I do quite a lot of knitting and I use all of these at different times to reduce stress on my hands. I also will sometimes knit a row backwards instead of purling.
First of your videos I’ve watched. Very helpful. You have a great facility for explaining. Not too slow or fast, gentle without being condescending or cute, just straightforward and pleasant. Thanks!
There is another style of knitting, I think it's called Eastern Uncrossed, that has an easy purl. The yarn is held in front, as usual, but you push the yarn instead of wrapping it. That goes much faster. It does create a crossed stitch, however. You uncross the stitch by working the knit stitch through the back loop.
Its always good to know various styles. I have always been curious about various styles. A couple of times, some older knitters feared having to give it up as their hands or arms ached. It broke my heart. I showed them sone alternatives to holding and wrapping. Those that practiced the alternatives were able to continue knitting.
I knit English style and wrap my purl stitches clockwise instead of counterclockwise, and then I knit through the back loop on the opposite side since the stitch is twisted. It makes the purl stitches more narrow and makes very even rib. I also find it faster for me.
Thanks for putting together this comprehensive instructional on knitting and purling in these different styles! It's amazing and eye opening! It just so happens that about 3 weeks ago I started forcing myself to knit continental style. I've dabbled in continental before but never became very comfortable (having learned and knit in an English "flicking" style my entire knitting career). And honestly today I'd say it's almost more comfortable than my typical style (except I have to look at my work a little more often). I've had a twinkle in my eye for Portuguese style and Lever style for a long time but I've never found a resource that covered the mechanics so well. I'm very inspired to really dive now. PS if you need to tink back your work - try doing it Portuguese style! The tension automatically creates a sort of "negative pressure" to the yarn - I will always be Portuguese tinking in the future!
I learned to knit on RUclips. I can't remember who I was watching when I learned to knit so I was unaware of the style of knitting that I do. All along I thought I've been knitting Continental but per your video it turns out I am knitting my knit stitches Norwegian style. I have tried the Norwegian Purl and I like it but my tension is more loose than my knit stitches. I think I will practice at it a little more.
Thank you for comparing all of these knitting styles. ❤ I started out as an English thrower, but I have recently taught myself the Norwegian style and love its efficiency.
I’m Portuguese and I knit Portuguese style and I think your demonstration of that style was amazing. You just have a little movement with your fingers at the end of purling to make the yarn go through the stitch that we don’t do. 😊 l learn with you that my mother used to knit lever style . I don’t know where she had learned that style 😊. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge ❤❤❤❤❤
You didn't mention the old continental style (or granny continental or another names idk 😅 ). For me, the fastest and easier. The purling is super fast and with minimal hands movement. Only the tip of the right needle is involved.
Please elucidate. I learned from my mother who learned from her grandmother, I'm almost 80, so if there is an older way of knitting continental, I'd like to know.
@@bdarci Search RUclips for Russian purl granny or grandma style. It is the fastest purl to make, but you have to be careful not to twist your stitches if you are working a pattern because the Russian granny purl stitches are mounted with their left legs to the front, while the continental purl stitches (also called Russian classical purl) are mounted with their right legs to the front.
@ I know what the Russian or lazy purl is, I also know what combination knitting is. I was just asking what old granny Continental is. Is it combination knitting? If it’s is I’d like the OP to verify that. If it’s something else, I’d like to know that as well.
