33 
Tagslearn to knit like minty!
You, too, can now hold your yarn and form your stitches just like me! Watch below, where I’ve slowed myself down and even explained a bit.
So many of you commented on the last video, that I crank out FOs because I’m fast. Note that I also knit a lot of small things—the true definition of a product knitter. Being faster was all part of the plan!
33 Responses to learn to knit like minty!
That is exactly how I knit and purl. My poor left index finger is going to end up with arthritis some day from all of the picking and pulling it does. And I’m not sure how I learned to do it, either. My purl stitch evolved over time to get more comfortable– which seems to not make sense considering how much moving in weird ways it does.
I do almost the same as well!!!
I knit the same, but purl a litlle different. I learned to purl like in video3 from my mom, who had learned it from her grandmother. I was getting annoyed at the backwards stitches, and when I started being more independent about my knitting I looked in a knitting book and went trough the basic instructions. I have since figured out a way to purl so that the stitches sit on the needle the same way as the knit, and it’s actually a combination of the two methods. I wrap the needle the other way around the yarn, so that the stitch faces the right way, but my left index finger remains completely straight and just moves a bit side to side to facilitate catching the yarn.
Thank you so much! I am a very slow English knitter. I watched your first video maybe 20 times to learn Continental, and I am well on my way. Your breaking it down makes it that much easier, and you show purling (yipee).
You are such a great inspiration and fantastic teacher.
Yes, I am also into small things knitting–so ultra-satisfying!
My method of knitting and purling is unconventional and kind of slow, but perhaps some day I’ll try to retrain myself and become more efficient. Your videos are fantastic!!
Thank you, Minty!!!! Ever since I saw your last video, I’ve been obsessing about teaching myself. Now I can just learn from you!
Insanely helpful. Thanks!
So really, you are just being braggy that not only are you fast, but because you choose to knit smaller projects, you are also quite efficient. Heh. I wish I could knit like Minty, but my standard for slowness has been so ingrained in me, I just can’t knit any other way…le sigh.
Great videos! Although, I’m a bit confused…. the ‘backward’ method you describe in the 3rd video, which you call continental knitting, is what I’d always understood to be combined knitting? (Like this: http://www.anniemodesitt.com/purl.html ). To me, continental knitting has always just meant that you ‘pick’ the yarn rather than ‘throw’ it like you do when you knit English style (so, I think that you knit continental style all the way through the first couple of videos). And combined knitting, I thought, was where you do what you do in the 3rd video, and then you do your knit stitches so as to re-orient the stitches as well. I know, it’s all terminology, but I’m easily confused and that part of it threw me a teeny bit.
The videos are just *great* though – super helpful! I’m definitely going to give it a go. Thanks so much for making them.
Oooh – thanks Minty! I knit continental and have decent speed – but I’d love to be supa-fast like you :)
Thanks so much for the great videos! I’ve been meaning to learn continental for ages, and these really help. Do you find that your gauge changed a lot when you switched styles? I know that I’m a tight knitter and always need to go up a needle size in patterns–did that change for you?
Learning to knit continental was one of the best things I’ve done for myself (aside from finding that koigu sale). I want to challenge you and Chawne to a purling race.
– Cocky Jocelyn!
I purl a little differently, but I’m going to try your way just to see if I like it. When I purl I hold the yarn between my thumb and forefinger in a pinch and kind of swoop the right needle under it and catch it. Thanks for the videos. I was surprised by the sound of your voice. I don’t know why…but I guess I expected you to sound differently.
Omg, minty you knit like speedy gonzoles! I never realised how SLOW I knit till I saw you knit! Though, I haven’t knit in months and had surgery on my right hand in that time (hense the no knitting) so I think I’m even slower than I was before. No idea how frustrating that is for me..
Anyway, it’s so cool to see someone else knit! I wrap my yarn differently, but I think I knit and purl a looot like you do. Which is funny because I totally taught myself to knit continential.. Although, my aunt taught me to purl because even after watching videos, no one went slow enough for me to figure it out!
