TUTORIAL: Continental Stranded Knitting

[@Bodille]

Continental is my choice of technique also! Just a little tip: be careful to always have the same colour order on your finger. For instance you could choose to always have the mauve colour closest to your heart. The colout closest to your heart will be the dominant colour of your knitted fabric! Look up dominant colour in continental knitting. There is definitely a difference in how even the colourwork ends up being when you consider this factor! 😁 From a lifelong continental knitter to you!

[@DreadlockPatriot]

This is super helpful, thank you 🙏

[@DreadlockPatriot]

When you say “closest to your heart” do you mean the strand that’s closest to your knuckle? Or closest to the tip of your finger?

[@lazybelphegore6748]

@@DreadlockPatriot I think it means the color closest to your knuckle. I think of it as if the other one is closest to your fingernails.

[@coloradoknits]

OMG - I am a leftie, and I could NOT figure out which should be "on the left" no matter how many videos, etc I look at. The "closest to your heart" is a lovely little trick! I am going to try it now!

[@andreasissons7766]

Great tip. I just learned about dominance in colour work.

[@Raelene150]

Thank you so much!!!!! I am exclusively a continental knitter and I couldn’t even get my right hand to hold yarn let alone get it around one of my needles!!!!

[@lainainennui]

You are a SAINT for this. Im a strictly continental knitter because of how quickly it moves and totally needed this tutorial. Color work feels so much more fluid and I couldn't be happier with the process now.

[@girlsoccer86]

Thank you oh so much for posting this tutorial!!!! I was up and down KZbin looking for a way to knit continental with two colours, because I was getting so frustrated trying to use two hands and failing. Yours is the only video I found that explains it this well. My colourwork looks so much nicer, and my floats look way better as well. Thank you again for posting this and helping out fellow knitters!

[@Voolenvine]

Hurray! You're so welcome, Kiley 😄 I'm happy you found it helpful, Kiley!

[@rachelfine2181]

Thank you so much Kristin! This video honestly changed my colorwork game. Before this I used the Norwegian knitting thimble but it got annoying always having to re-thread the yarn through the loops. I’m so glad I found your video when I did. I knitted a whole yoke with this method and I think it’s safe to say I’m not going back!

[@Voolenvine]

Rachel Fine yay!! Thanks for letting me know, Rachel. 🤗💖

[@judibrayman2162]

Continental is also my choice of knitting. I am new to colourwork and you have really taught me a great method today. I have struggled doing it 'my' way and this makes so much sense to me. Yay. I look forward to finishing my project this way going forward. I so appreciate and enjoy your tutorials.

[@lindaolsen4211]

You have helped so much in knowing EXACTLY how to hold those two yarns! A lifesaver! Thank you for the very clear instructions ❤️

[@Voolenvine]

Yay!! I'm so glad you found it helpful, Linda :)

[@TheaMidnight]

Every knitter at one point will try stranded knitting. Your video is creative and encouraging, so Imwill share this with my class of newbies! Thanks, Kristin 💕

[@singingwolfdyeworks2391]

I've only ever knitted continental but have never tried stranded colorwork. Thank you for this tutorial, it's very clear and helpful.

[@KarenHoyt-Bonkahoney3]

I have never done this before as I am still a fairly new knitter. After the beginning of the year when things settle down and I am no longer doing a temperature blanket, plus knitting, I want to try my hand at it. Thanks for demonstrating this!

[@PapercraftLady]

WOW! This looks like it'll be SO much easier than the way I was doing it!!! Thank you!!

[@B3CKIP]

Was going to ask about catching floats! Thank you

[@kimwatkins943]

This was just what I have been looking for! I knit continental and have been holding both strands in my left hand but tension was just not right and it was slow going. What I changed after watching your video was wrapping both yarns around my pinky and splitting them with my middle finger. What a difference and now I am flying! Thank you!

[@wilmas7535]

Oh I thought this would be so complicated but I can do that! I used to knit western and very very slowly. I now knit continental and fly trough it (thank you youtube for telling me there was another way) and this looks so much fun!

