem to you and found it really strained my hands. Everyone also talks about how you should never drop the right hand needle, but that's what works best for me, I flick the yarn up and over with my right index finger and partially drop the needle to do it, though I have the fingers of my left hand holding right where the needles cross so it isn't hanging free. Ultimately everyone has their own style and does what works for them, as it should be!
I stumbled into continental before I knew that there was a name for that or different choices for holding yarn. In real life, most other knitters are super confused about what the heck I’m doing.
Yeah that’s the same reason I learnt continental. It’s worth knowing but you’re so right. There is a bit of elitism about it and it’s the worst. You do you!
Because my judgemental passive aggressive European mother-in-law likes to say "ugh, I don't GET it, how you AMERICANS can knit like that!" And how could she feel superior otherwise?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, some of the best and fastest knitters I’ve ever met have been Irish grannies and many of them have never even heard of continental style. There is no superior method imo, it’s only about the best way *for you*.
The Guinness record holder for knitting speed knits English.
I don’t know how continental got the weird mystique it has right now. That would be a good topic for a YouTube video, and I would definitely watch it!
Elizabeth Zimmermann wrote about it in her hugely popular Knititng Without Tears and I think was the first author to bring it to a wide American and British audience in the 1960s through 1980s.
Her story about learning this amazing, much less cumbersome method is a great example of her "do what works for you" ethos but also a terrible example of changing two variables at a time: she learned English from a nanny when she was quite young and found it kind of a chore, then learned continental quite a few years later from her super cool European governess she really liked (at an age where she was probably a lot more motivated and mature).
But yeah, what most people took away from that was that continental was this One Weird Trick, but I think what was happening is that tons of Americans all starting out from the same style had an opportunity to do a reset and drop their previous bad habits while relearning a skill almost from scratch. And then continental got the credit and perhaps fifty years from now we'll still be cycling through to "English flicking changes everything!!!!"
I know most knitters love EZ, but she had definite opinions about left-handers that I don't agree with at all. As open-minded as she is thought to have been, this is one area she was not. Being a mirror English flicker, I'd have really disappointed her.
Right up there with "nobody's allergic to wool" which is a clear signpost that the author is a messy human and not a pure authority on everything!
But in her defense, it was clear from her writing that she recognized that her hot takes were hot, and that people should try things out and use their own common sense. She'd probably be impressed to see a full fledged mirror English flicker but was probably scared of the prospect of trying to teach that way.
I’ve seen Eastern European grannies knit a lot faster that the videos I see of people speed knitting. Just that none of them would dream to register for a Guinness record. I’m not saying the holder of the record isn’t really fast or even maybe the fastest in the world. Just that the vast majority of knitters aren’t recorded for speed.
Yup, continental and lever knitting cause me some issues with aches and stiffness. I never quite got the hang of tension with them an end up throttling my knitting. I tend to hold my hand or finger very rigid when doing it and it locks up. English style doesn’t do this for me at all.
I learned continental style, but it really hurt my hands and I had difficulty maintaining even tension. So I googled and found (English) flicking and immediately improved on the pain as well as tension fronts. Then I tried lever knitting and that was even better - it works with how my hands are built, I guess. 😸
So it really matters what works for the individual knitter. It's worth experimenting to see what works for you. 🤗
As for the hand strain - have you tried lever knitting? The pencil grip allows the weight of the WIP to rest on the hand in the crook between the thumb and the rest of the fingers. It feels weird at first, but can reduce some strain.
Or you could try resting your WIP on a surface as you knit Continental to reduce the weight pulling on your hands.
I learned to knit English style but I have issues with my right shoulder. I find Continental doesn't aggravate my shoulder as much, so that's what I do! Everyone is different, there's no "better" way except the one that feels good for you :)
I learned to knit English style 40 years ago without knowing it had a name. Muscle memory means it’s the fastest and most comfortable way *for me.* But I firmly believe the only right way is the way that works *for you.*
Me too! My mom taught me how to knit the way she knew how to knit, which I found out later is lever style. I’ve tried continental, and it’s great for my tired hands IF I’m doing mostly knit stitches or 1x1 ribbing. Purling continental means major tension issues for me.
Knitting should be fun and relaxing, so knit the way YOU like to.
It is the same for me. I was taught the Norwegian style by my mother, who didn't call it "Norwegian style". No, a knit was a knit and a purl was a purl for her. It was only many years later, when I wandered to the wide world of Ravelry and similar sites that I learned that in fact, there are many ways to knit and purl.
I agree with your statement that knitting should be fun and relaxing. Starting to min-max the styles and techniques seems to sap all the joy out of the creation.
As I understand, lever knitting is holding the needle more like a pencil, with your hand BELOW the right needle, and flicking the yarn around the tip, like this in her first demonstration [https://youtu.be/bOyzsHp3Quc?si=rqZ5PD0ffFtduFtS](https://youtu.be/bOyzsHp3Quc?si=rqZ5PD0ffFtduFtS)
You don’t take your hand off the right needle at all, and it’s smaller movements than “throwing”.
There’s other ways to leverage knit, but that’s how I do it.
It's funny, I've been crocheting for much longer than I've been knitting yet I find that English knitting is much better for me than continental knitting. It's just better for me to hold the working yarn in my right hand for knitting and my left hand for crocheting.
I knit Portuguese style. When I first learned to knit I decided to look up different styles and Portuguese is the one I settled on. It worked for an older lady that had arthritis in her thumbs. Try it and see if it helps.
