Going Continental

When I originally taught myself to knit several eons ago, I learned right-handed. It seemed comfortable enough, and I was able to use the same yarn carry that I use when I crochet (left-handed). So, last winter when I decided to relearn how to knit, I tried various yarn-carries in Sally Melville's book "The Knit Stitch." Amazingly, the left-handed carry (AKA Continental knitting) is what is suggested for lefties, and I COULDN'T DO IT. So, I kept on keeping on with my crochet carry, and was happy.

Here is how I knit:

And here is how I crochet:

Then I tried knitting with two colors. Oops. The ability to use a left-handed carry suddenly increased in usefullness. Still, I couldn't do it. It just felt awkward. Every book I read says that this is the way lefties should learn. Apparently, they were written by righties because this lefty just doesn't get it.

Then I found this:

YouTube: Continental Knitting Demo

If you've ever tried to figure out Continental knitting, this is the most amazing video. I sat here at my computer one day, yarn in hand, and the lightbulb turned on. It still feels awkward but, then, so did knitting, period, a year ago.