To throw or not to throw...

I learned how to knit when I was in elementary school. Knitting, embroidery and handsewing were part of the curriculum for the girls (who knows what the boys did during that time?).

I don't remember what method I was taught back then. All I know is that for as long as I remember I have been a thrower.

My technique has been refined over the years. I like to anchor the "hold" needle in the crook of my leg. That explains why I prefer to use 10"-long needles over 14" (I'm short with short arms), and why I'm not fond of circular needles.

My method has served me well over the years and since I can knit along at a good clip, I haven't seen the need to change my style. Although if I was inclined to do so, continental style has its appeal....

Are you a thrower or do you knit Continental style?

(excerpts from a discussion group postings)

"I'm a thrower too.....but I don't really let go of the right-hand needle when I do it. I was taught to knit by an English neighbor, and thats the way she did it." - Louise

"I 'throw' my yarn as well. I actually had to go and knit a couple of stitches to see what it is, exactly, that I do. I rest the needle lightly against my hip to hold it in place while I throw, and I mostly try to avoid circular needles. I do all of my sweaters in one piece, since I hate trying to match different pieces together. Pullovers I do with a set of 4 10" double-pointed needles (that I have to order from Patternworks, 'cause I can't find anyone else who carries them), and I do as much as I can of cardigan-type sweaters on one straight needle. When I do need to use circular needles, though, I pinch the right-hand end between my left thumb and middle finger several stitches below where I'm "throwing" my yarn until I get pretty far into the row, then I can just let go of it and it stays." - Barbara

"I am a right-handed thrower who lets go with every stitch. I love circular and dp needles, and very rarely lose one when I let go. Also, contrary to the popular belief that only continental knitters are fast knitters, I am very fast." - Carole

"I am a continental knitter, and have been for the last 44 years. Just recently I learned how to knit back backwards, and it has saved me an immense amount of time and aggravation, as I don't have to turn my work around - don't love purling either - this is especially cumbersome when the project gets larger. I do notice that I throw the yarn with my left hand when I KBB, and therefore both pick and throw, depending on the row that I am doing. It is not difficult to learn how to KBB - I taught myself how; all you reall have to do is just watch yourself from the other side for a few stitches, and copy the motions on the right side - literally knitting backwards! You can learn to purl that way as well - quite a fun technique" - Margaret

"I am also one of the continental knitters (the way I was taught in Girl Scouts). I know I'm in the minority because many assume I'm lefthanded. I also throw with my left hand when knitting backward and knit fairisle with both yarns in my left hand." - Jamie

", too, am a "thrower", having been taught that way. I taught myself continental with my first Fair Isle, to make the color changes faster. I would love to train myself to knit continental at all times; I think it would help my arthritic hands. But old habits die VERY hard. Howeveer, I don't find that I have trouble with either circular or dp needles, as other throwers have mentioned. Helene, thanks again for an interesting question, and for the opportunity to learn from other people." - B. Carter

"I guess I'm in a minority here because I knit continental. Not because I think it's faster, but because I can't do throwing. I tried it twice before learning continental and it was a disaster. I had no tension control and my garments came out huge. Now that I understand the basics from doing continental, I want to learn throwing. I wish people had never said that continental knitters are faster. I really hate all of the competition and make no claims that I'm faster than anyone! I've seen two really really fast knitters, one was a continental knitter, the other was a thrower. I don't think it matters hooey which method you use!" - Betsy

" I do both styles of knitting and with equal ease, though, I do prefer the continental way. It is faster and I get my gauge without any hassle. I also teach either style, depends on what the student wants." - Irene

"I have a crazy style. Stick right needle into (more-than-ample) midriff and knit on to that, throwing yarn with right hand. Lefthand needle waves around in mid-air. Taught myself many years back. Looks awful, works a treat :) Can go like a racehorse with Fair Isle on the right side, holding both yarns in right hand - purling is slower :) I find circular knitting gives me a tension totally different to two-needle or flat knitting, pulls in more, though is much easier of course with patterning." - Rosemary