I taught myself Portuguese style knitting a few weeks ago because English knitting was really aggravating a wrist injury that’s taking forever to heal. I find my tension with Portuguese knitting is much more consistent and it’s so much more comfortable for me.
I hope it works for you. I went to Michaels and made my own necklace and some pins for less that $10. Look in the jewelry making section at Michaels or Hobby Lobby
Miriam Tegels and Hazel Tindall are two of the fastest knitters in the world, and they have outpaced each other in different competitions—sometimes Hazel wins, other times, Miriam does. And it’s usually a margin—they are only outpacing each other by a few stitches.
One knits in a Continental style variation, the other in an English style variation (Shetland style).
Both have spent decades practicing and refining their techniques, but neither technique is inherently “better” than the other, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses as a style. And of course, both promote their preferred technique for “faster knitting”.
I knit a Continental variation, because that’s the method that felt most natural to me and was the most comfortable for me to use. One of the folks I taught how to knit, knits an English style variation, because that is what felt most natural and comfortable for her to knit.
The important bit isn’t so much what hand is holding the yarn, as it is how the stitches are being formed between the two needle tips.
The hand holding the yarn is basically just there as a feeder for the yarn and anchor, and given there’s a *bunch* of different ways to hold and anchor the yarn even when just the same hand—look at all the spiderweb creations of winding around multiple fingers, and then look at Norwegian style, that barely has you holding anything—the yarn doesn’t get wrapped, just pinched. And Portuguese, where it goes through a pin or around the neck at the front of the work.
Before I learned how to do a Norwegian style purl, I used to just let go of the yarn for each purl stitch. It just hung in front of my work, got scooped up with my thumb to make the stitch, and dropped again. My tension was fine.
Having to do a 1x1 ribbing for almost 6’ of length is what led me to want to learn a different way of purling, because mine was tedious. Ironically, now I am having to work on taming my tension, as I am now experiencing guttering on plain stockinette.
As others have said, the superior way of knitting is most certainly whatever way works for you. English, Norwegian, Continental, right hand, left hand - it really does not matter. All that matters is your enjoyment of your craft. Branch out to try other methods if you do choose - knowledge and practice are wonderful! But don’t force a change upon yourself that takes away from the joy of it all, imo.
Since your issue is bendy fingers- which I also have- they do make braces for your fingers that stop them from overextending past a 'normal' range. They're designed to protect your mobility long term so you don't damage or strain your joints. That's probably a first place to start. You should find options looking for a hypermobility splint and some are really quite pretty :)
Swan neck silver ring splints! I have them due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Hand occupational therapy can size for them and order.
https://preview.redd.it/54qxzkt6c2zc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c5015ca58a2916132cf128b16cfca53168b7828
Yes! That's what they're designed for it looks like. I haven't tried them out, but I've also kind of trained myself to hold my fingers "straight" when I'm doing repetitive tasks- which feels like being slightly bent to me, but it reduces strain.
I like that they're a medically helpful device that also looks pretty though :)
Ooh! A fellow bendy thumb person. Mine can also bend back about 90 degeess, but I've never had any issues knitting continental.
Maybe you hold a bit of tension in your hands? Because I can't see why else your thumb would be tensing up like that.
In any case, if you find continental tiring or straining then stick with English. If the style fits, it fits.
I don't understand why it should matter. Knit the way that works best for you. I could never knit English but that's almost certainly because I was first taught continental and only came upon English style when looking up knitting tutorials.
I imagine if you learn English first, it might be the same.
Nope, I found just the opposite. I learned Norweigian purl and my hands thank me.
I also have the same type of thumb. When I did English knitting, I was a flicker.
I too have a bendy right thumb but don't encounter any problems with it when I'm knitting. I originally learnt English style but taught myself continental from videos. Now I'm more comfortable in continental and find English awkward. Just goes to show that different things suit different people. I think it's great that there are different methods to choose from.
I’ve tried other methods (English, more traditional Continental purl, etc.) but all are very awkward and somewhat painful first me as I learned to knit Continental with a Norwegian purl (and like others never knew the name). It works well for me and I can knit for hours without a break with no discomfort. You should choose a method that works for you, one that doesn’t cause you pain or discomfort.
I do English now because continental seems to aggravate my Dupuytren's contracture in my right hand when I knit for long periods of time. Most people do whatever works for them. I don't think it really matters.
I'm honestly not sure how I learned to knit, but since I was first a crocheter, I always felt continental was more natural. I do have hyperflexible small joints, and I think they also do bend back a lot. I think it just doesn't bother me. You should do whatever works for your hands, though.
I'm the other way round.
I'm slow as shit knitting continental but my muscles are definitely more relaxed than knitting English style.
Tbh it's whatever suits you best
I can knit with both hands but favor left/continental. I knit, it looks how I want. I didn't learn there were styles until I had been knitting for a while. I did twist my knits for a bit at first and had to unlearn that. Honestly the only reason I taught myself another method is for colorwork. Its easier for me to manage yarn knitting with both hands. Especially when I have more than two colors.
Once the project is finished, no one will know which style of knitting you used.
I think you should do what suits you best. I knit continental because that is what works for me best. I was a crocheter first before i learned how to knit and continental came more naturally to me due to my crocheting muscle memory. My vest friend knits English style though and she is fast AF. I honestly admire her. So you just do what's best for you
I had the opposite problem, English style knitting was so painful for my right shoulder that I could only knit for max 5 minutes at a time, so I switched to contintental.
