Knit-Along Clue 1

[roseannie]

When I taught myself to knit I tried to teach myself how to do the continental method but just couldn't get the hang of it. That was 20 years ago. Maybe it's time for me to give it another try.

[robinamy]

I am making a sew together afghan for the first time, so I get the idea of leaving tails to sew the pieces together but should I also leave a 12 inch tail with the color change yarn? Logic tells me to but I'm not completely certain.

[K1P1quebec]

I am making a sew together afghan for the first time, so I get the idea of leaving tails to sew the pieces together but should I also leave a 12 inch tail with the color change yarn? Logic tells me to but I'm not completely certain.

Yep. That way you can use like yarn to attach the different colours.

[bkem]

How do I fasten off last stitch of my square?

[joyousday]

ok I now have 55 sts. I need to change colour do I start to decrease that row or the next row. Do I have to make 8 square in all.

Once you have 55 stitches you knit the WS (you know how it said repeat the 2 rows? You do the increase and then you just knit). Then you add the 2nd color on the RS.

Yes we are making 8 squares total for week 1.

[joyousday]

How do I fasten off last stitch of my square?

I did it like I normally would when I am binding off and I have the last one left. I hope that helps. You could always look up how to bind off on youtube,

[catjoy]

How do I fasten off last stitch of my square?

Leave your tail length, slide the last stitch off the needle and thread the end of the yarn through it and pull it snug. That's it.

[bkem]

Thanks.

[KnitKnacker1234]

You might get faster at knitting the more you do it, but it doesn't really matter how fast we knit, just that we're enjoying ourselves! I have switched to knitting in the continental method because it's easier on my wrists. I love learning new things as a group, too, and getting to communicate with others while we work on the same pattern!! It's like we're all in this together!

i had never seen the continental method, so i went and watched a video... i might have to try that some time! it looks like it would actually be quicker once you learn it since your hands can stay on the needles the whole time.

I have seen several different people knit in the continental method on TV knitting shows and UTube, and they each hold the yarn in a different way. I've also seen them use a different finger to push the yarn down for the purl stitch. I tried to purl their way but it just didn't work for me. Then one time on UTube I saw someone purl by pushing the yarn down with the index finger, so I tried that, and that's what worked for me. So you can try different ways until you find what's comfortable for you, but still holding the working yarn with the left hand is the Continental method.

[KnitKnacker1234]

When I taught myself to knit I tried to teach myself how to do the continental method but just couldn't get the hang of it. That was 20 years ago. Maybe it's time for me to give it another try.

There was one time when I tried to learn the Continental method because I knew it was more efficient since the working yarn stayed right where it was needed by the tips of the knitting needles. But, of course, it felt very awkward to me since I had learned the other way. (I was self-taught by knitting books and the Western way was how most of the diagrams show you to hold the yarn.) But I gave up because trying to learn a new way was slowing me down. Well, then when my wrist started hurting because of the way I was knitting I wanted to try the Continental method again, and I had more of an incentive to stick with it and get it down. So I just kept at it, and gradually got more comfortable with it, and could eventually knit that way all the time.

So yes! Give it another try. But it WILL feel awkward for quite awhile. Just stick with it!