This is how I purl - with barely any difference in my hand motion at all compared to knitting, and it is way less tiring. For clarity, I am NOT reversing the stitch mount on my purl rows; my knitting is continental, but not "combination" knitting. I am in the middle of a shawl worked on laceweight yarn and knitted in double seed stitch for the majority of the fabric (so almost every row is k1, p1 across 450+ stiches). I genuinely think purling is a dream this way, as it doesn't cost any effort or extra motion. To try to describe this in words... Yarn is tensioned in my left hand in the same way she demonstrated for continental knitting. My left index finger is held slightly above the work, but not "stiffly in the air." It's a roughly relaxed hand position. I do what she demonstrated and keep stitches bunched up towards the front on the left needle so that they are ready for action. The angle the working yarn makes is EVERYTHING. From the base of the last stitch to the top of my index finger, it probably changes by no more than 10-15 degrees between knitting and purling. I accomplish this change by a very minor movement of my left wrist. The right needle does hardly any motion. You'd think it was just going "in and out" of the next stitch. There is no dramatic "scooping" that the right needle is doing at all, for either knitting or purling. The main thrust of the motion of the right needle is to go forward far enough to enter the next stitch, and then moving back to its starting point after having caught the yarn and formed the stitch. If there is any rotation of the right wrist, it's slight enough to be almost undetectable. I will say that if working a P2tog, I do occasionally have to bend my left index finger down to tension the yarn to get the stitch done, but that is the only time. Where did this method come from and what is it called? Don't know, I came up with it on my own. (When I was 10 years old, I learned to knit English style from a book my grandmother gave me. Later, I heard of a method where the yarn was held in your left hand, and I figured it out by trial and error. Nobody in my life at the time knew how to knit continental, I just came up with it on my own based on hearing that it was possible. I was also studying piano at the time, which made me conscious of repetitive motion injuries, so I made the effort to minimize hand motions as much as possible in the way I was knitting. Maybe I should film a video. It bothers me when I see people making wasted movements in their knitting. It's just more fatigue and more risk of a repetitive motion injury.
I am left handed. I was taught to knit continental style. Like many others I was frustrated with purling. Then I read something from Meg Swanson. I figured how to purl back (left-handed). Then I was told by a right handed knitter that I was knitting right handed. So I guess I knit left handed and then purl back by knitting right handed. I don't need to turn my knitting at the end of each row when making stockinette.
I knit and purl continental, but slip my thumb into the yarn and purl with my yarn on the thumb. Very little movement needed, no cramps when purling like i had with finger held forward and down. Very easy to do 1x1 ribbing!
I do that for things where if you do a regular purl, you have to turn the work around to work half a handful of stitches, like making bobbles or buttonholes.
@@j.t.clemensen1419 no i am right handed. I learned basic crochet in the 1970's. I tried to learn English (throwing) knitting in 2006, i think, and was ALL thumbs! Clumsy as could be! About 2012, my sister was demonstrating Continental (picking) knitting to our 7 year old niece and i was watching and asked if i could try it. Not only did i catch on to knitting continental, i really enjoyed it! I found it very relaxing! Very little motion of hands or needles. I just flick my thumb in and out of working yarn to do a purl stitch, NO regrasping of the yarn. I can turn at the end of rows without retensioning the yarn in my left fingers. I can drop the right hand needle to answer the phone, jot a note, grab a sip of water... But do what you find works for you!
@@j.t.clemensen1419 at about 10 years old, my left handed nephew did something that i just could not figure out what he was doing, but the loops came out as knitting. I had shown him how i knit continental and VERY CLUMSY English. He mixed the two somehow... his mother let him be when i said the result was knitting. It is amazing how many different methods can produce knit fabric!
Thank you for your demonstration and showing us such different styles of knitting. Personally I knit and purl with Portuguese style with the thread around my neck because it helps me to control the tension at 2 points : hands and neck and it gives a very regular work. But I was also knitting with Norwegian style without knowing it and purling in a mixed way keeping the yarn in front of the work, and I found it very easy. Thank very much. 🙏
Ok, maybe this is an unpopular opinion... but I don't really understand why people always talk about knitting faster... or knitting better (as in which method is supposedly better or easier). If you are someone who lives from making knits, I would understand that you want to be as fast and efficient as possible. But I don't really get why it has to be a race when it's your hobby.... why not just enjoy it and find the way that you enjoy it the most? Personally I find it fascinating how many different methods there are and to have to many options!
I don't personally have the need to knit and superhuman speeds, but I can completely understand why people would want to go faster because I also sometimes start a mammoth project and eventually am so sick and tired of it taunting me I just want it over, and knitting faster helps that process along 😂
It's not that it's a race. For me, knitting faster is a matter of knitting each stitch with fewer movements, so therefore less fatigue. Knitting fast (at least for me) is still a relaxed thing to do; I'm certainly not tensed up or "racing" as I knit. You're going to knit all the stitches in your project whether you make them fast or slow, but knitting faster means you get more finished objects for the same amount of knitting time.