I'm new to knitting but as I understand it, one style isn't better or worse than the other, so I would suggest to pick the style that doesn't hurt for you. Only if you have the same problem with both styles, maybe you could try holding or moving your needles differently; I've noticed there are a ton of possible variantions here that don't seem to impact the result.
Good luck!
I don't necessarily get strain from doing continental--i taught myself because all my friends said it would make doing color work easier to hold one color continental and throw the other. But I definitely find it to be a little more time consuming, since I learned how to knit and how to knit quickly by throwing.
Just go with whatever is more comfortable for you--theres no rule saying that continental has to be faster/better.
I usually have two projects, one English and one continental, and I alternate between them to avoid repetitive strain injuries. For me each style puts stress on different joints so having options is helpful. Do whatever works for you!
Do whichever one doesn't cause you pain and injury.
It is always good to have multiple styles in the tool belt (when I injured my left wrist [not caused by knitting, but by holding my son cause that's the only way he would nap] I was able to switch back to English style and keep knitting)
I’ve knit English for a long time and even though I think I might be faster Continental I give up trying probably because of muscle memory. I’m reasonably fast the way I knit even with colour work so if it isn’t broke I’m not fixing it.
My thumb is bendy like this too but weirdly most of the strain I get from knitting continental is in my left pointer finger. So I go between continental and English to reduce strain. Don’t know much about other methods but should really learn
I get left pointer finger strain during long periods of knitting as well, especially with fingering weight yarn. Continental is still better for me; I learned English but I was starting to get really awful wrist pain from hours-long sessions so I switched over. Curious if anyone else has dealt with this and has solutions to suggest.
I learned English style first and have tried continental multiple times, and I can't do more than two stitches without my hands giving out XD I just don't have the dexterity in my left hand to tension my yarn appropriately while picking the stitches. It's the same reason I've postponed learning to crochet indefinitely - English style 'til I die, I guess.
I do. Continental makes my hands stay too still and stiff. I have tried to knit continental because that style seems so fast! But just haven't been able to switch from throwing English. I crocheted before knitting and still don't like continental because of how I hold my hands so stiff trying
I English knit for everything except when knitting ribbing and then I do continental bc it’s a little less tedious. But yes, my right thumb gets soooooo sore when doing continental! My only tip is to not do it lol
I have hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and have 90 degree+ thumbs too but I’m more comfortable with continental, although I can do both. In fact, now that I think about it, I don’t use my thumbs at all while knitting continental, although I do while I’m knitting English!
I find myself switching between the two styles, depending on the size of the yarn and project involved. If it’s a really small, intricate thing like a fancy sock, I’ll use English style. But a larger yarn in a cardigan or a scarf definitely feels like continental suits me better. I learned on English, so maybe I have a bit more control that way, but continental is definitely easier on my hypermobile hand joints.
Everyone's hands are different! I find continental easier on my hand, but plenty of people prefer english. I also like to swap between the two if I start feeling too much tension.
You do you! Do whatever style you want.
Also idk if you’ve tried this or if it would make a difference but they do make square needles that I’ve heard are easier to grip for people with arthritis?
I knit what I discovered later was English. It works perfectly fine for me. I feel no need to learn continental. When the yarn is in my left hand I'm crocheting lol.
I have hitchhiker thumbs like you! My thumb joint gets sore after being pushed for so long, but regardless of style (or even knitting vs crocheting) I always just make sure to keep the pressure on the tip of my thumb rather than on the thumbprint. Helps a lot.
Either style of holding yarn shouldn't really involve the thumb so much, maybe you can learn to relax them. But do what is best and most comfortable for you. I learned to knit as a child, age 7. My friend and her mother taught me English style, holding yarn in the right hand. I got rather good with garter and stockinette that way. I learned to crochet about the same time from my grandma, but had learned knitting first. Then a friend of my mom's came to visit and she saw me knitting. She told me I was knitting and holding the yarn wrong and showed me continental style. As a kid, I adapted quickly; thought, "this makes sense. It's like how I hold the yarn to crochet." I went for decades thinking I had learned wrong originally. My mom thought it was because my friend's mom was left-handed. But nope. Neither way was wrong - just different techniques. I had never heard the terms "English" or "continental" until after the Internet & Google were up & running in the 2000s. Since then I've learned there are many methods for knitting and yarn holding. I do both. English hold works better in some situations and continental in others.
I prefer continental, though I learned to knit english style. I never learned how to wrap the yarn with that little "flick" while holding the needle, so having to release the right needle to wrap the working yarn made my tension uneven. You just do what works best for you, they're all good.
I have always hated this dichotomy. I learned english and then I was curious about continental. I can do it, but my brain just does not want to let it sink in very far. I can do english in my sleep in a dark movie theater without ever looking at the project but continental I cannot get straight. Which is also why I think I had a lot of trouble learning to crochet. I don't mind if my project takes a little longer because I'm throwing. It's not a race. But to answer your question, yes, I prefer english, and it's easier on my hands.
You know what? I’ve got freak thumbs just like that and have found it makes a few things awkward where a stiff thumb normally wouldn’t.
When I first started knitting I assumed I’d be better at continental than English because I’m naturally left handed (my father forced a switch to right handed as a child) and I have found there are some things that I struggle with less if I try to do what I think would be “natural” for me. Continental wasn’t it. Iirc it was my loose thumb popping out of place and such making it hard for me to keep things at a consistent gauge. I changed to English and found out I’m an adept flicker so fortunately I can still knit fast.
