Stitch and Unwind

  • About
    • Find Us Online
  • Knitting
  • Crochet
    • Afghans
  • Full Patterns
  • Videos
  • Newsletters
  • Giveaways

Readers En-Gauge: How Do You Hold Your Needles?

December 24, 2012 by AllFreeKnitting 43 Comments


Merry Christmas Eve!  Since it is officially the season of giving, what better way to celebrate than to offer you the chance to snag something incredibly cool from our yarn closet.  Want to win some yarn or knitting book?  Just answer this week’s question in the comments section below.

P.S. we have a special Readers En-Gauge contest every Monday, so make sure stop by the blog regularly for more chances to win.

Now on to the good stuff! To enter into today’s giveaway, just answer this question in the comments:

How do you hold your knitting needles?  What technique do you use to regulate your yarn tension?

Let us know below in the comments. We’ll be keeping an eye on what you post, and if you’re lucky you can win something fun AND be featured on Stitch & Unwind tomorrow!

  • Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+
  • One comment/entry per person.
  • Contest closes December 24, 2012 at 11:59p CST.
  • Please answer the question in the comments below in order to be entered.
  • Winner will be posted on this blog.
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Follow Us
AllFreeKnitting
Editor at AllFreeKnitting
AllFreeKnitting is dedicated to the best free knitting patterns, tutorials, tips and articles on knitting. From easy knitted afghan patterns to complex lace knitting patterns, we find and deliver the best free knitting patterns from all over the web. Plus, we feature free product reviews and giveaways of all the latest and greatest products including yarn, knitting books, totes, and more. AllFreeKnitting is a wonderful online resource for knitters of all skill levels.
Follow Us
Latest posts by AllFreeKnitting (see all)
  • Learn Garter Stitch with 13 Easy Scarf Knitting Patterns - February 13, 2021
  • Hats Off To You: 7 Free Hat Patterns - February 12, 2021
  • Video Tutorial: How to Knit the Bobble Stitch - February 7, 2021

Share and Enjoy !

0Shares
0 0

Filed Under: Readers En-Gauge Tagged With: allfreeknitting, Giveaway

Comments

  1. Sher Marchman-Day says

    December 24, 2012 at 10:38 am

    I’m left handed so I hold my crochet hook in the left hand, yarn and work in my right. For knitting everything is exactly backwards from the right hand view (or patterns). This can be confusing at times when constructing a garment.

    Reply
  2. Cindy Floyd says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:03 am

    “normal” for crocheting still trying to find the “right” way for me on Knitting

    Reply
  3. Claire Begin says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:05 am

    Je tiens très mal les aiguilles, je les tiens par dessus mais ma tension est ok. Oufff Par contre, j’aimerais bien apprendre à mieux tricoter… en 2013? I hope!!! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Diana K says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:05 am

    I’m a lefty and a throw knitter.

    Reply
  5. Michelle M says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:05 am

    I am a “thrower” when it comes to knitting, I want to learn to “pick” continental style.

    Not sure what my technique is with crochet, I taught myself.

    Reply
  6. Jeanie Neville says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:06 am

    I hold my needles hands over the needles, knitting with the right needle. I tension the yarn with the right fingers, similar to how a sewing machine tensions. I learned to knit from a German lady, Gretti, when I was 7.

    Reply
  7. Mary Kathryn says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:07 am

    I hold the needle in my right hand like a pencil and the one in my left close to the tip to help control 🙂

    Reply
  8. MELINDA says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:07 am

    for me knitting i hope the yarn in my right hand… i wrap the yarn around my whole hand loosely and then wound my pointer finger.
    for crochet its funny yarn is held in the left hand but i hold it the same way as knitting

    Reply
  9. Deb Meyer says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:08 am

    I am a thrower and a right hander.

    Reply
  10. Shelley Blachuta says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:09 am

    I hold my needles in both hands! I , too throw the yarn…Would love to learn picking to make it a bit faster!

    Reply
  11. Grace Stark says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:10 am

    I hold my knitting needles like I am conducting music–with my hands on top of the needles. I’ve learned over the years to wrap the yarn around my pinky finger twice before running it over the back of my fingers and I keep my index finger straight.