@@rebekahchalkley3252 I totally get that that is the main aspect for many knitters. For me, it's not important if I manage to make 3 sweaters in a given amount of time or 1. It's the act of knitting that is enjoyable to me and I'm happy to have the finished object. We have so many things that we accumulate, why should I speed knit to have more items just to have more things. That's not meant as an insult or anything towards you or other people who want to knit faster for various reasons. Just I don't understand why that's such a hype. And I've even experienced other knitters looking down on those who knit slower or who are not able to knit without looking at their work.
I think it’s about fatiguing those muscles over many years. The less big repetitive movements, the more ergonomical. I really don’t care about speed either. But I do care about possible pain over many years…
OMG, thanks to you, I realized I knit Norwegian style naturally. 😊 I learned via RUclips over the past few months how to knit. But I've been crocheting since 2016.
I was taught continental from my mother and grandmother (Swedish) and purling, i never dip my left index finger down. It is not necessary and purling is as quick as knitting in the Continental style.
This is an excellent tutorial, thank you for sharing! I’m just about ready to start knitting an afghan that begins and ends with 5 rows of seed stitch and both borders are seed stitch so I was thinking of a better way of working my purl stitches when I came across this! Perfect timing! At first I thought the Portuguese style was the best for me until I saw the Norwegian style, wow, that is amazing! I’ll try it wit my thanks for your help today ❤
I taught myself to knit in 1969 from a pamphlet. I knitted English because it was what was shown. Five years ago I saw a Continental video and attempted to switch. It was difficult as I had 50 years of muscle memory to overcome. I see now that I slowly switched (unknowingly) to knitting Norwegian, which feels much more comfortable. It does tend to give me slanted stitches until washing the item. I try to avoid purling if at all possible and I am definitely one of those who would rather knit in the round and steek than knit back and forth. Thank you for showing the Norwegian purl. If I need to purl any stitches I will be referring back to your excellent video.
So that's called Portuguese purling? Hmmm. I always love learning that what I have been doing for years is actually a thing. I did learn, several years ago, that Russian knitting is an actual style. I did that for years, too, and find it fast, as well. My hands tire quickly, at times, and so I have always just changed things up rather randomly. Who knew that they were actually really things. Thank you internet!
I have taught myself to knit left handed (going from left to right) so that I don’t have to purl when knitting stockinette flat. I am left handed but was taught to knit right handed. The tension is almost perfect between the two. Blocking takes care of the difference. Still an experiment. I am an English lever knitter, and really don’t mind purling, but do like to challenge my 68 year old self who has been knitting for 60 years.
If I understand what you are saying. You never turn your work and just go back and forth? I think I was told that's called mirror stitching? (or I am wrong and then never mind my babbles) I taught myself to do that when I was learning to do entrelac a long time ago. A lady at the knitting group was like, "That's pretty cool, I've never seen anyone doing mirror stitch in person."
Today I learned I knit Norwegian style and purl Continental style. 😂 for me it helps me make less mistakes like splitting or dropping my knit stitches than a more open Continental style. The Portuguese style looks like it kind of reversed which stitch is more annoying. The purls look fine to get used to and I could perhaps do them faster, but the knits look like I’d do them so much more slowly
I have been doing Norwegian style since 2018 when I first started noticing really bad arthritis pain in my CMC joints. Switched from Continental and to this day my finger still wanders way off to its old position away from the needle lol. Also will do mirror stitching (going from right to left and then left to right so you don't turn your work.) Also practicing Brioche and sorta do 2 color with 1 in each hand and both at the same time so I don't have to do 2 passes... but that could just be me being weird.
I use combination knitting for stitch patterns requiring knit and purl in the same row. Maybe a video on Western vs Eastern stitch mount knitting? There are some techniques I prefer for English (lace work) and some I prefer for Continental (colorwork with both hands)
I knit continental,but noticed that by using a scooping motion on my knit stitches, the right side of the stockinette stitch was tighter than the left side of each stitch. The final product kind of had a column of tightness down the right side of each stitch. When I added more motion with the throwing of the yarn with my left hand, that loosened up that tightness that was pulling the stitch by scooping. Have you noticed this with Continental knitting?