[@vivc4082]

This is exactly how I do it! Both the knitting with the two strands and catching the floats :) nice video

[@lisamiller3028]

This is SUPER helpful!! As a continental knitter I really appreciate this - I’ve never done stranded colorwork, but I think I’m gonna try it! I found your video looking for ‘how to knit over ends’… I hate doing it and wanted to learn to knit them in as I go…. Your technique shows how to ‘catch’ yarn carried behind knitted stitches perfectly :). Thank you!!

[@rafadoesmakeup]

So I have to say, I’ve wanted to learn to knit continental for years... and your video finally showed me how to hold the yarn!!! Simple thing, but I’ve spent all afternoon practicing and it makes me so happy!

[@Voolenvine]

Yaaay!! That makes me so happy to hear Rafa!! :D

[@judisiver3988]

Thank you. I cannot use both hands because I can only knit continental. For some reason I must have pounded my hand with muscle memory. Lol and it refuses to learn anything else. You really took the time to show exactly how to wrap the yarn on your hand which really helped me.

[@krista3mas]

This just blew my mind, Kristen. Thanks for sharing. I bought that pattern because I so want to make it but have not done colorwork before. I figured I’d find someway of teaching myself but you just did the work for me! I also knit continental and was not looking forward to learning the two handed method. I’m happy to know that it can be done all with the left hand and looks relatively easy. Thanks!

[@LisaMiller-jl1xz]

THANK YOU for this!! I've spent the last couple of days trying to get stranded knitting to work for me and I was almost ready to chuck it in the bin I was so frustrated. This is it! It works wonderfully for me and I am excited to go forward with my project again!

[@michelemerrill2952]

Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I knit continental and could not get the hang of throwing with one yarn in each hand. I can finally do stranded colorwork now with your way of holding my yarn. 🧶

[@p_broom426]

That’s awesome! I’m currently knitting my first colorwork sweater and will give this a try. I’m not much of a continental knitter though. I want to try this English style.

[@bejai1962]

OMG, the sun is shining and the birds are singing!!! You hold the yarn just like me so following you was very easy, with one strand of course. I'm practicing so I can start Persian Dreams New Years day. I was able to hold both strands complete an entire round with no problems at all, and much quicker too. I had to remind myself to relax and breathe so my tension would stay loose. I was even able to carry my floats with no problems. I'm so glad I have a stranded project to work on so I can improve at this and it will become second nature with stranded work. Thank you so much for such a clear explanation!!

[@sandybassett4901]

Just teaching myself how to fair isle knit and was so excited to see your techniques! Thank you so much for sharing. I feel very comfortable about fair isle knitting now. Appreciate your help so much. Thanks for breaking it all down. Take care during these difficult and unbelievable times in our country with the Coronavirus Pandemic. God bless... ~StitchedbyMimi

[@catherinenoble5788]

Thanks for the demonstration, especially the section on using your middle finger to keep the strands of both yarns separate.

[@cynthiaryan2901]

Thank you. Very helpful . I watched several videos by Arne & Carlos ( both Norwegians ) and they call this the Norwegian method . Also “on the finger”. I find your way of tensioning the yarn the best way yet. Again thanks so much!

[@ramonademmon5951]

Interesting. I just watched Arnie and Carlos and they said that Norwegian knitting does not have the term Stranded Knitting. They don't use any technique.

[@xtinamorelos]

Game changer! Thank you so much for this video. I’m knitting my first fairisle sweater. It was going so slow because I knit continental and thought I had to hold second yarn with right hand. After watching this I’m tearing through so fast!! Thank you thank you!!!

[@naryaknits]

Thank you. Just what I needed exactly when I needed it. Love your colors

[@kimlynch1770]

Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to try this!

[@callista19w]

Thank you for showing this! Much faster than the two handed i was using before 🥳

[@staceyh2028]

Super helpful! I'm just starting color work and I already knit continental - struggling with my tension, so this is great. Also appreciate you showing how to trap the floats using this method. Great video!! Thanks so much.