"I am a "thrower" as well, but I am teaching myself the Continental method. I also have to admit that I am one of those people who works back and forth without turning. I finally found out that this was called "knitting back backwards". This was a big topic of discussion in the rec.crafts.textiles.yarn newsgroup about a month ago!" - Roz

"I'm a "picker", which might describe the continental method. I can also throw, but find it very tight and time consuming. I also have difficulty holding onto the needle when throwing. I can knit without turning my work. Someone I knew knitted English style and threw with her left hand. It works very well if you are doing any intarsia patterns." - Nikki L-L

"Yes, I sometimes knit backwards instead of purling. It's easy: just have two sets of needles in front of you. With set A, make the first motion to purl. Stop. Turn it over. Do exactly the same thing with set B, which is the way it was when you finished your knit row. With A, do the next motion in purl. Etc. Clear as mud? I couldn't learn it by turning and looking as I went; I needed to have the two sets. Regarding throwing and Continental, I learned throwing back in the 60s. Didn't do much knitting through the years. Started back last fall. My Continental knit stitch is faster but I have never gotten Continental purl stitch down, which is why I learned to knit backwards. However, I've pretty much decided to go with throwing as I can knit and look up more, both in conversation and to enjoy the world around me." - Lynn

"I started out my knitting life as a self taught thrower. Many years ago I was visiting a friend who was from Denmark and I had my knitting with me. She watched me very intently for awhile and then asked me why was I holding my yarn like that. She proceeded to show me how knit continental and I have never gone back. Knitting continently is easier on my fingers, hands and arms. It is also faster. Plus, since it is easier on my fingers, hands and arms I am more likely to knit for longer periods of time. As Helene pointed out, using circular needles is also easier w/ this method. I almost exclusively use circular needles and find them to be easier to manipulate (again less stress on fingers, hands, arms). Anther advantage to using circulars is that I can knit in publc places (church, airplanes, etc) where the seating is crowded, but not put anybody out w/ my knitting." - Cecilia

"I have always been a thrower, however, the teacher in the room next to me talked me into trying continential. I bought the Nancie Weisman video and have been successful at the knitting, BUT not the purling. Continental feels great on my hands and since I prefer to knit in the round, uses very little energy, but when I'm tired, I still REVERT to old style which is comfy!" - A. K.

"I hold my yarn right-handed, though I have learned the Continental way, my left index finger gets too unhappy, from arthritis, to do much, plus I had surgery on my left thumb that still causes cramping at times if I hold the yarn left-handed, or crochet. Also I learned to knit backwards, when doing small blocks of entrelac, or any pattern with less than twenty sts, to keep from turning so much. Though with my hand problems, I don't do that as much. I do use circulars, they are certainly easier for me to handle." - JoAn

"Dear Helene: I am primarily a continental knitter. Self taught. But have been practicing throwing the yarn with my right hand. I do other crafts with either hand and felt I was a good candidate for the two handed knitting." - Dena

"I have been a "thrower" for my 40 years of knitting. I can knit continental style but am pretty slow at it. I can't seem to get the yarn to flow like I can by throwing." - Phyllis

"I'm from Germany and learned knitting at second grade. I have no way of knowing what the names of my cast ons are.I knit the continental way and never cought on to the thrower type. when I want a loose edge I do the 8thing on to the left needle,the dn type I used for gloves,mitten, socks etc.Then I do one were I messure about three times the inches I like to have, at that point I put one stich on the needle,then with the the yarn on thumb the short end, and the other on the index finger,i make a 8like move with the needle and there it is. Can anybody tell me names of this cast on?" - Ann

"Hi Anna, It sounds like the first method is what is commonly called the loop method and the second sounds like the long-tailed cast on method. The cable cast on or knitted cast on is done by making a loop on the left needle and knitting into it. Then pull up the resulting loop and put it on the left needle (straight on - no twist). Then you place the right needle between the loop and the left stitch and form the next loop. you repeat putting the loops on the left needle and making a new stitch until you have the total you need. I find that it is a good idea to bring the working yarn to the front of the work before slipping the last loop on the left needle. This gives a neater end to the cast on. This doesn't sound very clear - e-mail me if you have questions - I would love to help." - Carole

