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Flick Knitting in Slow Motion | What’s Really Going On Here?

Wool Needles Hands

24,023 views

In this video, I slow down the flick knitting process to take a closer look at something a viewer named Michelle noticed — that moment where the yarn stretches between the needles.

Is that a sign of loose tension? Or is it just what flicking looks like in slow motion?

Let’s break down what’s really happening, frame by frame.

⏱️ Chapters:
0:37 Intro
2:19 Why knitters flick
04:04 Michelle’s question
4:53 Watching example videos

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🎥 Watch next:
Join the Slow-Motion Knitting Club — a Patreon experiment where I watch your knitting clips in slow motion and we analyze how different styles move. Learn more on the Patreon:
👉 https://www.patreon.com/posts/1433827...

🎶 Music: Custom lo-fi instrumental by Suno
📍 Written, filmed and edited by Tayler D. Earl

💬 Leave your thoughts below — have you ever filmed your knitting in slow motion?

Knitting tutorial analysis, flick vs English style, understanding tension in knitting, slow motion knitting study, Tayler D. Earl knitting channel.

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Knitting tutorial analysis, flick vs English style, understanding tension in knitting, slow motion knitting study, Tayler D. Earl knitting channel.

20 Comments

@WOOLNEEDLESHANDS Creator 10 months ago Pinned

I’ve been staring at that yellow-circle photo for days — and now I finally understand what’s actually happening when we flick.

If you want to keep exploring this idea, I’ve started the Slow-Motion Knitting Club over on Patreon — a little experiment where I’ll watch your knitting clips in slow motion and we’ll analyze different styles together.

🎥 https://www.patreon.com/posts/join-slow-motion-143382710

@jilliankonig2759 10 months ago

That stretching phenomenon happens even with continental knitting.

@scrapbagstudios 10 months ago (edited)

I have been a flicker all my life. It is how I was taught (80 odd years ago). I do not hold my forefinger up in the air, it is on the needle all the the time except when actually flicking, nor do I hold the needle with my hand around it. I hold the needle on top of my hand (like holding a pencil) and I flick at the same time as I insert the needle. This is called English parlour knitting and is a very quick method with a minimum of movement. The method in the video looks closer to throwing, and doesn't your finger get tired up in the air all the time? As far as tension goes I am generally a loose-ish knitter - I don't pull the yarn I tension it with my other fingers and let it go through them as it needs to as I form the stitches. 😀

@catherinecunningham7126 10 months ago

I’ve tried flicking but I just feel more comfortable throwing. I love seeing others knitting techniques, I always learn something new. Thank you Tayler! 🌻

@vahlfamily 10 months ago

I knit almost exactly like you. Not quite a flicker and not quite English and my gauge is always very tight and very very even.

@lynnewhoknits 10 months ago

The yarn amount used for the rows below the working row/row in progress has already been committed. Stretching rows below may alter the shape of your stitch but not the size, i.e. yardage committed to a stitch on rows below. Tension is controlled on the current row based on how tightly you wrap and maintain yarn around the shaft of the needle. If you keep the same tension evenly on your current row as on the rest of your peoject, your gauge will remain the same throughout no matter your knitting style.

@ereyncrafts 10 months ago

This came at the perfect time for me today. I’ve been experimenting with holding my working yarn in different ways and flicking is one of them. Fascinating breakdown…thank you!

@Echo_Isles_Cheesemonger 4 months ago

I have been a flicker since before the Internet was invented so I didn't know it was a thing that other people do. If anything, I struggle to keep my tension from getting too tight. Definitely no stretching.

After being told I was knitting weirdly by other knitters for decades, I love that lots of people do it and even teach it, now.

@66kandFabricHordeDragon 10 months ago

I knit Yorkshire style which is a variant of English and flick in a slightly different way to you - I use a knitting thimble on my little finger and have the yarn wrapped round twice on my first finger. What makes this mildly interesting is that even though I use 40 cm flat needles I can really easily use the shortest of the short circular needle because as we just rest our right hand on the top of the needle with flats I can hold a circular needle with two fingers and a thumb if needed and still flick. I don't have tension issues but that's because I was taught to knit age four by a master knitter (thank you grandma) and when people do that for a child it's an absolute gift as this muscle memory stays with them forever.

@Maddie-p2l 10 months ago

I think part of the confusion is where a knitters “neutral” spot is on their needles. Some people work more towards the tips of their needles (and I think these tend to be tighter knitters) and some people tend to have their stitches settle further back from the tips. I definitely have this happen even as a continental knitter, I think it’s just more pronounced when the yarn tension is pulled away from the center of the work rather than “across” the work.

@kellicoffman8440 10 months ago

I myself am continental in my knitting 🧶 style but I am fascinated by this video

@jilliankonig2759 10 months ago

Stretching is determined by how close your needle tips are to each other when you push the stitch from left to right needle.

@rosinagreenwell1143 10 months ago

I’ve knitted like this for 56 years and my tension has been very good. I’m not a loose knitter at all.

@trudilarose2260 10 months ago

I had never heard of flicking, it just seemed a natural evolution in how I hold & tension the yarn for a more relaxed experience. I can't imagine still using my whole arm to wrap the yarn like I did the first few months.
I wonder if this is also why I do not hate purling. The motion and speed feels 95% the same as working the knits.

@Town_equine 10 months ago

I have just gotten back into knitting after completely failing at it 10+ years ago and only crocheting, and this is how I knit! Your videos are super helpful and educational.

@karalealynaeh.4500 10 months ago

I ❤ when you do things like this that make me think about this art. Knitting is an art.

@sharondyer5182 10 months ago

Off-topic but had to tell you that I love your glasses. They are perfect on you.

@MarionHampl 10 months ago

To me this flicking looks like continental knitting with the yarn in the other hand.

@SagewomanSmiling 10 months ago

I knit closer to the way you do with my thumb coming off the needle slightly. Watching that first video, it was hard to imagine how that person could flick without removing their thumb from the needle at all. I’m going to have to try this.

@Tessq 10 months ago

The "extra" yarn in the stretch comes as the stitch slips onto the point of the left needle off the main shaft. Once it is back on the main shaft of the right needle, the extra yarn is pulled back up into the stitch.