Knitting Scottish Style
Jill WrightDescription
When it comes to knitting mechanics, there’s a few different ways that knitters will hold the yarn and needles to make their stitches. Every knitter finds a style that works for them. In this video, Jill Wright breaks down how to knit using the Scottish method of knitting. She demonstrates how to tension the yarn, as well as how to work the knit stitch.
To knit in the Scottish style, a long pair of straight knitting needles are used. Jill recommends 14-inch straight needles. The right needle is placed under the right arm. By placing the needle this way, it provides stability to the needle, which can result in faster knitting. The yarn is tensioned in the right hand, like the English (or throwing) method and the knit stitches are created in the same way, by “throwing” the yarn around the needle.
Jill finds this method of knitting much more fluid than other styles. She keeps the stitches near the tips of the needles as she works across the row to build up speed and create the stitches quickly.
Hi, this is Jill Wright from the Knitting Circle. In this video, we're going to look at knitting Scottish style. Now, Scottish style. You're gonna need long, straight needles. So grab your needles and let's give it a shot. So knitting Scottish style, the main difference in between Scottish and English style knitting, English style you would hold your needles in your hands with no support. Now, the Scottish style the right hand needle goes onto the arm, and then we go right ahead and get to knitting. Now, the stabilizing effect of the right hand needle means that you can get up to quite a little speed. Exactly the same as English style knitting, but I didn't feel like it's a little more fluid. We're keeping the stitches at the end of the needle, working on through. Let's flip it over, remove that needle, switch it over under the armpit, tension the yarn, and off we go again. You just got a little bit of garter stitch going on here. Again, it's the same idea as English. Insert your needle, throw the yarn around, pull through, slide off the needle. But this way we have the added support of that needle being under the arm. So we can pick it up a little bit and get some speed up. Scottish knitting, 14 inch needles under the armpit, and off we go. I hope you enjoyed learning about knitting Scottish style, and don't forget to check out the rest of the website for more knitting videos.
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I have been knitting for about 50 yrs. the Scottish knit but never knew there was a name tied to it. I have always put the needle under my arm. So much easier and yes faster. I learned something new today that there is a name for it. Never too old to learn something new! Name of my knitting is Tweettweet, no website
This is also Dutch. I first learned in grade 1 in Holland. All the Dutch friends and relatives, including sisters, knit this way.
I do so enjoy watching and listening to Jill's videos.
I have knitted this way with the needle under my right arm, Scottish way, ever since I began knitting, my teacher knitted that way and I found it easier than holding needles the English way. Many have ridiculed me and I've kept knitting the way I like. Thank you for showing that I'm knitting a right way for me and it is a legitimate knitting method. Thank you.
When knitting Scottish style the left needle should go under the left arm not the right as stated.
Thank you for sharing this info. When I first took up knitting again, I made several Fun Fur scarves for my sisters-in-law during the 24-hour drive to see them. I didn't know I was employing the Scottish technique at the time. But now I understand why I had more speed and control than when I held those long needles English-style.