"I would have said I was a thrower about a month ago. However I have learned Continental and find that I personally can do it very well and much faster, so consider myself to be able to do both proficiently. Just knitted a simple shawl entirely continental. Even though I was originally a thrower, I retaught myself to not let go of the needles, but to use my index finger on my right hand to slip the thread/yarn around the needle. Jackie Erickson-Swietzer (sp?) called this a lever action. I had to retrain myself after I saw someone else do this and saw how fast they could be. Now, even better, I knit continental whenever I can." - Terrie

"I was too uncoordinated to learn to throw the yarn when I first started knitting in the 1960's so I learned the continental style. When fairisle became an interest, then I learned to hold a yarn in each hand--throwing one and knitting the other continental." - Barbara

"I have no idea what I do. I hold the yarn in my right hand with quite an fancy wrap around my pink and through my fingers. Every stich,I take the yarn wraped around my index finger and wrap it around the needle(which is also in my right hand)and pull it through. This is the only way I can make a proper stich. If you know what this is called please mail me. If anyone saw the Baby issue of Martha Stewart Magazine they had a pattern in there for a hat, sweater, and blanket. They show a very different way to knit from mine. It looked like less work, because they kept the yarn in the left hand and put the yarn over the right needle as it came through and one simply pulled the yarn back through. Am I making any sence. Anyway all you wounderful knitters out there must have some sort of feedback for me." - Laural

"Laurel, you sound like a "thrower." My mom tried to teach me to knit when I was younger. She's a thrower, and I could never get the hang of it. After I learned to crochet, I saw instructions for the Continental method, and, since you hold the yarn the same as crocheting, I taught myself to knit quite easily. I think it's faster, but it's all in what you are used to. My mom still prefers holding her yarn in her right hand and we both knit at about the same speed." - Laurie

"You are knitting English or American style, not continental. It's not easy to switch, but you can do it if you work at it. Continental has a motion more like crocheting since you use the needle to grab the yarn almost as you would with a crochet hook. Personally, I don't throw my yarn, I pick it. However, being self-taught what I do is NOT continental either. After reading many explanations of knitting styles around the world, I think what I do could be called "Eastern Uncrossed." It works like this: I knit through the back of the loop which on my needles lies foremost. I pick the yarn so that it goes over the needle counter-clockwise (I think...?). This makes the new stitch also lay with forward edge in the back. The stitch does not twist or cross because the direction of the yarn being picked falls the same way as the stitches on the needle. I purl through the back of the stitch as well. Purling is very easy this way. It's quicker and simpler than Continental, and my purl rows are snug. If I'm not careful, purl can actually be tighter than knit because the motion is economical. I've seen many "English" knitters use a fast finger motion and be very quick. In general, though, Continental is faster. I don't mean that all Continental knitters are faster than all "English" knitters, but the motions in Continental are more economical hence the average Continental knitter is quicker than the average one who throws the yarn. If you want to learn standard Continental, get Elizabeth Zimmerman's book, Knitting Without Tears. She has a simple explanation of how it works." - Terry

"I'm a thrower, descended from a long line of throwers. I didn't even know there was another way well into adulthood. Several years ago I was knitting while riding on a train in England. The lady across from me kept staring and finally asked me if I were left handed. I don't think she really believed me when I explained that it was the "American" style of knitting." - Becky

"I'm definitely a "thrower" -- was taught by my mother when I was about 8 -- and people are always amazed by how fast I knit. Unlike most, I "throw" the yarn with the middle finger of my right hand -- it just feels better than with the forefinger -- my mother did it this way, too. I've tried continental many times with two-color knitting, but am frustrated that it is too slow! " - Beth

"I 'throw' my sts, but prefer Continental & would do it if I were not so inept with it and have no patience to practice!" - Vee