[@chihyi62]

Thank you for sharing. It's really a good way to grab 2 threads at a time and catch the middle way yarn stably.

[@pmaranan]

This is so great! I am so much less afraid to try colorwork now!

[@karenw9366]

These colors are so beautiful together!!!

[@mariwelch]

perfect timing! i started my first colorwork project last night. i was holding my yarn the normal way i do it (same as you), but adding the middle finger to split the colors seems like the perfect way to speed things up!

[@GrandmaMarlayne]

Very good demonstration and thank you for sharing the knowledge.

[@millsgirl2]

Excellent! I have tried a lot of methods and feel that I'm still not on the right track for myself, this is definitely going to be my next method to try and I suspect I'm going to really like it. Thank you so much.

[@ewecreekcottage7411]

Thank you so much I was so thrilled to see this this morning color work pillows were next on my TDL and wow this is just such perfect timing - I am a self taught continental knitter - I've never thrown - and this just opened up a whole new world for me thank you thank you thank you

[@marikoschmidtauer1838]

I really appreciate this amazing technique. I will be using it from now on. I tried to convert it to purl, since I’m not knitting in the round and I just can’t “wrap my brain” around it. Looking forward to your response

[@Jan3tB]

I’ve been a thrower since I was 5 years old and this makes me want to try continental! Lately, all I do is colourwork and you make it look so easy, excited to try this!

[@Flashing1957]

This is so much easier and quicker. I'm glad yours was the first video in the list when I did my search.

[@Loveleione]

Thanks so much for this video! I watched it when it first aired and knew it would be a big help once I was ready to attempt colorwork. This is my year to learn color work and I am a continental knitter. It's taking a bit of practice to develop the muscle memory, but your method is the best I have seen so far for me. Thanks again!

[@suziejones759]

Brilliant, Kristen! Your technique is saving me so much time and stress when knitting with two colors. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!! Have a fabulous day!

[@PaulaSimoes67]

Thank that great brain of yours for this little big help you just gave mine! This and your sock tutorial changed my life. Really. Lots of love from Lisbon🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@autochick123]

You made it look so easy! Thank you!

[@antonellameloni9520]

thank you for this tutorial! I'm currently knitting some colourwork and this was so helpful!! thanks a lot!!

[@melissamartin6223]

Halle-friggen-lujah!!! 🙌🏻 I Finally found was I was missing to nail fair isle. The splitting of the yarn with the middle finger is the best tip ever, No more twisting. Thank you for making this lefty Continental knitters’ day. 😀🤗

[@makingiteasywithliz]

Great video and a huge help for me. Just taught myself and used a Norwegian thimble but wanted to learn without one.

[@phaedraknoeller4482]

This is my favorite way of holding yarn while knitting color work as well! Extra tip if you hold the contrast color on one side of your knuckle and main color on the other side of your knuckle, it's easier and faster because it keeps the yarn further apart ❤

[@susanschneider6678]

Thank you for this! Just starting to learn Fair Isle and couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to keep the yarns tensioned in my left hand. This is the solution! Thank you!!

[@ooohlaa13]

wow very genius way of dealing with this ... have been knitting for about 65 years awk!!! but only one color, all kinds of stitches and yarns but same color; yesterday I tried two color and some sts looked great and others were nearly hidden sunk into the background, I guess tension too tight so I need to practice this. I love the fun of seeing the colors emeerge in between the main color, especially in hand dyed yarn where one color changes into another and another. Thank you very well presented.

[@thewoolenhomestead]

Loved this! Thank you so much for filming this Kristin!

[@noblecharactercrafts]

Thank you so much for sharing this, Kristin! You were so clear in demonstrating this technique! I'm definitely going to give it a try!

[@wendykelcey1246]

Love this. I really like continental but I must have pulled a tendon in my left wrist when learning.

[@lissyniña]

So cool, just learning continental/norwegian knitting...game changer!