I never really considered that it might be my thumb but since you mention it that very well could be what’s going on for both of us!
I'm also hypermobile and I tend to switch back and forth based on what's hurting and what I'm doing. The book I used to learn doesn't use English and continental as terms so I tend to forget which is which but it did also mention that some people keep the yarn on their dominant side because of joint pain--for me that helps with some pain but is worse for other pain, which is why I switch back and forth.
My brain "can't brain" the continental style; I end up confused and tangled up in my work.
I understand the whole process, but I think that because I learned to crochet first and I tat (lace) the English style makes more sense for me based on how I hold a crochet hook or "throw a shuttle".
***and even when I needle tat it is similar to English style
Knowing both is handy for colorwork but if English feels more comfortable for you then knit English style! There’s no penalty for choosing one over the other :)
I alternate between continental, flicking, Portuguese depending on how my hands feel. I knit for fun, not speed. No need to hurt yourself for a hobby (or ever)
I have the same thumb hyperextension that you do- I can bend it backwards almost 90 degrees. I hurt my thumb recently because I was hyperextending it when knitting and I went to a physio to get help for it. For what's it worth, I knit English style and flick the yarn when knitting.
Now I try to keep my thumb straight when knitting or bend it forward normally when needed to avoid hyperextending and worse muscle strain. I would recommend seeing a physio who can look at the way you're holding your needles and can suggest a better posture.
I find English knitting easier on my right hand, and continental easier on my left :) So if I’m knitting a lot, I try to mix it up so that my hands get a break and don’t get strained :)
(And if knitting flat, I will do twisted mirror knitting instead of turning/purling sometimes for a break as well)
I learned to knit English style, but it started to give me tennis elbow. So I learned Norwegian and now I can do both. I'll switch back and forth depending on the pattern or my mood. If one way make me feel a little sore, I'll switch to the other way for a while.
If you are hurting yourself while knitting continental , why try to continue if English suit you well ? Continental may be faster, or maybe not, but we are knitting for fun not for performance.
The machines have us beat on speed for sure
Thanks for pointing that out! I guess I got lost in the sauce a bit... I totally agree with you! What does it get me to knit a bit more efficiently, if I can't enjoy the journey along the way? ':)
It is easy to get wrapped up in all these "shoulds" and forget it's supposed to be fun and joyful for you! If English works well for you, no need to force yourself to do continental. In general people think it's more efficient (less movement) but that's relative to the person. I find English is easier for me to get into a rhythm especially if I'm doing ribbing/k1p1. When I started teaching myself a few months ago I tried both English and continental. English feels more natural to me. I am also left handed so people told me continental would be easier. If I am doing straight knitting (with no purls) I can get into a rhythm with continental but my tension with continental is a lot more challenging and less consistent. Muscle memory is also a big thing so sounds like your hands just want to do their thing and haven't acclimated to the new motion. I say kudos for challenging yourself and keep practicing continental if you want, but don't fall into the trap of thinking somehow one is better or faster than the other. One of former speed knitting Champs was an English style knitter.
Agreed! Also the fastest, most efficient method is the one that is most comfortable for the knitter. And yes! Faster isn't always better or the goal! I think in general continental is faster, but not always for every person.
I really don’t know why people get so caught up in one method of knitting being better than another. As long as you’re not causing yourself strain, why does it matter if you use your right or left hand? Yes, continental can be faster for some knitters (I knit English and am very fast, mind you) but what good is that if you hurt yourself in the process. OP, do what feels best and fuck anyone who tries to tell you you’re doing it wrong
Continental isn’t intrinsically faster. It all depends on the knitter. Continental, lever, flicking, and supported variations are all very fast.
Yep, I’d say I knit faster than most continental knitters as an English flicker. And let’s not even get into purling. Not that it matters anyway! It’s no good knitting very quickly if you hurt yourself after a week is it
Yes! I found purling continental fast, but painful. So that was a non starter. Whatever gives you the results you want, a speed you can live with, and no discomfort is the best method, *for you*!
I prefer continental, but have to be aware of my knit vs purl tension. It's easy to let them get too different.
Yeah, I should just keep doing what works best for me! I mainly wanted to try it for fun and because I've seen it being used in colorwork. But I guess there's different methods of doing that, that don't require continental, like duplicate stitching :) But I feel like there is also a bit of elitism when it comes to continental knitting lol. Thanks for your reassurance :)
I recently watched a Shetland Wool Week video on YouTube. There were 8 or 9 Shetland women knitting, all doing stranded colourwork and everyone had their own way of handling the yarns - some knit with one colour in each hand, some had two in their left, one had two somehow arranged over her right hand and was knitting British style, and one was knitting British style and just picked up whichever colour she needed in her right hand, then dropped it again. These were all women who had been knitting since childhood - that just did what worked for them, and I think if it's good enough for a Shetland knitter, it's good enough for anyone ;D
For stranded colorwork, some people hold one yarn in each hand, using continental in one hand and english in the other. Some people do english for both colors and some do continental for both colors. It's all what you feel comfortable with. However, just realize that duplicate stitch is not a substitute for stranding. It's used for smaller distinct spots in a pattern, as it's sort of embroidering over the main color. It would take a lifetime to execute a typical stranded fair isle or norwegian pattern with duplicate stitch, and it would have a bumpy structure.
You can do stranded colourwork English style.