I really found this video helpful. I find that when I knit one side and then purl the next side (as in knitting a cardigan without steeking) that I keep getting the ‘rowing out’ look on the right side of the fabric. I keep trying different methods of purling as I feel that the purl stitch can sometimes get looser than the knit stitch. Do you have any suggestions to stop rowing out?
When I have long stretches of purling for a stockinette panel with no to low knitting stitches, I will reverse (or mirror) knit. It has the added benefit of not twisting my yarn because I just knit across and reverse knit back without ever having to turn my work. However, Norwegian purling is easier on ribbing work or cable work because it is changing between knit and purl quite frequently. I need to practice my Portuguese knitting again. I haven't done it in many years. I did enjoy the process, but I need to get myself a pin to use for my tension. Going around the neck works, but if the yarn is a little rough it scratches and rug burns the back of the neck. Thank you for a refresher course on all these different knitting styles! I am sure there are others (like reverse knitting) that you haven't mentioned, but that is okay. It can be another video down the line. Have a great weekend!
@@herelizasaint Absolutely! Yes... this video was already getting very long, but I have more to share. I have content planned about knitting backwards (so you don't need to flip your work), Eastern Uncrossed knitting, and also talk about "rowing out" in future videos. Thanks for watching!
@@deborahpreston6673 oh! You just keep on knitting lever style in the round… there’s no need to change anything. Unless I’m misunderstanding your question?
I love kitting, but I can't stand having the yarn around my fingers, it bothers me so much. I just wrap the yarn around the needle and old it with my thumb passing through.
3:34 The extra motion you are demonstrating, where your finger drops down in order to make the purl stitch, is not necessary. I am a continental knitter, and there is barely any difference for me between the motion of purling vs knitting, and I am certainly not bending my left index finger for every purl stitch. I am currently working on a laceweight shawl where the majority of the fabric is worked in double seed stitch, meaning I am working k1, p1 across 450+ stitches. If I was purling the way you showed, it would be unbearable. My knit stitch also has vastly fewer rotational motions than your continental demonstration shows. Since you are someone who wants to knit faster, I would encourage you to find a continental knitter who doesn't waste movements so that you can eliminate unnecessary repetitive motion, and this will also speed up your knitting.
A lot of people have been taught that way, that’s why we do it. (My particular method is not one that was shown here, it needs a pair of longer needles, not a circular needle.) I have been learning continental style more recently, I’m still a little bit more awkward with it than English. That said, I refuse to attempt brioche in English style. And I do both together when doing stranded colour work. And I’m working on a project that I’m mostly doing in Continental style right now, it needs the long circular needle.
This is an excellent video. Thank you very much.😊
I do quite a lot of knitting and I use all of these at different times to reduce stress on my hands. I also will sometimes knit a row backwards instead of purling.
First of your videos I’ve watched. Very helpful. You have a great facility for explaining. Not too slow or fast, gentle without being condescending or cute, just straightforward and pleasant. Thanks!
Agreed. My first time watching here as well.
There is another style of knitting, I think it's called Eastern Uncrossed, that has an easy purl. The yarn is held in front, as usual, but you push the yarn instead of wrapping it. That goes much faster. It does create a crossed stitch, however. You uncross the stitch by working the knit stitch through the back loop.
I’m from Easter Europe and this is how my mother thought me to knit! For me, purl stitches are just as easy to do as knit stitches.
Yes!! I’m doing a video about this too soon!! 👍
@@sweetgeorgia en France on appelle cela tricoter "à la Suisse"
en France cela s'appelle tricot à la Suisse
Its always good to know various styles. I have always been curious about various styles. A couple of times, some older knitters feared having to give it up as their hands or arms ached. It broke my heart. I showed them sone alternatives to holding and wrapping. Those that practiced the alternatives were able to continue knitting.
