Knitting.

[Grauntie Mag]

I am practicing hard and my hands are aching.
I have been reading about the ‘Continental Style’ where the wool is held and used in the left hand, along with the needle with the stitches on. Does anyone here use this method? The blurb says it’s quicker and easier on the hands.
Also, casting on. If I cast on by the normal knitting method I find it’s too loose and looks loopy when I do the next row, is there a better way?
All advice gratefully received.

[Lizzie48]

I have always knitted, but, with a broken finger it is very painful, I don't know if that is the way my MIL knitted years ago, she looped the wool round 2 fingers on her left hand and someway or other picked the stitches up, and as you say, it seemed easier and quicker then my method. I usually cast on with the finger method. I do have some wool to knit up so may give it a go one day.

[Grauntie Mag]

That sounds like the method Lizzie. I have tried but I need to practice a lot to perfect it. Perhaps not on the current project though.😬 Sorry to hear about your broken finger, have you got it strapped to the next one?
My mother used to cast on with the finger method, I couldn’t grasp it at all! Maybe if I try now I’m old I might have more patience with it!

[Lizzie48]

My MIL was Austrian, that is how they did it there she told me, my finger, I didn't realise it was broken so never bothered much until it started being very swollen and painful, had an echo done and it has been broken, I know how it happened, we have underground rubbish containers with heavy flaps and one landed on my poor finger. Somedays I have no pain at all, depends on what I am doing, may go back to the physio and see what he says.

[WeeGranny]

Gm, try this way. Make your loop and put it on left needle. Put right hand needle in and make another stitch, leave on left hand needle. Put right hand needle in between stitches and pull wool through and knit, place back on left hand needle. Continue this way putting RH needle in between the previous two stitches on LH needle until you have right number of stitches. Don't pull too tightly.
If you find you cast on too loosely, you can always knit into the back of each cast on stitch in the first row to tighten things up.
Hope this is of some use to you! good luck!
p,s, never tried continental knitting!

Painful Lizzie!

[Plantaholic]

You knit into the back of the stitch to cast on Grauntie to avoid the loopy look. I am RH and I loop the wool around my RH little finger then over the top of my index finger and the end of the needle into the palm of my hand, without letting go of the needle in your RH and holding the knitting in your left hand, loop the wool that is over the RH index finger over the LH needle and and take it through the stitch on the LH needle and transfer it onto the RH needle and so on. Best of luck.

[Grauntie Mag]

I think I need a stiff drink after following all the instructions in my head. 🤯. I will try properly tomorrow. Thank you ladies.

[Plantaholic]

Mine is a G&T please Grauntie

[Gemini]

I'm just reading along as I cant knit, so no advice from me
Enjoy your drinks ladies!

[Nanto2girls]

I used to do a lot of knitting, before the internet came along.
Never did the Continental style though.
I always used to cast on using the thumb method.

[Daisy]

I'm with Gem on knitting. I did learn how to - in primary school, about a hundred years ago. Since then I've got three unfinished items to my credit - not a great track record. But I'll happily join you in the stiff drink Grauntie.

[Plantaholic]

Daisy, send those unfinished items to Grauntie.

[Grauntie Mag]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Plant!

[Daisy]

Daisy, send those unfinished items to Grauntie.

Plant, I'm sure Grauntie will be relieved to read that none of the unfinished items has made it through to 2020!

[Plantaholic]

What a shame.