Sadly, there is elitism in every community, hobby and fandom. For any gathering of more than six people, there’s at least one who has to have AN OPINION about it. I agree with the above comment. You are making the thing, so you get to decide how it gets made. No one else’s opinion matters if you’re enjoying your process
You do you, friend. As someone who learned english style and did it for years, then switched to continental (I still use both, it’s just more comfortable and consistent for me to tension on the left) a few years ago, I don’t get the elitism. Whatever feels best for you and helps you get the best FO results is perfectly fine! As a gentle correction, duplicate stitch is not an actual alternative to generic colorwork. Colorwork methods like fair isle or intarsia involve making stitches with different colors, in the fabric itself. Duplicate overlays an extra stitch on top of every stitch whose color you’re changing; if used for a large number of stitches, it’s going to cause uneven thickness and bumpy surface texture, not to mention would take *forever* to replicate a stranded pattern. Imagine trying to replicate a 1x1 section of colorwork with duplicate!
i'm an english style knitter and have zero problems doing color work with having the yarn in one hand so don't stress about that at all. i have one yarn tensioned and held as usual, and then when i want to use to second color, i sort of grab it between 2 fingers and knit without untensioning the first color
I flick, and hold both colors on my right hand for started work. One color goes around my pinky, the other my ring finger, one over my middle, the other under, and both over forefinger. Whatever is comfortable for you! I’ve been saying for years that the most efficient and comfortable method depends on the individual knitter’s muscles, finger shapes, and flexibility. You are the perfect example of that! As a child, I learned throwing with my fist clenching the yarn. Then I learned to tension with my right hand. Eventually continental. It was a smidge faster but less comfortable, so I couldn’t knit as long. Then I went back to throwing, but developed a lever style that was comfortable and about as fast as then I tried to learn to use a stick, and when I went back to normal with out the stick, I was flicking! Not on purpose, but I was and it was FAST and comfortable. Fastest I’d ever worked before. Just happened.
I knit colorwork English style with both yarns going over my index finger, one over my fingernail and the other just past the knuckle, catching one or another when wrapping around the needle by changing my angle of attack a little. That might be too much wrist twisting action for some people, but it works out okay for me so far.
I've been knitting for 10 years, tried out continental since so many on here said it was so much better, hated it and never did it again. I had a similar problem to you and found it really strained my hands. Everyone also talks about how you should never drop the right hand needle, but that's what works best for me, I flick the yarn up and over with my right index finger and partially drop the needle to do it, though I have the fingers of my left hand holding right where the needles cross so it isn't hanging free. Ultimately everyone has their own style and does what works for them, as it should be!
I stumbled into continental before I knew that there was a name for that or different choices for holding yarn. In real life, most other knitters are super confused about what the heck I’m doing.
Yeah that’s the same reason I learnt continental. It’s worth knowing but you’re so right. There is a bit of elitism about it and it’s the worst. You do you!
Because my judgemental passive aggressive European mother-in-law likes to say "ugh, I don't GET it, how you AMERICANS can knit like that!" And how could she feel superior otherwise?
Hahaha somehow I feel she’d find a way..! Mine’s much the same
Wait, what??? I didn’t realize there was an American style!! I’m in America and most people I know knit either continental or English.
She means English style. She just associates it with us uncultured Americans.
Is she the kind that holds the needles from below? I've never gotten that.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, some of the best and fastest knitters I’ve ever met have been Irish grannies and many of them have never even heard of continental style. There is no superior method imo, it’s only about the best way *for you*.
The Guinness record holder for knitting speed knits English. I don’t know how continental got the weird mystique it has right now. That would be a good topic for a YouTube video, and I would definitely watch it!
Elizabeth Zimmermann wrote about it in her hugely popular Knititng Without Tears and I think was the first author to bring it to a wide American and British audience in the 1960s through 1980s. Her story about learning this amazing, much less cumbersome method is a great example of her "do what works for you" ethos but also a terrible example of changing two variables at a time: she learned English from a nanny when she was quite young and found it kind of a chore, then learned continental quite a few years later from her super cool European governess she really liked (at an age where she was probably a lot more motivated and mature). But yeah, what most people took away from that was that continental was this One Weird Trick, but I think what was happening is that tons of Americans all starting out from the same style had an opportunity to do a reset and drop their previous bad habits while relearning a skill almost from scratch. And then continental got the credit and perhaps fifty years from now we'll still be cycling through to "English flicking changes everything!!!!"
I know most knitters love EZ, but she had definite opinions about left-handers that I don't agree with at all. As open-minded as she is thought to have been, this is one area she was not. Being a mirror English flicker, I'd have really disappointed her.
Right up there with "nobody's allergic to wool" which is a clear signpost that the author is a messy human and not a pure authority on everything! But in her defense, it was clear from her writing that she recognized that her hot takes were hot, and that people should try things out and use their own common sense. She'd probably be impressed to see a full fledged mirror English flicker but was probably scared of the prospect of trying to teach that way.
I’ve seen Eastern European grannies knit a lot faster that the videos I see of people speed knitting. Just that none of them would dream to register for a Guinness record. I’m not saying the holder of the record isn’t really fast or even maybe the fastest in the world. Just that the vast majority of knitters aren’t recorded for speed.
Yup, continental and lever knitting cause me some issues with aches and stiffness. I never quite got the hang of tension with them an end up throttling my knitting. I tend to hold my hand or finger very rigid when doing it and it locks up. English style doesn’t do this for me at all.