I knit English style and wrap my purl stitches clockwise instead of counterclockwise, and then I knit through the back loop on the opposite side since the stitch is twisted. It makes the purl stitches more narrow and makes very even rib. I also find it faster for me.
Absolutely, I'll be talking about that method too in an upcoming video 👍Thanks for watching!
It’s my favorite!
Thanks for putting together this comprehensive instructional on knitting and purling in these different styles! It's amazing and eye opening! It just so happens that about 3 weeks ago I started forcing myself to knit continental style. I've dabbled in continental before but never became very comfortable (having learned and knit in an English "flicking" style my entire knitting career). And honestly today I'd say it's almost more comfortable than my typical style (except I have to look at my work a little more often).
I've had a twinkle in my eye for Portuguese style and Lever style for a long time but I've never found a resource that covered the mechanics so well. I'm very inspired to really dive now.
PS if you need to tink back your work - try doing it Portuguese style! The tension automatically creates a sort of "negative pressure" to the yarn - I will always be Portuguese tinking in the future!
This was awesome! Just found your channel and your videos are very helpful and so well done. Thank you!
I learned to knit on RUclips. I can't remember who I was watching when I learned to knit so I was unaware of the style of knitting that I do. All along I thought I've been knitting Continental but per your video it turns out I am knitting my knit stitches Norwegian style. I have tried the Norwegian Purl and I like it but my tension is more loose than my knit stitches. I think I will practice at it a little more.
Thank you for comparing all of these knitting styles. ❤
I started out as an English thrower, but I have recently taught myself the Norwegian style and love its efficiency.
I’m Portuguese and I knit Portuguese style and I think your demonstration of that style was amazing. You just have a little movement with your fingers at the end of purling to make the yarn go through the stitch that we don’t do. 😊 l learn with you that my mother used to knit lever style . I don’t know where she had learned that style 😊. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge ❤❤❤❤❤
You didn't mention the old continental style (or granny continental or another names idk 😅 ). For me, the fastest and easier. The purling is super fast and with minimal hands movement. Only the tip of the right needle is involved.
Please elucidate. I learned from my mother who learned from her grandmother, I'm almost 80, so if there is an older way of knitting continental, I'd like to know.
I think she is talking about continental Eastern knitting. Also known as combination knitting. I find it’s the easiest on my hands.
@@bdarci Search RUclips for Russian purl granny or grandma style. It is the fastest purl to make, but you have to be careful not to twist your stitches if you are working a pattern because the Russian granny purl stitches are mounted with their left legs to the front, while the continental purl stitches (also called Russian classical purl) are mounted with their right legs to the front.
@ I know what the Russian or lazy purl is, I also know what combination knitting is. I was just asking what old granny Continental is. Is it combination knitting? If it’s is I’d like the OP to verify that. If it’s something else, I’d like to know that as well.
This is how I purl - with barely any difference in my hand motion at all compared to knitting, and it is way less tiring. For clarity, I am NOT reversing the stitch mount on my purl rows; my knitting is continental, but not "combination" knitting. I am in the middle of a shawl worked on laceweight yarn and knitted in double seed stitch for the majority of the fabric (so almost every row is k1, p1 across 450+ stiches). I genuinely think purling is a dream this way, as it doesn't cost any effort or extra motion.
To try to describe this in words... Yarn is tensioned in my left hand in the same way she demonstrated for continental knitting. My left index finger is held slightly above the work, but not "stiffly in the air." It's a roughly relaxed hand position. I do what she demonstrated and keep stitches bunched up towards the front on the left needle so that they are ready for action. The angle the working yarn makes is EVERYTHING. From the base of the last stitch to the top of my index finger, it probably changes by no more than 10-15 degrees between knitting and purling. I accomplish this change by a very minor movement of my left wrist. The right needle does hardly any motion. You'd think it was just going "in and out" of the next stitch. There is no dramatic "scooping" that the right needle is doing at all, for either knitting or purling. The main thrust of the motion of the right needle is to go forward far enough to enter the next stitch, and then moving back to its starting point after having caught the yarn and formed the stitch. If there is any rotation of the right wrist, it's slight enough to be almost undetectable. I will say that if working a P2tog, I do occasionally have to bend my left index finger down to tension the yarn to get the stitch done, but that is the only time.
