As I continue to try to add to my arsenal of Mad Knitting Skillz, I decided to take a class on how to knit Continental style, which is also referred to as "picking". Currently, I knit English style (which can be referred to as throwing). The main reason I want to learn to knit Continental is because it generally is a much faster way of knitting, and as I've mentioned before: I am a very slow knitter!!!
I had tried to teach myself the Continental way of knitting, just as I had the English method - with books from the library and from different sites online, but I just couldn't get it. So off to the LYS for an actual instructor lesson.
The lesson was great, as was the instructor, but I really need some practice. Knitting this way almost feels completely backwards from how I learned to knit in the first place - the yarn is now held in the left hand, the tension is all sorts of crazy, and there's a lot less wrapping and moving the yarn around (which makes it faster), so it feels like I'm missing steps. But I got the hang of it after a few rows, so I was definitely pleased. However, my tension is waaaayyy too tight, and my stitches are still getting twisted now and then and coming out kinda wonky, but I keep reminding myself how crapalicious my knitting looked when I first started a year ago.
The sample on the left is my practice swatch in Continental, the right is my usual way of knitting. As you can see, the one on the left looks as though it may have been done while I was a little drunk.
I just need to practice practice, and resist all urges to go back to the old English style, and before long, I'll be knitting like the wind!! Woo-hoo!!