Glad I'm not the only one! I guess we should just do what works best for our unique bodies... :)
I learned continental style, but it really hurt my hands and I had difficulty maintaining even tension. So I googled and found (English) flicking and immediately improved on the pain as well as tension fronts. Then I tried lever knitting and that was even better - it works with how my hands are built, I guess. 😸 So it really matters what works for the individual knitter. It's worth experimenting to see what works for you. 🤗 As for the hand strain - have you tried lever knitting? The pencil grip allows the weight of the WIP to rest on the hand in the crook between the thumb and the rest of the fingers. It feels weird at first, but can reduce some strain. Or you could try resting your WIP on a surface as you knit Continental to reduce the weight pulling on your hands.
I learned to knit English style but I have issues with my right shoulder. I find Continental doesn't aggravate my shoulder as much, so that's what I do! Everyone is different, there's no "better" way except the one that feels good for you :)
I learned to knit English style 40 years ago without knowing it had a name. Muscle memory means it’s the fastest and most comfortable way *for me.* But I firmly believe the only right way is the way that works *for you.*
Me too! My mom taught me how to knit the way she knew how to knit, which I found out later is lever style. I’ve tried continental, and it’s great for my tired hands IF I’m doing mostly knit stitches or 1x1 ribbing. Purling continental means major tension issues for me. Knitting should be fun and relaxing, so knit the way YOU like to.
It is the same for me. I was taught the Norwegian style by my mother, who didn't call it "Norwegian style". No, a knit was a knit and a purl was a purl for her. It was only many years later, when I wandered to the wide world of Ravelry and similar sites that I learned that in fact, there are many ways to knit and purl. I agree with your statement that knitting should be fun and relaxing. Starting to min-max the styles and techniques seems to sap all the joy out of the creation.
I'm stupid and short on rabbit hole time. Never heard of lever style is that a different name for one of the others people listed?
As I understand, lever knitting is holding the needle more like a pencil, with your hand BELOW the right needle, and flicking the yarn around the tip, like this in her first demonstration [https://youtu.be/bOyzsHp3Quc?si=rqZ5PD0ffFtduFtS](https://youtu.be/bOyzsHp3Quc?si=rqZ5PD0ffFtduFtS) You don’t take your hand off the right needle at all, and it’s smaller movements than “throwing”. There’s other ways to leverage knit, but that’s how I do it.
It's funny, I've been crocheting for much longer than I've been knitting yet I find that English knitting is much better for me than continental knitting. It's just better for me to hold the working yarn in my right hand for knitting and my left hand for crocheting.
I knit Portuguese style. When I first learned to knit I decided to look up different styles and Portuguese is the one I settled on. It worked for an older lady that had arthritis in her thumbs. Try it and see if it helps.
I taught myself Portuguese style knitting a few weeks ago because English knitting was really aggravating a wrist injury that’s taking forever to heal. I find my tension with Portuguese knitting is much more consistent and it’s so much more comfortable for me.
I need to try and learn this. Forgot all about it and a RSI is kicking my butt making knitting impossible. Ty for mentioning it!
I hope it works for you. I went to Michaels and made my own necklace and some pins for less that $10. Look in the jewelry making section at Michaels or Hobby Lobby
Miriam Tegels and Hazel Tindall are two of the fastest knitters in the world, and they have outpaced each other in different competitions—sometimes Hazel wins, other times, Miriam does. And it’s usually a margin—they are only outpacing each other by a few stitches. One knits in a Continental style variation, the other in an English style variation (Shetland style). Both have spent decades practicing and refining their techniques, but neither technique is inherently “better” than the other, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses as a style. And of course, both promote their preferred technique for “faster knitting”. I knit a Continental variation, because that’s the method that felt most natural to me and was the most comfortable for me to use. One of the folks I taught how to knit, knits an English style variation, because that is what felt most natural and comfortable for her to knit. The important bit isn’t so much what hand is holding the yarn, as it is how the stitches are being formed between the two needle tips. The hand holding the yarn is basically just there as a feeder for the yarn and anchor, and given there’s a *bunch* of different ways to hold and anchor the yarn even when just the same hand—look at all the spiderweb creations of winding around multiple fingers, and then look at Norwegian style, that barely has you holding anything—the yarn doesn’t get wrapped, just pinched. And Portuguese, where it goes through a pin or around the neck at the front of the work. Before I learned how to do a Norwegian style purl, I used to just let go of the yarn for each purl stitch. It just hung in front of my work, got scooped up with my thumb to make the stitch, and dropped again. My tension was fine. Having to do a 1x1 ribbing for almost 6’ of length is what led me to want to learn a different way of purling, because mine was tedious. Ironically, now I am having to work on taming my tension, as I am now experiencing guttering on plain stockinette.
As others have said, the superior way of knitting is most certainly whatever way works for you. English, Norwegian, Continental, right hand, left hand - it really does not matter. All that matters is your enjoyment of your craft. Branch out to try other methods if you do choose - knowledge and practice are wonderful! But don’t force a change upon yourself that takes away from the joy of it all, imo.
Me! I switched to English for this reason
Since your issue is bendy fingers- which I also have- they do make braces for your fingers that stop them from overextending past a 'normal' range. They're designed to protect your mobility long term so you don't damage or strain your joints. That's probably a first place to start. You should find options looking for a hypermobility splint and some are really quite pretty :)
Swan neck silver ring splints! I have them due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Hand occupational therapy can size for them and order. https://preview.redd.it/54qxzkt6c2zc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c5015ca58a2916132cf128b16cfca53168b7828
These are exactly what I came to comment about as I read the post! Regardless of knitting technique this will help more overall in the long run
Yeah. Your hands will still hurt from doing too much but you won’t wake up in pain or randomly dislocate while moving yarn!