Where did this method come from and what is it called? Don't know, I came up with it on my own. (When I was 10 years old, I learned to knit English style from a book my grandmother gave me. Later, I heard of a method where the yarn was held in your left hand, and I figured it out by trial and error. Nobody in my life at the time knew how to knit continental, I just came up with it on my own based on hearing that it was possible. I was also studying piano at the time, which made me conscious of repetitive motion injuries, so I made the effort to minimize hand motions as much as possible in the way I was knitting.
Maybe I should film a video. It bothers me when I see people making wasted movements in their knitting. It's just more fatigue and more risk of a repetitive motion injury.
I am left handed. I was taught to knit continental style. Like many others I was frustrated with purling. Then I read something from Meg Swanson. I figured how to purl back (left-handed). Then I was told by a right handed knitter that I was knitting right handed. So I guess I knit left handed and then purl back by knitting right handed. I don't need to turn my knitting at the end of each row when making stockinette.
I knit and purl continental, but slip my thumb into the yarn and purl with my yarn on the thumb. Very little movement needed, no cramps when purling like i had with finger held forward and down. Very easy to do 1x1 ribbing!
@Marilou-g5t Are you left handed?
I do that for things where if you do a regular purl, you have to turn the work around to work half a handful of stitches, like making bobbles or buttonholes.
@@j.t.clemensen1419 no i am right handed. I learned basic crochet in the 1970's. I tried to learn English (throwing) knitting in 2006, i think, and was ALL thumbs! Clumsy as could be! About 2012, my sister was demonstrating Continental (picking) knitting to our 7 year old niece and i was watching and asked if i could try it. Not only did i catch on to knitting continental, i really enjoyed it! I found it very relaxing! Very little motion of hands or needles. I just flick my thumb in and out of working yarn to do a purl stitch, NO regrasping of the yarn. I can turn at the end of rows without retensioning the yarn in my left fingers. I can drop the right hand needle to answer the phone, jot a note, grab a sip of water...
But do what you find works for you!
@@j.t.clemensen1419 at about 10 years old, my left handed nephew did something that i just could not figure out what he was doing, but the loops came out as knitting. I had shown him how i knit continental and VERY CLUMSY English. He mixed the two somehow... his mother let him be when i said the result was knitting. It is amazing how many different methods can produce knit fabric!
Thank you for your demonstration and showing us such different styles of knitting. Personally I knit and purl with Portuguese style with the thread around my neck because it helps me to control the tension at 2 points : hands and neck and it gives a very regular work.
But I was also knitting with Norwegian style without knowing it and purling in a mixed way keeping the yarn in front of the work, and I found it very easy.
Thank very much. 🙏
Ok, maybe this is an unpopular opinion... but I don't really understand why people always talk about knitting faster... or knitting better (as in which method is supposedly better or easier). If you are someone who lives from making knits, I would understand that you want to be as fast and efficient as possible. But I don't really get why it has to be a race when it's your hobby.... why not just enjoy it and find the way that you enjoy it the most? Personally I find it fascinating how many different methods there are and to have to many options!
I don't personally have the need to knit and superhuman speeds, but I can completely understand why people would want to go faster because I also sometimes start a mammoth project and eventually am so sick and tired of it taunting me I just want it over, and knitting faster helps that process along 😂
A most helpful video. Loved the last one too.
It's not that it's a race. For me, knitting faster is a matter of knitting each stitch with fewer movements, so therefore less fatigue. Knitting fast (at least for me) is still a relaxed thing to do; I'm certainly not tensed up or "racing" as I knit.
You're going to knit all the stitches in your project whether you make them fast or slow, but knitting faster means you get more finished objects for the same amount of knitting time.
@@rebekahchalkley3252 I totally get that that is the main aspect for many knitters. For me, it's not important if I manage to make 3 sweaters in a given amount of time or 1. It's the act of knitting that is enjoyable to me and I'm happy to have the finished object. We have so many things that we accumulate, why should I speed knit to have more items just to have more things.