    Reply
  12. Angie Easter says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:14 am

    Knitting is normal way for a right hander, but my crochet I still hold the yarn in my right hand and loop it round hook like I would when I knit,
    xx

    Reply
  13. Linda Black says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:14 am

    I knit continental style use to throw but when I found out how to knit continental being so much faster I hold my yarn as if to crochet wrapped around my left hand and index finger

    Reply
  14. AmyS says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:18 am

    I’m a Continental knitter and I knife my crochet.

    Reply
  15. Maggie Scheck Geene says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:25 am

    I wind the yarn through the fingers of my right hand and use my pointer finger to loop the yarn as I knit.

    Reply
  16. Carol Helms says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:27 am

    I hold knitting needles fairly close to tips for control and hold yarn in right and going over pointer finger and back over little finger. Crocheting I hold yarn the same way, but I put my hand around hook. Self taught w/ crochet and was doing it “wrong” for years before I found out. It works for me.

    Reply
  17. Debbie H says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:29 am

    I am a righty but hold the yarn in my left hand and pick it. 🙂

    Reply
  18. Diana S says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:43 am

    I’m left handed, but learned to knit and crochet right handed (probably because a right-hander taught me. I throw the yarn in knitting, in spite of several unsuccessful attempts to teach myself the Continental method. I hold my crochet hook like a pencil in my right hand and keep the tension with my left index finger.

    Reply
  19. Judy Cowen says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:49 am

    I knit continental winding the yarn around my left pinky for good tension.

    Reply
  20. Margaret says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:50 am

    I have my thumbs on each needle for balance and my pointer fingers guiding the stitch. The needles rest lightly on my index fingers….awkward to explain, but works well for me.

    Reply
  21. Florence says

    December 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm

    I’M A THROWER.

    Reply
  22. Leslie Mansfield says

    December 24, 2012 at 12:04 pm

    I am just starting to learn to knit so it may not be correct I hold my needles between my first finger and thumbs, left is held closer to the tip.

    Reply
  23. Mihla says

    December 24, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    When I was 8, my Norwegian grandmother taught me to knit, so I use the Continental method.

    Reply
  24. Gloria says

    December 24, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    For knitting I am a right handed thrower. For crochet I hold the hook like a knife with the yarn in my left hand.I thread the yarn through my fingers for tension control.

    Reply
  25. Martha S. says

    December 24, 2012 at 12:31 pm

    I hold the needles the way I hold a knife and keep the yarn in my left hand. I wrap some yarn around my finger to keep tension.

    Reply
  26. Maryanne Cadwell says

    December 24, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    I hold the needles like a knife and tension yarn over my right fingers. Crochet is the hook in right hand and yarn in left

    Reply
  27. Donna says

    December 24, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    I wrap my yarn around my right finger and throw around the left needle!

    Reply
  28. Vicki Kleutghen says

    December 24, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    Depending on how my arthritic fingers are doing , I either knit continental or, if they’re stiff, fall back on throwing. Either way gets the job done!

    Reply
  29. Lissa says

    December 24, 2012 at 1:37 pm

    I hold my needles up so I don’t drop a stitch I hope, and wind the yarn around my left pointer finger. I control the tension of the yarn, by moving my finger up or down. I still hear my mom saying make it tighter ( or looser). She taught me to knit when I was 5, and has been gone 21 years, but she’s still helping me knit!

    Reply
  30. Anne Krill says

    December 24, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    I hold the work in my left hand, the yarn winded around my right pointer finger. I tried the other way,but it took more thought even though it seems easier.

    Reply
  31. Carol Hipple says

    December 24, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    I usually am a picker with knitting but “throw” when purling sometimes.

    Reply
  32. Evelyn Klaver says

    December 24, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    I crochet holding the hook like a pencil. On stitches like the fpdc I manipulate the work toward the hook with my left hand. I combine styles when knitting. I hold the needles on the tips and wind the yarn aaround the left needle with my lef index finger

    Reply
  33. Kitten With A Whiplash says

    December 24, 2012 at 3:20 pm

    I’m a continental knitter, and use the “knife” grip. When I crocheted I used the “knife” grip on my hook, so when I taught myself to knit, it just carried over.