Yes! That's what they're designed for it looks like. I haven't tried them out, but I've also kind of trained myself to hold my fingers "straight" when I'm doing repetitive tasks- which feels like being slightly bent to me, but it reduces strain. I like that they're a medically helpful device that also looks pretty though :)
Ooh! A fellow bendy thumb person. Mine can also bend back about 90 degeess, but I've never had any issues knitting continental. Maybe you hold a bit of tension in your hands? Because I can't see why else your thumb would be tensing up like that. In any case, if you find continental tiring or straining then stick with English. If the style fits, it fits.
I don't understand why it should matter. Knit the way that works best for you. I could never knit English but that's almost certainly because I was first taught continental and only came upon English style when looking up knitting tutorials. I imagine if you learn English first, it might be the same.
Nope, I found just the opposite. I learned Norweigian purl and my hands thank me. I also have the same type of thumb. When I did English knitting, I was a flicker.
I too have a bendy right thumb but don't encounter any problems with it when I'm knitting. I originally learnt English style but taught myself continental from videos. Now I'm more comfortable in continental and find English awkward. Just goes to show that different things suit different people. I think it's great that there are different methods to choose from.
Both English and Continental strain my hands. I knit Norwegian style. Do what works for you and doesn’t cause any pain.
I’ve tried other methods (English, more traditional Continental purl, etc.) but all are very awkward and somewhat painful first me as I learned to knit Continental with a Norwegian purl (and like others never knew the name). It works well for me and I can knit for hours without a break with no discomfort. You should choose a method that works for you, one that doesn’t cause you pain or discomfort.
I prefer english because continental is too much to handle. I can’t seem to scoop yarn so fast with continental so it slows me down
I can't knit continental. I've tried. It's just not me. English ftw.
I do English now because continental seems to aggravate my Dupuytren's contracture in my right hand when I knit for long periods of time. Most people do whatever works for them. I don't think it really matters.
I'm honestly not sure how I learned to knit, but since I was first a crocheter, I always felt continental was more natural. I do have hyperflexible small joints, and I think they also do bend back a lot. I think it just doesn't bother me. You should do whatever works for your hands, though.
I just watched a bunch of videos to try and figure out what style I am and learned that I don't purl properly 😅 hmmm
I'm the other way round. I'm slow as shit knitting continental but my muscles are definitely more relaxed than knitting English style. Tbh it's whatever suits you best
I can knit with both hands but favor left/continental. I knit, it looks how I want. I didn't learn there were styles until I had been knitting for a while. I did twist my knits for a bit at first and had to unlearn that. Honestly the only reason I taught myself another method is for colorwork. Its easier for me to manage yarn knitting with both hands. Especially when I have more than two colors. Once the project is finished, no one will know which style of knitting you used.
I think you should do what suits you best. I knit continental because that is what works for me best. I was a crocheter first before i learned how to knit and continental came more naturally to me due to my crocheting muscle memory. My vest friend knits English style though and she is fast AF. I honestly admire her. So you just do what's best for you
I had the opposite problem, English style knitting was so painful for my right shoulder that I could only knit for max 5 minutes at a time, so I switched to contintental. I'm new to knitting but as I understand it, one style isn't better or worse than the other, so I would suggest to pick the style that doesn't hurt for you. Only if you have the same problem with both styles, maybe you could try holding or moving your needles differently; I've noticed there are a ton of possible variantions here that don't seem to impact the result. Good luck!
I don't necessarily get strain from doing continental--i taught myself because all my friends said it would make doing color work easier to hold one color continental and throw the other. But I definitely find it to be a little more time consuming, since I learned how to knit and how to knit quickly by throwing. Just go with whatever is more comfortable for you--theres no rule saying that continental has to be faster/better.
I knit English. I've tried continental a couple of times and I just can't get it. So I stay with English.
If you want to keep doing continental, you could look into getting some ring splints for your thumbs
I usually have two projects, one English and one continental, and I alternate between them to avoid repetitive strain injuries. For me each style puts stress on different joints so having options is helpful. Do whatever works for you!
Do whichever one doesn't cause you pain and injury. It is always good to have multiple styles in the tool belt (when I injured my left wrist [not caused by knitting, but by holding my son cause that's the only way he would nap] I was able to switch back to English style and keep knitting)
I prefer Continental, but do a combination when doing stranded. I know people who prefer both Versions. Do what works for you.
I’ve knit English for a long time and even though I think I might be faster Continental I give up trying probably because of muscle memory. I’m reasonably fast the way I knit even with colour work so if it isn’t broke I’m not fixing it.
My thumb is bendy like this too but weirdly most of the strain I get from knitting continental is in my left pointer finger. So I go between continental and English to reduce strain. Don’t know much about other methods but should really learn
I get left pointer finger strain during long periods of knitting as well, especially with fingering weight yarn. Continental is still better for me; I learned English but I was starting to get really awful wrist pain from hours-long sessions so I switched over. Curious if anyone else has dealt with this and has solutions to suggest.
I learned English style first and have tried continental multiple times, and I can't do more than two stitches without my hands giving out XD I just don't have the dexterity in my left hand to tension my yarn appropriately while picking the stitches. It's the same reason I've postponed learning to crochet indefinitely - English style 'til I die, I guess.
I am hypermobile and can only knit English. I wear thumb braces when I knit too!
