I have been watching YouTube videos to help me get faster at knitting, and through that journey, I have found many different knitting styles. The two most common in the knitting industry are English and Continental, but did you know there are more versions of knitting styles?
Knitting style refers to the way you hold the yarn and the knitting needles. Usually, our style is based on the way we were taught, which was probably passed down through many generations of knitters. Depending on the area of the world you live, traditional styles can vary.
It amazes me that we can all knit differently, but still achieve the same results. I challenge you to never assume your way of knitting is best. There is so much you can learn from other knitting styles. Some styles are better for certain stitches, and others could speed up your progress. Check out these 5 knitting styles.
Shetland Knitting
Shetland knitting is the fastest style I have come across so far. Ladies back in the day could knit 200-300 stitches per minute with this style. It takes me hours to complete that many stitches! Also another fun fact, Hazel Tindall, a lady who has held “The World’s Fastest Knitter” title uses this style.
The author of the book The Principles of Knitting did research on the Shetland style. Apparently it has been used for hundreds of years in Great Britain and Europe. But once the knitting machine was invented, the Shetland style knitting was gradually abandoned.
Shetland knitting is not a very widely used style throughout the world today. Northern England and Scotland still practice this style, but mostly it is just a tradition in Shetland. Probably why the name has stuck since it was named after the Shetland Islands in Scotland.
Other Common Names
- From the Hip
- Scottish Knitting
- Pit Knitting
- Supported Needle Method
How Does This Style Work?
For the Shetland knitting style, an additional tool is needed besides yarn and needles. A special belt was designed to wear around the waist that supports a knitting needle. This made it easier for women to knit while standing and even walking. The belt traditionally has a leather pouch with holes punched in it attached to the side of the hip.
How to Hold the Yarn and Needles. To partake in this style, first, the special knitting belt should fasten around the waist. Typically the pouch is on the right hip. Then a double pointed needle pokes into one of the holes of the leather pouch. This is what holds the needle stationary. The second needle is held in the left hand.
When needles are positioned, the right hand takes control of the working yarn. The left hand moves the needle back and forth perpendicular to the stationary needle. The right hand controls tension and yarns over the moving needle with a small flick of the index finger. This is how stitches are made.
To see the Shetland knitting style in action, be sure to check this YouTube video out by Janet.
I also saw variations of the Shetland style that did not require the use of a knitting belt. One lady placed the needle that would go into the belt between her knees. Then knit the same way. Another lady put the needle in her armpit and held it steady there. Although, these are less mobile than the traditional Shetland style.
Why Should You Use This Style?
It is Fast. If you want to speed up your knitting, try this style out. Seriously, the Shetland ladies could knit hundreds of stitches in a minute. It will take a lot of practice if you’re not used to it, but it definitely has the potential of speeding your knitting up.
The Right Hand is Free. Having a stationary needle makes it so much easier and faster to manipulate the yarn and tension to how you like it. The right hand can keep up with the left hand movements because it doesn’t have to worry about holding onto the needle.
Knitting Can Be Done On-The-Go. The Shetland women would go to the markets and knit as they walked into town and on the way home. Why not do the same in your day-to-day routine? Just be careful to watch where you are going. It might take some getting used to before you can knit without looking.
Some Potential Downfalls
There is no perfect style for everyone. I say try as many as you can and see what works. I just gave reasons why you should try the Shetland style out, but it is only fair that I bring a few potential downfalls to your attention. Nothing big, just things to think about before you try it out.
A Knitting Belt is Necessary. Knitting belts are not all that common. It would have to be special ordered. I only saw listings on Etsy for knitting belts. They can be a little pricey too.
It Will Not Work With Circular Knitting Needles. Working in the round with circulars will not work with this style. Only projects made with straight needles will work.
Hard to Find Long Double Pointed Needles. Longer than normal double pointed knitting needles are required for the Shetland knitting style. They could be harder to find.
Portuguese Knitting
Through a quick search, it looks like Portuguese knitting has been traced back to the Middle East. When the Arabs conquered the Iberian Peninsula, their knitting style was left behind.
The name is misleading because Portugal is not the only country where this knitting style is popular. The name just stuck for some reason. Spain and several Latin American countries also use this popular knitting style.
Other Common Names
- Andean Knitting
- Incan Knitting
- “Around the Neck” Knitting
How Does This Style Work?