[@janetprue4913]

Great video! Thank you so much for sharing. I just finished a color work project where I did one strand in each hand and found it was difficult keeping the tension the same, plus the yarn kept tangling. Going to give this a try for my next color work project.

[@LeapingFrogg]

Thanks so much for sharing this technique. I've been knitting continental my whole life (don't know how to knit English at all) but no matter how hard I try, the 2 colors end up twisting vs staying separate and I have a really hard time keeping the tension.

[@suezz21]

Nice! I finally found someone with similar style of knitting as I have! It's actually very hard here on YT :D :D Clear and informative video, thanks :)

[@Gladtobemom]

The key! plunge the middle finger between the strands . . . helped soooo much.

[@lgillisify]

Thank you for the tutorial using continental style. I am about to try my first color work pattern. I am still fairly new to knitting but thought that there had to be a better way to work in the patterns than repeatedly cutting and joining yarn colors. Now you see how new I am! So I turn to KZbin for some tutorials. The first few I watched did not use continental style knitting and simply cannot make my fingers do any other style. I was so excited when I found your video! Thanks again. I have subscribed to you now.

[@Voolenvine]

Oh my stars! Cutting and joining yarn colors ... I just had a flashback to my first forays into colorwork-knitting! 😂 I'm SO happy you found my tutorial helpful, Lawanda! Happy Knitting 💖

[@lauramoy9940]

So much easier than a knitting thimble. Thank you!

[@lissyniña]

Watched several videos and this was so easy in comparison. Thanks 😊

[@Voolenvine]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bonnadowns524]

Thank you for your tips🙏💝 Seem so easy to use just the left hand

[@kat1984]

I've really struggled with even tension and twisted yarn in colorwork. I've been avoiding colorwork because of this. I'll definitely give this method a try

[@NinaKeilin]

I think it's also a LOT of practice needed. I keep getting better at it by increments, learning gradually to get better tension. Don't give up! Also blocking helps.

[@Lisamakes]

Love this! I’m currently learning double knitting, and this hold speeds up the process considerably. Thanks!😘

[@suzzette1980]

I'm gonna try this.. !!! Thanks por sharing your technique, i knit continental and have been struggling to use 2 + yarn strands 🥺

[@sheryl175]

A thousand thank yous! I've struggled in double-knitting to keep my yarns from twisting all over and this is the only solution that works for me. I knit English style and it works great for those of us who just aren't continental knitters. Once I practiced a bit it became so easy and I can still "throw" while keeping my yarns separate.

[@aknitlife]

I knit continental, and I was tangling like crazy doing color work knitting. I bought a finger thimble that supposedly solve the problem. No, it did not. I found it to be heavy and awkward. I will try your method to see if I can do what you did. I’ll have to rewatch it a few more times to get it. I wanted to knit colorwork yolk sweaters forever, but could not get over the tangling of the two strands of yarn. Thanks for sharing, Kristen!!! ❤️❤️👍👍👏👏🌟👏☺️

[@junewebb4985]

Eli from Skeindeer also uses this technique and her colorwork is amazing. If I'm not mistaken, you two just finished co-hosting the Flea Cardigan KAL. Your Oracle shawl is awesome!

[@Нажа-ы5н]

Your video was very informative. I will definitely try to do it the way you taught me. Thank you very much！

[@millieo.5325]

I haven't touched my knitting needles as of yet because of all the crochet projects I have lined up & have been looking at the different styles of knitting. Continental seems to be the fastest, in my opinion, and what you just showed is awesome; you've got a new subscriber...😊 Thank you so much for sharing. Have a wonderful day! 🙂

[@Voolenvine]

Yay! I'm so glad you found it helpful, Millie! Welocme to my channel! :D

[@janecourtland5132]

Thank you so much. Do you have a tutorial on Purling the stranded knitting for Continental knitters?

[@linedegl4966]

Try Arne and Carlos channel. They're knitweat designers from Norwegian, and they make a lot of tutorials explaining the Norwegian way, and continental way in general. They're also hella wholesome lol

[@bethalexandra7833]

Wow this was so helpful! I was just wondering today, there must be a better way to catch floats. Twisting is so distruptive to my flow. I will definetly be trying this!