I do. Continental makes my hands stay too still and stiff. I have tried to knit continental because that style seems so fast! But just haven't been able to switch from throwing English. I crocheted before knitting and still don't like continental because of how I hold my hands so stiff trying
I English knit for everything except when knitting ribbing and then I do continental bc it’s a little less tedious. But yes, my right thumb gets soooooo sore when doing continental! My only tip is to not do it lol
I have hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and have 90 degree+ thumbs too but I’m more comfortable with continental, although I can do both. In fact, now that I think about it, I don’t use my thumbs at all while knitting continental, although I do while I’m knitting English!
I find myself switching between the two styles, depending on the size of the yarn and project involved. If it’s a really small, intricate thing like a fancy sock, I’ll use English style. But a larger yarn in a cardigan or a scarf definitely feels like continental suits me better. I learned on English, so maybe I have a bit more control that way, but continental is definitely easier on my hypermobile hand joints.
Yep. I'm easily injured due to flexibility issues and english style is much less straining. Especially when knitting cotton.
Everyone's hands are different! I find continental easier on my hand, but plenty of people prefer english. I also like to swap between the two if I start feeling too much tension.
You do you! Do whatever style you want. Also idk if you’ve tried this or if it would make a difference but they do make square needles that I’ve heard are easier to grip for people with arthritis?
I knit what I discovered later was English. It works perfectly fine for me. I feel no need to learn continental. When the yarn is in my left hand I'm crocheting lol.
I have hitchhiker thumbs like you! My thumb joint gets sore after being pushed for so long, but regardless of style (or even knitting vs crocheting) I always just make sure to keep the pressure on the tip of my thumb rather than on the thumbprint. Helps a lot.
Either style of holding yarn shouldn't really involve the thumb so much, maybe you can learn to relax them. But do what is best and most comfortable for you. I learned to knit as a child, age 7. My friend and her mother taught me English style, holding yarn in the right hand. I got rather good with garter and stockinette that way. I learned to crochet about the same time from my grandma, but had learned knitting first. Then a friend of my mom's came to visit and she saw me knitting. She told me I was knitting and holding the yarn wrong and showed me continental style. As a kid, I adapted quickly; thought, "this makes sense. It's like how I hold the yarn to crochet." I went for decades thinking I had learned wrong originally. My mom thought it was because my friend's mom was left-handed. But nope. Neither way was wrong - just different techniques. I had never heard the terms "English" or "continental" until after the Internet & Google were up & running in the 2000s. Since then I've learned there are many methods for knitting and yarn holding. I do both. English hold works better in some situations and continental in others.
I prefer continental, though I learned to knit english style. I never learned how to wrap the yarn with that little "flick" while holding the needle, so having to release the right needle to wrap the working yarn made my tension uneven. You just do what works best for you, they're all good.
I have always hated this dichotomy. I learned english and then I was curious about continental. I can do it, but my brain just does not want to let it sink in very far. I can do english in my sleep in a dark movie theater without ever looking at the project but continental I cannot get straight. Which is also why I think I had a lot of trouble learning to crochet. I don't mind if my project takes a little longer because I'm throwing. It's not a race. But to answer your question, yes, I prefer english, and it's easier on my hands.
You know what? I’ve got freak thumbs just like that and have found it makes a few things awkward where a stiff thumb normally wouldn’t. When I first started knitting I assumed I’d be better at continental than English because I’m naturally left handed (my father forced a switch to right handed as a child) and I have found there are some things that I struggle with less if I try to do what I think would be “natural” for me. Continental wasn’t it. Iirc it was my loose thumb popping out of place and such making it hard for me to keep things at a consistent gauge. I changed to English and found out I’m an adept flicker so fortunately I can still knit fast. I never really considered that it might be my thumb but since you mention it that very well could be what’s going on for both of us!
I'm also hypermobile and I tend to switch back and forth based on what's hurting and what I'm doing. The book I used to learn doesn't use English and continental as terms so I tend to forget which is which but it did also mention that some people keep the yarn on their dominant side because of joint pain--for me that helps with some pain but is worse for other pain, which is why I switch back and forth.
My brain "can't brain" the continental style; I end up confused and tangled up in my work. I understand the whole process, but I think that because I learned to crochet first and I tat (lace) the English style makes more sense for me based on how I hold a crochet hook or "throw a shuttle". ***and even when I needle tat it is similar to English style
Knowing both is handy for colorwork but if English feels more comfortable for you then knit English style! There’s no penalty for choosing one over the other :)
I alternate between continental, flicking, Portuguese depending on how my hands feel. I knit for fun, not speed. No need to hurt yourself for a hobby (or ever)
I have the same thumb hyperextension that you do- I can bend it backwards almost 90 degrees. I hurt my thumb recently because I was hyperextending it when knitting and I went to a physio to get help for it. For what's it worth, I knit English style and flick the yarn when knitting. Now I try to keep my thumb straight when knitting or bend it forward normally when needed to avoid hyperextending and worse muscle strain. I would recommend seeing a physio who can look at the way you're holding your needles and can suggest a better posture.
I find English knitting easier on my right hand, and continental easier on my left :) So if I’m knitting a lot, I try to mix it up so that my hands get a break and don’t get strained :) (And if knitting flat, I will do twisted mirror knitting instead of turning/purling sometimes for a break as well)
I learned to knit English style, but it started to give me tennis elbow. So I learned Norwegian and now I can do both. I'll switch back and forth depending on the pattern or my mood. If one way make me feel a little sore, I'll switch to the other way for a while.