Portuguese knitting is unique because of the way the tension is created and the minimal movements required to make stitches. A special knitting pin fastens to the front of the knitter’s shirt and holds tension on the yarn. Or the yarn can go around the back of the knitter’s neck to create the same tension. Then the left thumb flicks the yarn to make stitches, but I will get into that more deeply.
How to Hold the Yarn and Needles. After stitches have been cast on (or before), the needle with stitches on it should go around the back of the neck (or through a knitting pin) so that it is on the left side of the body. The working yarn, or the side of yarn attached to the ball, should be on the right side of the body. Next, the working yarn wraps around the middle finger on the right hand to control the tension better. Then the right hand holds the empty needle.
Stitches are then made in a similar manner to other knitting styles. The left thumb flicks the yarn over to make knit and purl stitches. Very minimal movements. The yarn remains on top of the knitting needle always when making stitches.
If you want a really good tutorial for this knitting style, be sure to check out this VeryPink Knits tutorial on YouTube for Portuguese knitting.
Why Should You Use This Style?
Portuguese knitting might take a little time to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can really speed up your knitting. Here are a few reasons to give it a try.
Purl Stitches are Easy. If you are used to English/American style knitting, did you ever think purling could be easy? I’ve heard that people who knit Portuguese style make garter stitches by purling every row. That is unheard of to many people. It makes sense for this style though. The tiny movement of the thumb makes purl stitches so easy.
Easier to See What is Going On While Knitting. Everything is done at the front of the work. You don’t have to mess with yarning over in the back. You can see everything that is going on from the front of the work.
Bind Off Has Never Been Easier. Just purl two together, slip that stitch onto the other needle then purl two together. Continue until the end.
Knitting Circular is Fast. Purl every row and flip inside out for knit stitches to show, or use the purl side for a different look. It’s so fast because purling is so easy!
Some Potential Downfalls
The Knit Stitch is Not as Easy. Since the yarn is held at the front, the knit stitch changes a bit. The yarn over is still easy, but there is more movement to complete a knit stitch. I found it harder, but it is not natural for me yet. It would take some practice.
Combination Knitting
The knitting styles that are popular in the Eastern and Western regions of the world are combined to make one style, combination knitting. If you care to learn how this style works, please continue on.
Other Common Names
- Combined Knitting
How Does This Style Work?
As I mentioned, there are Eastern styles to knit and Western styles. Let’s learn the difference here quickly.
Eastern Knitting Style
- Wraps yarn around the needle clockwise.
- The leading leg of the stitches on the needle are at the back.
Western Knitting Style
- Wraps yarn around the needle counterclockwise.
- The leading leg of the stitches on the needle are at the front.
The leading leg is the side of the stitch that slants closer to the needle point. For an easy illustration, hold out your left hand and make a peace sign. The “v” represents your stitch. The finger on the right (index finger) is the leading leg. If your hand turns and your index finger is in front, this reprents Western knitting. But, if the leading leg, or in this case index finger, is at the back, this represents Eastern knitting.
Combination knitting can be used for all styles of knitting. Throwers, continental styles, flickers, etc. All you have to know is where to insert the needle into the stitch and the direction to wrap the yarn.
How to Hold the Yarn and Needles. Hold the yarn and needles just like normal and make the first row of knit stitches. On the purl side, wrap the yarn clockwise for each stitch. On the next side, knit side, the stitches will look twisted. Going forward, instead of knitting into the front leg of the stitch, knit into the back side. Essentially, you knit the Western way and purl the Eastern way, no matter what pattern you follow.
Why Should You Use This Style?
Easier for Continental Knitters. For any Continental style knitters out there, combination knitting can increase your overall knitting speed. Making knit stitches only changes because you knit into the back loop. The purl stitch is actually easier with this style. Wrapping the yarn clockwise around the needle requires less motion. A finger no longer needs to push down the yarn to make it stay on the needle to make a stitch.
Gauge Can Change. It is very common to knit at a smaller gauge when using the combination knitting style. The result is less stitches and rows per inch, which results in a smaller, more dense fabric. This can be helpful for meeting gauge requirements if you don’t want to change yarn or needle size for a pattern.
Some Potential Downfalls
Patterns Must be Modified. Patterns are written in many different ways. The ones I have come across are typically written for Western styles. It is important to know that increases and decreases are worked a little differently for combination knitting. For example, a knit two together (which is a right leaning decrease) and SSK (a left leaning decrease) must be swapped to achieve the correct result for the combination style.