That's not meant as an insult or anything towards you or other people who want to knit faster for various reasons. Just I don't understand why that's such a hype. And I've even experienced other knitters looking down on those who knit slower or who are not able to knit without looking at their work.
I think it’s about fatiguing those muscles over many years. The less big repetitive movements, the more ergonomical. I really don’t care about speed either. But I do care about possible pain over many years…
OMG, thanks to you, I realized I knit Norwegian style naturally. 😊 I learned via RUclips over the past few months how to knit. But I've been crocheting since 2016.
I was taught continental from my mother and grandmother (Swedish) and purling, i never dip my left index finger down. It is not necessary and purling is as quick as knitting in the Continental style.
This is an excellent tutorial, thank you for sharing! I’m just about ready to start knitting an afghan that begins and ends with 5 rows of seed stitch and both borders are seed stitch so I was thinking of a better way of working my purl stitches when I came across this! Perfect timing! At first I thought the Portuguese style was the best for me until I saw the Norwegian style, wow, that is amazing! I’ll try it wit my thanks for your help today ❤
I taught myself to knit in 1969 from a pamphlet. I knitted English because it was what was shown. Five years ago I saw a Continental video and attempted to switch. It was difficult as I had 50 years of muscle memory to overcome. I see now that I slowly switched (unknowingly) to knitting Norwegian, which feels much more comfortable. It does tend to give me slanted stitches until washing the item. I try to avoid purling if at all possible and I am definitely one of those who would rather knit in the round and steek than knit back and forth. Thank you for showing the Norwegian purl. If I need to purl any stitches I will be referring back to your excellent video.
@@pamelapruitt2558 I, too, love knitting in the round. So much easier! I am left handed though.
So that's called Portuguese purling? Hmmm. I always love learning that what I have been doing for years is actually a thing. I did learn, several years ago, that Russian knitting is an actual style. I did that for years, too, and find it fast, as well. My hands tire quickly, at times, and so I have always just changed things up rather randomly. Who knew that they were actually really things. Thank you internet!
I love using the reverse purl. This is my favorite way to purl and I do t have to turn my work. Love you videos. 😊
@@jennyvanallen3272 You're knitting right handed? I am the opposite, left handed. What is the reverse purl? Am not familiar with the term
So interesting to see the comparison
I usually purl eastern/Asian style unless I’m knitting lace, then I purl Norwegian style
Thank you for this! This was great. 😊
Thank you so much for this video! Really well done!
I’m danish , and I’ve noticed im knitting Norwegian style that I’ve leaned at home 😄
I have taught myself to knit left handed (going from left to right) so that I don’t have to purl when knitting stockinette flat. I am left handed but was taught to knit right handed. The tension is almost perfect between the two. Blocking takes care of the difference. Still an experiment. I am an English lever knitter, and really don’t mind purling, but do like to challenge my 68 year old self who has been knitting for 60 years.
If I understand what you are saying. You never turn your work and just go back and forth? I think I was told that's called mirror stitching? (or I am wrong and then never mind my babbles) I taught myself to do that when I was learning to do entrelac a long time ago. A lady at the knitting group was like, "That's pretty cool, I've never seen anyone doing mirror stitch in person."
@ it is still an experiment, but that is the plan.
@@RodeoPrinsessa yes - no turning. 🙂
I was never able to purl until I learned about Norwegian purling. For whatever reason my brain and hands like it.
Wow, this was amazing!🤩
Wonderful! Thank you.
Today I learned I knit Norwegian style and purl Continental style. 😂 for me it helps me make less mistakes like splitting or dropping my knit stitches than a more open Continental style.
The Portuguese style looks like it kind of reversed which stitch is more annoying. The purls look fine to get used to and I could perhaps do them faster, but the knits look like I’d do them so much more slowly
In continental purling I do not need to move my finger to wrap the yarn
I have been doing Norwegian style since 2018 when I first started noticing really bad arthritis pain in my CMC joints. Switched from Continental and to this day my finger still wanders way off to its old position away from the needle lol. Also will do mirror stitching (going from right to left and then left to right so you don't turn your work.) Also practicing Brioche and sorta do 2 color with 1 in each hand and both at the same time so I don't have to do 2 passes... but that could just be me being weird.
