CONTINENTAL KNITTING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 229, 27 September 1941, Page 15

CONTINENTAL KNITTING

CEW people in this country are 1 familiar with Continental knitting, although most of us have seen it done on occasion and have noted how much faster it is than the English method. The appearance is the same, so here is your chance to increase your turn-over for the boys— provided you can get the wool!

For the continental method the wool is held in the left hand and the needle inserted in the ordinary way for plain or for purl. Figure 1 shows the method of forming the knit stitch, the tension being sustained by the forefinger of the left hand, which releases the wool with a downward, shuttle-like movement each time a stitch is formed. The right needle is inserted as in the English method, but instead of the wool being placed round the needle the needle is manipulated to encircle the wool, as shown by the movement of the arrow. In this way the new loop or stitch is drawn through.

Figure 2 shows the action for the purl stitch, which is really the reverse of the knit stitch. Insert the right needle as for purl stitch, and then manipulate the needle round the wool in the direction shown by the arrow.

The needles for both stitches should be held very lightly with the thumb and middle finger. Notice that the distance between the needles and the forefinger in the sketch is exaggerated in order to make the instructions clear. Actually the distance should be as short as possible so that the journey of the needle over the wool can be made quickly.