Mirror Knitting
I have no doubt this style got it’s name because someone held up a mirror and learned the opposite way because it was easier for them. Or maybe the person was lazy and didn’t want to keep flipping the piece of fabric. Either way, we have what is called Mirror Knitting.
Other Common Names
- Backwards Knitting
How Does This Style Work?
Mirror style knitting is often referred to as backwards knitting, but by no means does that imply it is an incorrect or wrong way to knit. It simply means you knit “backwards” or the opposite direction of the way you normally knit.
How to Hold the Yarn and Needles. Hold an empty needle in the right hand and the needle with stitches in the left hand. Then knit stitches as normal. At the end of the row, don’t switch the needles into the opposite hands. Keep the empty needle in the left hand. This is where the mirror style comes in.
Rather than purl the next row, only knit stitches will be worked. Insert the left needle into the back loop of the first stitch on the needle. Wrap the yarn counterclockwise (the same direction as when you knit the opposite direction) and pull through to make a stitch.
Why Should You Use This Style?
Never Purl Again. You read that correctly. Never purl again. If you get good at the mirror knit stitch, you will never have to make a purl stitch again. Just knit every single row.
No More Switching Sides. You will no longer have to switch the needles from one hand to the other with mirror knitting. Less time spent on rearranging and more time for stitches.
Some Potential Downfalls
Ribbing May Become More Difficult. Alternating between knit and purl is not difficult. And knit stitches made in the opposite direction aren’t all that difficult either. But purling the opposite direction requires more manipulation of the yarn. Thus, ribbing could be more difficult if using the mirror style.
Must Modify Patterns. While not every pattern will require a modification for the mirror knitting style, some will. Sometimes decreases need to be changed from k2tog to SSK if you want the stitches to slant the same way as the pattern designer. Cables must also be modified in order to look the same.
Lever Knitting
Lever knitting is a variation of the English style knitting. Traditional English style knitting requires you to let go of the right needle and “throw” yarn over the needle to make a stitch. Lever knitting shortens the movements by supporting the right needle and the finger flicks yarn to make a stitch. It resembles Shetland knitting, but I will discuss that later.
Other Common Names:
- Irish Cottage Knitting
- Flicking
How Does This Style Work?
The lever knitting style is very similar to English knitting. The main differences come into play with the right hand. I’ll go ahead and explain how it works.
How to Hold the Yarn and Needles. The left hand holds the needle with the stitches. The right hand holds the empty needle like a pencil so that it rests in the crook between the thumb and index finger. The yarn should be tensioned in the right hand, just as you would for English style knitting.
To make a stitch, the right hand pushes the needle through the stitches held by the left hand. The right finger flicks the yarn around the needle point. Then the yarn is pulled through like normal to make a stitch. The right needle does not have to be held at all times since it is supported by the hand, making it easier to manage.
Why Should You Use This Style?
It is Known as the Fastest Knitting Style. Now, I looked up the world’s fastest knitter and it popped up Miriam Tegel. I took a look and she did not use lever knitting, so I don’t actually know how true this is. But give it a try! It’s sure to help with your speed.
Less Motion. Since the right needle is given support by the hand, you don’t have to worry about dropping the needle. This is nice because your movements don’t have to be huge, especially if you are used to English style where you throw the yarn over the needles. All you have to do is flick your finger over the needle. Less motion helps with your speed.
Some Potential Downfalls
It is Not Great for Circular Knitting Needles. If you knit in the round with circulars for most things, I’m not sure this style would help much. Lever knitting is better suited for longer straight needles.
Final Thoughts
I never knew how many knitting styles there were in the world. And I only touched base on 5. It’s crazy how people can all knit in different ways, yet come up with the same looking result. It’s amazing!
Before this, I was more familiar with the more popular styles, English and Continental. And I had heard people say that Continental is way faster. However, after educating myself on these new styles, I am convinced there is no one perfect knitting style for everyone. We will be fastest at the styles we choose to practice.
I also have come to the conclusion that it is useful to learn more than one knitting style. How can we truly know what our fastest knitting style is if we only tried one? Each style has pros and cons, which I tried to hit on, so it could be useful to add one or more styles to your arsenal. It could make you a faster knitter, or if your hands get tired using one method, switch to another. Just make sure to match your gauge.
I hope you found this helpful! And good luck practicing these new styles, let me know how they turn out!
Happy knitting, friends.