"I have always disliked purling - UNTIL! I was reading an article that said that the stitches in garter were more uniform if they were purled. I did not believe that and had to prove it wrong. Guess what? I made two samples doing garter by knitting and garter by purling and the nicer sample was the purled one. I hang onto the needle tips - straight, dp or circular - with my left hand when I let go of the right one. I have never minded purling since I made the above discovery and have become better at it including purling with two colors. I am also better at tensioning the two colors if I carry them both in the right hand. I think it really depends on the individual and what is comfortable for that person." - Carole

"Learned to knit by throwing 25 years ago at a local adult school. Just taught myself continental last year while on vacation but had a difficult time with pearls. Studied EZ's method of pearling in KWT and now pearling feels comfortable. Use continental method for most projects now. Also, taught myself to knit backwards this year and use this method somethimes. Never realized how much I disliked pearling by throwing." - JoAnne

"Taught myself to crochet, and then to knit, in 1996. Recently I went to a website so that I could learn what sounded like an "exotic" way of doing it, and found out I was already knitting Continental. Continental, dahling!" - Ann

"My Oma was my teacher and the continental way was the only way she knew how to do it, she was from Germany. I use both methods when I work with more than one color, but that is the only time I do the throw method." - Christine

"I to knit continetal. That was the only way I had seen anyone knit. Then after crocheting using this was more familar. When I taught myself to knit I just used this was also." - Vicki

"I hold the yarn in my right hand unless I am doing color work and then I use both hands." - Lesley

"I switch back and forth between the two methods. My hands get very stiff when I knit for very long so I have found that if I switch back and forth I can knit longer. I do have a problem purling with my right hand. I was a lefty for years." - Bev

"I learned to throw but find that I have better control if I knit Continental. I use both hands when knitting color work." - Sandy

"I have always knit continental ( even before I knew what it was called), it just seemed the natural way to knit. I do 'throw' with my right hand when using 2 colours." - Joanne

"I am strongly right handed, and learned to knit by throwing the yarn. The only time I can carry and pick it from my left needle is doing fairisle, and that took alot of practice to get to an acceptable tension." - Sandra

"Continental only for knit rows. Thrower for everything else." - Kasey

"I've been a thrower since I learned 40 years ago. I've tried the other way but have problems with my tension. As I rarely do any plain knitting, I think my style works out best for me. At least I'm most comfortable with it. (albeit slower)" - Guenhwyvar

"Always a thrower unless doing 2 color fair isle, then the bobbins don't tangle." - Ruth

"thrower who picks second/third color when stranding. taught my daughter picking, however, which she prefers." - Sue

" started as a thrower, but learned to knit in a continental style when doing circular knit Scandinavian sweaters. Now it depends on the knitting stitch pattern that I am doing. Also knit continental when doing 1 x 1 rib."

"I learned to knit continental when I was 6. However, since I've been doing more color work, I've taught myself to knit both ways to save time. " - Ella

"People who knit continental claim to knit faster and better, but at an arthritic age 62, my goal is to not hurt anything, and my knitting doesn't hurt! My neurologist is sure knitting causes carpaI tunnel syndrome, and it certainly can, but I don't get symptoms from knitting. (when I get numb fingers from other activities, I STOP. That's not why I see the neurologist) So, do what works for you that is comfortable." - Gayle

"I smiled when I read the comment from someone that she reverts to throwing when she's tired. Since by the time I can settle down to knitting on any given day I'm usually tired already, that might explain why I'm a "thrower". :) " - Annmarie

"I taught myself continental style a few months ago (inspired by EZ who, for the first time, I began to take seriously....and so started circular knitting as well). I practiced in 5-10 minute blocks many times for a couple of days, then tackled a sweater. I can't imagine myself going back (except to use both in fair isle). Oh, the first row after cast on, I throw. Perhaps after a few years, that, too, will change." - Peg

"I tension the yarn through the fingers of my right hand with the yarn coming off my middle finger. I barely let go of the needle to throw the yarn so there is no wasted motion and my tension is even for both knit and purl." - Jean

Note that the information quoted above may or may not be correct. It is posted here purely as a starting point from which knitters can begin researching methods of casting on and be inspired by other enthusiasts.