    Reply
  34. Mary Mac says

    December 24, 2012 at 3:38 pm

    I hold my hands over the needles and STILL keep the tension alittle to tight on my yarn.

    Reply
  35. Jo1 says

    December 24, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    I am a thrower and right handed

    Reply
  36. Ellen Gaynor says

    December 24, 2012 at 9:57 pm

    I knit continental style. I used to knit English style, but a guy friend of mine showed me continental. I was hooked.

    To regulate tension, I loop the yarn around my left fingers, similar to how I crochet. I do not hold it out with the index fingers the way I see it in videos.

    Reply
  37. ritainalaska says

    December 24, 2012 at 10:58 pm

    i work my knitting close to the tips of the needles, with yarn over the right index finger doing the throwing and a wrap around the little finger controlling the tension. i crochet over my left index finger while my left little finger has the wrap controlling the tension.

    Reply
  38. Cindy Fuchs says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:52 pm

    I’m a thrower and a picker. When my hands hurt too much from throwing I switch to picking. I hold my crochet hook in my right hand like a pencil.

    Reply
  39. Darlene says

    December 24, 2012 at 11:57 pm

    I tuck my left arm in and then turn my right arm…I had an accident with my left arm when I was little so I hold the needles a bit different then most but am managing to learn….So far I’ve learnt to garter, stockingette stitch, and basket weave, and 2 on 2 cable….I’m trying a knit and purl plaid next….

    Reply
  40. Marlene Russell says

    December 25, 2012 at 7:50 pm

    I never knew there were so many ways to knit and crochet. I wrap the yarn over my pointer under the next over the next and around my little guy. hands close to points.I do not knit much now as both knitting and crocheting cause my arms to ache with pain along the front inside parts of my arms. If another method would ease the pain I’d sure love to get back in the groove.

    Reply
  41. Elizabeth Aaron says

    December 29, 2012 at 1:38 pm

    I learned to knit by my European mom, so I’m a Continental knitter. I crochet like I’m ‘digging’ into the stitch, though…I was taught to hold the hook like a pencil but it just feels weird.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Free Crochet Patterns, Free Knitting Patterns, Video Tutorials and Giveaways from StitchAndUnwind.com says:
    December 26, 2012 at 11:28 am

    […] you so much for everyone who answered yesterday’s Readers En-Gauge question! Make sure you read over all the answers to find out how your fellow knitters hold their needles and how they keep the proper tension while […]

    Reply
  2. Free Crochet Patterns, Free Knitting Patterns, Video Tutorials and Giveaways from StitchAndUnwind.com says:
    December 31, 2012 at 9:10 am

    […] week we asked you  “How do you hold your knitting needles?” and we received a lot of great answers. Make sure you go back and read them to get some great […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Email Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube RSS

Subscribe to the Stitch and Unwind Newsletter.

Categories

Knit & Crochet Magazines

I Like Crochet: Five Glam Projects that Dazzle

How to Crochet a Bavarian Rectangle from I Like Crochet

Free eBook Download

Homemade Mother's Day Gifts eBook

Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts: Free eBook!

The weather is starting to get consistently warmer, the birds are chirping more and more, and the flowers are starting to bloom - spring has sprung, … [Read More...]

Tutorials

One-Skein Wonders: 12 Free Crochet Patterns

I don't know about you, but now that the holidays are over, I've put myself on a personal spending freeze. That means no new accessories for a while, … [Read More...]

Archives

Afghan Tutorials

Your Perfect Plaid: 8 Crochet Afghan Patterns

Crochet Tutorials

Secrets to Being a Better Crocheter: 17 Crochet Tips and Tricks

Knitting Tutorials

What’s Your Style? 4 Knitted Cup Cozies

Holiday Projects

Seriously Sweet Valentine’s Knitting Patterns

Yarn Stash Organization

Get Organized: Tips to Sort Your Stash

Free Full Patterns

Crochet Pattern of the Day: Butterfly Wings Scarf

Prime Publishing Craft Group
Copyright © 2021 · Stitch & Unwind - A Prime Publishing LLC property. All rights reserved.

About Us Advertise Contact Us FAQs Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Subscribe Terms of Service Unsubscribe

Copyright © 2021 · Tidy Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in