Here ya go Judy, it's called continental knitting :)

Here is a link that might be useful: holding yarn with your left hand how to

Thank you Zipper!
I hope I can learn to hang onto the yarn this time.

You're welcome :)

You can do it, one thing it's very very awkward at first, you just have to keep doing it, I used this video when I first learned to knit continental by sitting in front of it and playing it as I tried it, so much easier to hit pause when you need to see what she just did :)

You are right about the awkward!

This time I am determined, but I am useing purl on both sides. Purl is a bit harder. I need practice, lots of it.

hayjud mn:

I was taught to knit continental by my grandmother and I don't hold my yarn the way they do in zippers video. I think my way gives you more control of the yarn.

You hold it in your left hand. Lay the yarn across your palm. Then go around your little finger and up across the palm, then between the 3rd finger and pointer and over top of the pointer.

I noticed the lady in the video had her pointer finger held away from the other fingers, mine is just above them, because I have more control of the yarn.

It's always good to know both english and continental ways of knitting.

Oilpainter, That way of holding the yarn was much better for me.
I'm going back to the old way because when I do it that way I don't have to look at every move and my fingers don't cramp.

I did 2 rows with practicing the continental method. These rows are very long, like about 300 stitches of Baby Soft yarn. It is a huge afghan that is made in one piece. I finished this project last winter, but it needed to be a little bigger. I'm adding about 4 inches on each edge. In the process of doing those two rows I dropped at least six stitches in each -- what a pain to pick up all those.

I really do want to start a shorter project and practice this method. I need to figure out what I do wrong, because I seem to get the stitches twisted. Those twisted stitches are really hard to work.

I have bookmarked that video and refer to it in the future.

Thanks for all your help!

You shouldn't have any twisted stitches. I think perhaps you are knitting the stitch from the back instead of the front.

Insert the needle into the stitch grab the strand of wool from your finger and pull it straight through the stitch. It's almost like using a crochet hook without the hook.

It will feel awkward at first, almost like you were starting to knit all over again. I had the same trouble when I taught myself the English way. I am still slow doing it that way. I've seen many knit fast that way though, but for me I think the Continental way is much faster.

Wow, I've been knitting for 40 some years and have never seen this technique before! There is so much less movement! I'll have to try it on something simple like dish cloths.

Donna

MsMeow, I am 65 and I started knitting (self taught) as a teenager. Needless to say, I am pretty set-in-my-ways. I did 3 more rows last night all with the continental method, and it is getting better. I did settle on a way of holding the yarn that is a "combo" of suggestions. My hand is not cramping anymore, because I am relaxing more.

Using the old method (throwing the yarn) took me about 20 min to do one of these long rows. I have the continental method down to about one hour for a row LOL! I think it is going to work, but I still need to look carefully at every move, so the eye strain is a bit of a pain.

It is definately a better way to knit!

Oh, I also got the twist out of it. I had been putting the yarn on the wrong side of the "poking" needle.

I have only been doing the "KNIT" stitch, so I still have the "PURL" to conquer!

I learned to knit using the English or throwing method. Taught my son the same way when he was home one holiday from grad school. He promptly used the internet and taught himself continental. I considered learning continental last year, after knitting over 50 years, but I finally decided that I knit for pleasure and during leisure time. I do not need to speed up the knitting because I just give away most of what I make. So I am keeping the knitting at a more slow throwing pace, myself calm, and the need for project recipients somewhat less than continental would.

Do you crochet? Contintental knitting is much like crocheting (purling different)

BUT remember...there is no WRONG WAY to knit. You don't have to change!

Vickey

There's another great web site that has LOTS of videos of all sorts of "things," like different methods to cast on, how to do different stitches, etc., and most of them are shown in both the Continental and English styles. The site is, appropriately enough, "Knitting Help."

Here is a link that might be useful: Wonderful Knitting Help Web Site

I knit continental or German style, having been taught as a child by my Grandmother. I knit that way all my life. Till I started taking a knitting class at my local Michaels. There were no other students in the class , just me and the teacher "Terri." Terri told me I was holding the needles all wrong and attempted to get me to knit "properly". I left the class all confused, never went back and have continued knitting the way Grandma showed me. By the way, Michaels no longer offers knitting classes.