How I flick the yarn for faster English-style knitting

[@sarahweir4037]

Love how you show exactly what you are doing,not keen when some videos I have watched start showing varied ways ,you brain takes in what is being taught so like how you only demonstrate what you are teaching no need to confuse brain memory,especially nearing senior age 🙀

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Thank you for your response.

[@lauratejada2132]

This is very helpful, Frank. Thank you!

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Glad it was helpful!

[@elenabeyers2088]

Thank you so much. I looked at several videos on flicking and yours works best

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I'm glad to hear that it helped you. I was very uncertain about doing this video because, as I said in it, everyone eventually finds the way that works best for them and whatever works best is best. There is no right way to hold the yarn. If what I do works for you too, it's nice to hear.

[@elenabeyers2088]

@@KnittingbyPhrancko i knit both English and Continental. The English style was hurting my shoulder. Flicking as alleviated that.

[@musicgirl8029]

My Mom taught me how to hold my yarn this way and I'm forever grateful. It produces very even stitches. Sometimes, If I'm using thin slippery yarn in the Winter, I wrap twice around the pinkie. Thank you for demonstrating this technique!

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Occasionally I have to wrap the yarn around the pinkie also.

[@patriciaharris1146]

I must give it a try. G

[@danovila]

That is exactly how I was taught to knit. Except, that I do another wrap around my pinky finger. This is excellent video to show people that I teach because sometimes it is hard to explain in person. Thanks!!!

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Glad it was helpful!

[@peaches7551]

Thank you, I was going to ask you to show just this and also in your meeting how everyone knits. Your stitches are all perfect and the same !!! What is the secret there :-)

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I took your question about "the secret" of controlling tension to the group in this week's meeting. It led to quite a long discussion and lots of tips. I hope that helps. Here's the link to the meeting with the discussion: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hn6ym3WwlrN3qMk

[@Colleen-wl5yx]

Thank you for your explanation about how your do your knitting. I am practicing "flicking", starting to get it. I like the way you tension your yarn...one of my issues that I have to work on. Very good visuals.

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I'm glad you found it helpful. Of course everyone has to find what works best for them. There is not "right way" to hold the needles and yarn. This is just how I do it, as you saw.

[@NYKnitter]

Thank you, thank you. For me it is a matter of learning , having the knowledge of how to...... What I was curious about was how the yarn goes through the fingers, I was stuck. You showed that so well. Going to go off to play , ( I have to laugh at myself) I have so many swatches of ...... cast ons, cast offs , increases , decreases ...cables , continental style , holding finger up , holding finger down , Norwegian purls , just adding things to my abilities . Sadly I think 9" circular knitting , (RIP to that technique) , passed away last evening , gave it ONE LAST try , after many times over the years .

[@hanhvuong8898]

Awesome

[@sandyvanburen]

Great method. I do the exact same thing but I use my middle finger to throw the yarn, as it's a bit longer so it's easier for me. Totally works AND I keep the tension of my work even.

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

We each find our own best way, don't we?

[@1gualandi]

This is a real TUTORIAL video. Most of the rest is about showing off great abilies.👌

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I'm glad you like it.

[@6keiki6]

I envy those that can knit this way. I see so much less wrist movement. Coming from crochet I tried everything and just learned that I am faster holding yarn in left and using Norwegian pearl. But I love your videos! Makes me want to practice this more for knit only rows just to save my wrists!

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I think everyone has to figure out what works best for them. I have tried changing what I do to match someone else and it always feels incredibly awkward. I offer this just as a suggestion to try for yourself. Knitting with the yarn in the left hand and using Norwegian purl may be faster than what I do. I just can't seem to master holding it in my left hand. But maybe you're right about this way requiring less wrist action.

[@kirstenfalcone5856]

Mesmerizing! Thank you!😊

[@paigeward9776]

This is how I hold it too😊

[@kristiofca1]

This is how I knit English style, as well. I am trying to teach myself to to pick and hold my yarn in the left hand, but it is so awkward! And this is weird because when I crochet I use my left hand to hold the yarn!

[@valorievoigt8747]

Same here, with regard to everything you say

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I find it almost impossible to purl with the yarn held in my left hand. That's the main reason I do it as I show in the video using my right hand to hold the yarn.

[@dianepothier7785]

Wonderful tutorial. Can you flick when purling or do you go back to throwing. How do you knit ribbing. Thank you in advance

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

I'm sorry I didn't show purling in the video. I didn't think to do that because it's exactly the same movement. After the yarn is inserted from back to front, I flick the yarn around the point of the needle exactly as I do when knitting. For ribbing, the movement of the yarn from front to back and back to front also looks very similar. All of those movements are about the same.

[@sallyr.6891]

Thank you. Can you show us your purl method?

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Oh, darn! I wish I had thought to do that in this video. It really looks very much the same. Of course you first bring the yarn to the front which looks a lot like wrapping the yarn with a flick before inserting the needle. The needle is then inserted into the stitch to purl but the motion looks the same as when I knit and the flicking wrap looks the same as well. I hope that helps. I'm not sure it's worth doing another video just to show that separately.

[@ginp6077]

what yarn are you using? It's so pretty!

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

It is Malabrigo Arroyo, one of my favorite yarns.

[@adelinabeneitez3354]

Yo hago exactamente igual, pero no paso el hilo por el dedo meñique. Me gustaría saber cómo hace el punto del revés

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Gracias por escribir. Quizás debería hacer un vídeo mostrando cómo hago el revés y también cómo hago el elástico.

[@peaches7551]

Can you recommend a lightweight yarn for your phrancko sweater.....thank you !

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Sure, I also try to create mostly lightweight sweaters as it never gets very cold in San Francisco where I live. In general, I use DK weight yarns because worsted weight is too warm and fingering weight, though lighter, would take me forever to complete a sweater. Some Phrancko Sweater knitters have used fingering weight though. I also suggest using a yarn that is smooth, not fuzzy or prickly, perhaps a superwash, for the smoothness that lets the air through. Some yarns that I have used that produce the coolest sweaters I've made are Jody Long Ciao, Malabrigo Arroyo, Garnstudio DROPS Merino Extra Fine, Threadbear Dyeworks Quantum DK, Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima (100% cotton, knitted loosely on US 7 needles), and Hedgehog Fibres Merino DK.

[@diamondringirl]

i am a lefty and a crocheter so i'm so used to holding the yarn in my right hand. and i don't throw, i flick.

[@ula9112]

Thanks, but my way is much faster. If you just hold the yarn on the finger from your left hand, no flicking necessary

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

As I said in the video, we each have to find what works best for us. There is no best way for everyone. There is just the best way we each have found for ourselves.

[@anitaswart.]

About 68 years ago, my mother taught me in South Africa to hold my needles the way you hold a pen and it wasn't easy for a five year old to do this. But I practiced a lot, because I thought that was the only way. 50 years later I came to the UK and with the wonder of computers a new world of knitting opened. I was so impressed with the continental way of knitting and thought I would easily convert. But after that time of knitting, my brain couldn't do this. Now I have got something like your style, but my thumb is so used to leaving the needle that I am only half way with flicking and I have to concentrate, where the way I was taught comes so naturally. But when I see my German friend knitting, the speed, I am quite jealous. If only the English didn't colonize us, I would probably have knitted like all my European forefathers. Thank you for your video, I am going to try and hold my yarn like you do, and not wrap it around my pinky.

[@KnittingbyPhrancko]

Good luck! It's always difficult to change the way you are already used to doing it.