I use combination knitting for stitch patterns requiring knit and purl in the same row. Maybe a video on Western vs Eastern stitch mount knitting? There are some techniques I prefer for English (lace work) and some I prefer for Continental (colorwork with both hands)
I knit continental,but noticed that by using a scooping motion on my knit stitches, the right side of the stockinette stitch was tighter than the left side of each stitch. The final product kind of had a column of tightness down the right side of each stitch. When I added more motion with the throwing of the yarn with my left hand, that loosened up that tightness that was pulling the stitch by scooping. Have you noticed this with Continental knitting?
I really found this video helpful. I find that when I knit one side and then purl the next side (as in knitting a cardigan without steeking) that I keep getting the ‘rowing out’ look on the right side of the fabric. I keep trying different methods of purling as I feel that the purl stitch can sometimes get looser than the knit stitch. Do you have any suggestions to stop rowing out?
Thanks for bringing that up! I am planning to talk about rowing out in a future video too!!
If you are using a pair of needles rather than a circular needle, one option is to use a smaller size of needle for the purl rows.
Who knew there were so many ways to purl? Which method of purling works best for you?
When I have long stretches of purling for a stockinette panel with no to low knitting stitches, I will reverse (or mirror) knit. It has the added benefit of not twisting my yarn because I just knit across and reverse knit back without ever having to turn my work. However, Norwegian purling is easier on ribbing work or cable work because it is changing between knit and purl quite frequently.
I need to practice my Portuguese knitting again. I haven't done it in many years. I did enjoy the process, but I need to get myself a pin to use for my tension. Going around the neck works, but if the yarn is a little rough it scratches and rug burns the back of the neck.
Thank you for a refresher course on all these different knitting styles! I am sure there are others (like reverse knitting) that you haven't mentioned, but that is okay. It can be another video down the line.
Have a great weekend!
@@herelizasaint Absolutely! Yes... this video was already getting very long, but I have more to share. I have content planned about knitting backwards (so you don't need to flip your work), Eastern Uncrossed knitting, and also talk about "rowing out" in future videos. Thanks for watching!
I usually purl eastern/Asian style. Unless I am knitting lace work, then I purl Norwegian style.
I also sometimes knit in reverse and so I don't have to turn my work at the end of the row.
None of these is how I knit. I use continental but I pick both the knit and purl stitches.
How do you lever style in the round?
@@deborahpreston6673 oh! You just keep on knitting lever style in the round… there’s no need to change anything. Unless I’m misunderstanding your question?
I love kitting, but I can't stand having the yarn around my fingers, it bothers me so much. I just wrap the yarn around the needle and old it with my thumb passing through.
3:34 The extra motion you are demonstrating, where your finger drops down in order to make the purl stitch, is not necessary. I am a continental knitter, and there is barely any difference for me between the motion of purling vs knitting, and I am certainly not bending my left index finger for every purl stitch. I am currently working on a laceweight shawl where the majority of the fabric is worked in double seed stitch, meaning I am working k1, p1 across 450+ stitches. If I was purling the way you showed, it would be unbearable. My knit stitch also has vastly fewer rotational motions than your continental demonstration shows. Since you are someone who wants to knit faster, I would encourage you to find a continental knitter who doesn't waste movements so that you can eliminate unnecessary repetitive motion, and this will also speed up your knitting.
Sooo much wasted motion with the wrapping part of all those English stitches. I never get why anyone knits that way. 😮
A lot of people have been taught that way, that’s why we do it. (My particular method is not one that was shown here, it needs a pair of longer needles, not a circular needle.)
I have been learning continental style more recently, I’m still a little bit more awkward with it than English. That said, I refuse to attempt brioche in English style. And I do both together when doing stranded colour work.
And I’m working on a project that I’m mostly doing in Continental style right now, it needs the long circular needle.
@ bravo you challenging yourself that way!