This morning, because my internal clock is Satan’s first born, I woke up at 5:15am. Who does that on a Saturday? That would be me, AND to make matters worst I couldn’t fall back to sleep. GRRRRR
So I grab my phone and find my self in one of the knitting communities and the poster said she was having trouble knitting continental style (picking) and was asking for help. Well the most of the comments were cool, but it was when the “the best way is this or that” or “I don’t know how folks knit like _____ (filling the blank) it makes my hand hurt” that made my head start to hurt.
I can’t stand when folks do the whole “what I do is better than what you do” thing. I want to just scream SHUT UP! it is not. I knit American style (a thrower) does that mean that I am NOT knitting? Of course it doesn’t so why does it matter? I love and hate social media. It gives voice to the voiceless, because some of these comments, I guarantee they wouldn’t say that stuff in person. Please go have all he seats in Madison Square Garden..just sit down!
I know how to knit continental (picking) style, but I can’t get my tension right. I understand picking is known for it’s speed and less stress on the wrist, I get all that and I want to get better. I just don’t feel like I am better than anyone that knits differently, I truly believe our differences make the world go round..imagine if EVERYone was the same and did everything the same. BORING!! So instead of trying to put someone that does something different down, appreciate the uniqueness they bring.
Sorry for the rant..it’s the lack of sleep 🙂
How do you knit? LOL
Knit on my fiber friends..knit on
~GG
The Confessions of a Yarnho 
January 31, 2015 at 4:49 pm
I love this! I feel the same way. I am a “picker” and I am not sure why, I guess it is because I learned to crochet first when I was about 6 and then to knit when I was about 8.. so holding the yarn in my left hand felt natural to me. One of my good friends is a “thrower” and I love to watch her knit! It just has such great rhythm and puts me in a trance. I think if you find a way that is comfortable then that is the “right” way. I don’t tell me brother who is left handed that he is writing wrong, so why should I tell someone who is knitting a different way that they are wrong? The world is big enough for us all, but life is too short to argue about stuff like that! Happy Knitting, whether it be picking or throwing.
January 31, 2015 at 6:04 pm
Yes!! Yes yes!! Thank you!
January 31, 2015 at 5:11 pm
I’m a thrower. It’s how I was taught. Doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong. Recently, I’ve been hearing about the superiority of continental style, but I’ve been super happy with being “wrong”, and until I grow weary of being inferior, that’s how it will be.
January 31, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Let’s touch and agree…
January 31, 2015 at 5:49 pm
Personally I am a picker…I agree with you wholeheartedly on your ranting. You just want to say…”Get a life” … the right way to knit is what works best for you …. if you want to try a new avenue of knitting..bless you heart…go for it.. Ultimately ….. just knit on my friends…knit on!
January 31, 2015 at 6:00 pm
Amen my friend
January 31, 2015 at 6:10 pm
Hi Ms. Gaye ~~ Do not apologize for the “rant” because it actually has application in so many areas of life. I too get crazy when people attempt to portray what they do as “the best” or “the only” way to do something – I silently scream “get over yourselves!!” Anyway, I am a thrower. I took a class to learn continental and didn’t do well, so I went back to what I know, throwing. Have a great rest of the weekend – thanks for your posts. Happy knitting to you and all of your blog followers!
January 31, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Thank you!!! And a happy weekend to you too 😘
January 31, 2015 at 10:02 pm
I taught myself to crochet first. Then I taught myself to knit, and I struggled with knitting throwing-wise. I gave up for a year, discovered continental knitting and good quality needles and have been clicking away happily ever since. Does that make my experience better or more important than the next? No. Does that give me a reason to bait people and bully them in a public forum just so I can tell them how right my way is? No. That’s just classic narcissism. The facebook posts drive me insane. I just want to see inspiration in my feed, not world war III knitters edition
January 31, 2015 at 10:03 pm
Lol yes WW III Hahahahahahaaaa the knitting Police ready to give out fines. Hahahahahaahahahaaa
January 31, 2015 at 11:44 pm
Oh, this can get so ugly. No wonder you needed to rant. I learned to knit the continental style because that is how my family knits. I never thought about it until some ladies reacted badly to me and told me that I “pick” They acted like it was a personality defect. Seriously? This is an issue? Life is too short for that nonsense. I now know how to knit both ways which I do when I knit Fair Isle, and last year I leaned to knit backwards so I could do bobbles. (love those online tutorials!!)
We all knit for the love of the craft and produce useful wonders of creation and joy. That is all that matters!!
January 31, 2015 at 11:46 pm
Amen!!! We can’t we all just knit along 😋
February 2, 2015 at 11:49 am
Great post! As a fairly new knitter (a little over a year in) I am a thrower and don’t see that changing, sure I’m open to new ideas but I don’t care what’s best for most, my interest is in what’s best for me and throwing fits the bill!. As a new knitter I get people telling me all the time, “you should learn continental it’s so much faster…”, wait, this is my therapy! There’s not a snowball’s chance in well…(where Satan lives) that I want that to speed by. Nope! I try not to knit by deadlines so if throwing is slower…I’ll move over so you can continue (continental) in the fast lane.
You’re right…HOWEVER YOU do it IS the BEST WAY.
No apologies needed! Good rant, nice conversation going here.
Have a great week!
Susie
February 2, 2015 at 1:41 pm
LOL yes I love the “this is my therapy” thanks for stopping in and have a great week as well
February 2, 2015 at 6:04 pm
I continental and eastern euro, English style and use a norwegian knitting thimble and a Nancy yarn pet thingy from Paradise Fibers to do two balls at once with tension controls, SO WHAT? It is all dependent on how my arms, fingers brain feel. I can just Knit along with anybody, no problem here. 🙂 by Rusty Knits and More….aka A. Rease
February 2, 2015 at 8:19 pm
😘😘😘 now you gotta teach me some of those different techniques.
February 4, 2015 at 10:25 am
Q – Your writing style cracks me up! Totally love it. Picker? Really? All I can envision is doing something to my nose with the needle. LOL! Hey folks, this is a relaxing hobby we’re to have fun with, there is no right or wrong, just what is most comfortable! Ok, I’m a picker. Mom was of Norwegian heritage and she was taught to knit by a Norwegian woman in Minnesota, so….. But I will say, my purl style has amused my spinning class. It’s featured on one of my blogs posts. Off to do more visiting on your blog.
February 4, 2015 at 11:26 am
I am coming to visit I feel like I need to hug you!! You will never know how timely you have been today. Way to distract me from my own mess. I adore you!! *hugs*
February 4, 2015 at 11:38 am
Q – Back at you! If you hadn’t have “liked” a comment I made on Andre Sue Knits I wouldn’t have “found” you today. I’ll take that cyberhug and am sending one back!
February 7, 2015 at 12:02 am
I taught myself to knit from a library book in 1982…the “American” way which I guess it throwing. Then in 1985 I went to Germany and saw them knitting so fast and even…the picking way I guess? where you hold the yarn in the left hand… And so after a couple of weeks I had it down and have been knitting that way ever since 🙂 but yeah I agree whatever works !!
February 7, 2015 at 12:12 am
Absolutely whichever way gets the job done.
February 8, 2015 at 2:56 pm
I am a picker. I learned to knit continental style but I never could get the whole having the string wrapped around the finger thing so what I’m doing now is sort of a bootleg version but it gets the job done, lol
February 8, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Lol as long as the job gets done, that’s all that matters 😋