Knitting continental style, also known as German or left-handed knitting, is a method where the working yarn is held in the left hand. Here are the steps to get started with knitting continental style:
- Choose your materials: You'll need knitting needles and yarn in the weight and color of your choice. For beginners, a medium weight yarn and size 8-10 (5-6 mm) needles are a good choice.
- Make a slip knot: Create a slip knot on one of your knitting needles, leaving a tail of about 4-6 inches.
- Hold the needles: Hold the needle with the slip knot in your left hand, and the empty needle in your right hand.
- Cast on stitches: Use your left hand to hold the working yarn, and make a slipknot onto your left needle. Then, insert your right needle into the slip knot from front to back and twist the right needle clockwise to form a new loop. Pull the loop through the slip knot and onto the left needle. Continue making loops in this way until you have the desired number of stitches on your left needle.
- Knit stitches: Hold the working yarn in your left hand and insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from left to right. With the working yarn, loop it over the right needle from back to front, then pull the right needle back through the stitch and let the stitch slide off the left needle. You have made a knit stitch! Repeat this process across the row.
- Purl stitches: To purl stitches, hold the working yarn in your left hand and insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from right to left. With the working yarn in front, loop it over the right needle from back to front, then pull the right needle back through the stitch and let the stitch slide off the left needle. You have made a purl stitch! Repeat this process across the row.
- Continue knitting: Work rows of knit and purl stitches to create your desired pattern.