[@redredwine1277]

Thanks for sharing, very helpful skills in knitting

[@joanthompson6118]

Thank you for this new idea! I am a continental knitter struggling a bit with one strand knitting continental and one strand knitting English (which I totally dislike😬)....gotta give this a try !!! 🤞🏻

[@stitchy_linn]

Definitely giving this a try today. I'm working on a cowl called Frame Your Face by Andrea Mowry.

[@louisej1905]

Thank you very much for this video. I am a beginner continental knitter and can’t hold the yarn on my right hand. My mind just does work knitting that way.

[@dianelakata1308]

Just seeing this older video and the way you demonstrate stranded knitting is the way that is most comfortable for me. Catching the floats has been a challenge especially when catching the yarn that is closer to the finger nail. I pretty much have the other one nailed. Do you know if there is a video showing that technique somewhere ? Thanks

[@carmenhaworth2695]

Very nice. It will help a lot doing fair isle. Tfs!!!!

[@mariadelarno3843]

Thank you for sharing your technique, now I can challenge myself to do a two strand beanie!!! I am a continental knitter now I won't be afraid to do fair isle projects. Thank you!!!

[@Danceswithfishes]

Thank you. I will give this a go. I have trouble with tension if one colour is used more than the other other, because it won't "feed" at the same rate. Hope I make sense.

[@bonnielundholm5535]

This technique looks awesome. Thank you for sharing.

[@mamamia_222]

This is VERY helpful! Thanks for sharing! I will be off doing something colorwork on the yoke of my sweater soon.

[@nicolepalanzi9589]

thanks so much, i too struggle with this and want to do stranded knitting, this made it so easy to follow, i am not afraid, i am going to try it now on a sweater i have been wanting to make :)

[@Voolenvine]

YESSS!! Go forth and knit ALL the colorwork! :D

[@ejsafara456]

thank you so much :3 all of the videos are with the yarn in right hand, but as a european who was only taught to hold in left, i found it very strange XD you saved my lil socks!

[@theastewart6721]

I’ll have to give this a try. I usually use both hands. I am a Continental knitter so alternate color goes in my right hand. Thanks for sharing!

[@destiny8967]

Awesome im glad there is a way to just do continental knitting

[@InkpotGods]

This is great! Thank you so much for making this!

[@KelleMerritt]

This video was a big help to me. I can’t say thank you enough!!! 😁🧶

[@sueking6543]

You made that looks so easy!

[@patriciachianelli7507]

That is beautiful and I think I'll do just that.

[@karenmay2770]

Great tutorial!! Thank you. i keep watching this over and over until i get it i am actually learning continental and stranded at the same timr i know, im a glutton for punishment. i could have sworn I only had two thumbs but apparently I have more ; )

[@estelanunezchannel]

I get so overwhelmed when i use more than one color😬,i have been knitting for 22 years ,i knit the Continental way plus i wrap the yarn on my neck ,i got few projects i wanna make with 2 colors im gonna try your way ,thank you ,happy new year stay safe 😷❤

[@sarawinnick3126]

Thank you! This is very well done. Easy to follow.

[@mistyblue5312]

2020 and in isolation but still... so relevant at this time as I work on the A&C Quarantine KAL ! Thanks Kristen.

[@Bobbieliz]

Answered my question about stranded knitting WITHOUT the thimble.

[@roxannewaddell3830]

Love this tutorial, a great way to do this technique, thank you.

[@Ellinesscrafts]

Thank you so much for this. I was doing it a similar way but without separating the two colours by my middle finger. It is definitely a more fluid motion.

[@diannefitzmaurice9813]

That is how I thought I would try the hold. The one difference is that the continental is what I learned to involve moving the yarn not the needles and works great for lefties doing continental . S o I likely would change it up even a bit more to move the yarn for a leftie . .

[@mm3283]

Awesome video. Very helpful!!