You are an inspiration! I want to be fast like you! I have hopes I’ll get at least a little faster, as I’ve only been knitting for about 4 years now..
I’m a continental knitter since I first started as a child (my mother is Hungarian) and it ROCKS. Love the vids and the fact you taught yourself. You pretty much do it as I do, classic continental, except for the purl.
Which is backwards. Seriously, it’s dead easy doing it forwards.
I am so going to try this continental knitting method and see how fast i can go! Thanks for sharing Minty!
I knit similar to that but my loose yarn is in my right hand, picking up stitches with the right needle from the left needle – is that english knitting?
Wow, I feel like I have my own personal tutor. I think I’ll have to give Continental a try….
I’m going to try to learn to string the yarn through my left-hand fingers as you do. I think I lose a lot of time by having to readjust the tension over there all the time.
Great, clear videos – thanks!
Fantastic! Thank you so much for the tutorial. You are conquering us English knitters one as a time, soon everyone will knit MintyQuick! This is the first explanation of Continental knitting that truly made sense. The only question I have is, how does the yarn slide so easily from the left to the right needle, it seems the stitches just flow up and are ready to be knitted? I’m constantly readjusting; pushing them up the left needle and down the right.
Thank you again and again!
Okay, I tried, really tried, to start knitting a scarf following your lead. But it’s hard! And I’ll NEVER get the scarf done with regular, even rows if I teach myself with this project. I’ll wait till I’m working on a new beanie till I try to be more like you, I guess. Or, maybe, I’ll resign myself to thinking ‘it’s good to have friends whose skills you admire but can never equal’. Yeah, that’s most likely.
Thanks! I’m a continental knitter but use my right index to hook the yarn when knitting and my left thumb to hook when purling. I’ve been looking for a way to reduce the amount of motion used in order to speed up – this looks like it will be really helpful!
Nice blog!
Thanks for the purling video! I may try to learn the “right” way after all!
I knit continental as well and I purl differently too. Why is it that people all purl so differently? I think we should call the knitting police and everyone should start knitting the same way.
these videos are helpful — thanks! (I’m a lurker on your blog)
I keep thinking about “switching” — I must make myself do this! But right now I’m on a shawl and it is loose, so I’d guess I’d better wait. But I am slow, to be sure!
Maryjo
I just found your website from browsing skirts on Ravelry!
These videos are gorgeous! It is always really fascinating to see how different people knit up close.
I wonder if you knit in exactly the same way when handling bulky yarn and large gauge needles?
I’m hoping your next video will show knitting, purling, and maybe some y/o’s or ssk’s or something as well? I learned English and have never been able to make the switch to continental because I really like pattern-knitting, and I’m terrified of trying to switch it all up with continental. A lot of k2, p1, ssk,…just sounds scary. More videos please!
I knit almost exactly the same way! And I really like to knit thin yarn on small needles. Love it!
I marked this to watch forever ago and just finally got to watch it. Great instruction, and you have such a nice teaching voice! I’m hoping to speed up my knitting. Do you find that when you hold the working yarn the way that you do (with the yarn coming through your last two fingers before wrapping it around your forefinger) that you don’t have to stop to adjust as often? I think that is where I have a lot of trouble – I have to pull some more slack every ten stitches or so (if that makes sense…). I’m going to try out your method — thanks for the great videos!
I knit the same way but I have a problem with my purl rows. I have to purl tight or else I have a problem with rowing out – you know the rows are stretched out . Drives me nuts. Do you have that issue?
I am trying your knit method and it is working much better than what I was doing before. Thanks!
I can’t believe how much this helped me learn this method. I’ve just started to knit and I think this method is so much better than the more common ‘throw’ method. I wish you would do a video about casting on. Thank you sooo much!!
My mom always told me I was knitting backwards when I started knitting “left-handed!” In the matter of purling, I use my left thumb to hold the yarn in front of the work, and work exactly like knitting, only in reverse. It enables me to purl as fast as I knit, keeps the work shockingly even tensioned, and gives the left index finger a break. Give it a try!