How to Knit Left Handed
Learn the four main terms of knitting., Cast on by making a slipknot and place it on a knitting needle., Learn to knit by holding the needle with your cast-on stitches in the right hand,the stationary needle, and the other in your left hand, the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn the four main terms of knitting.
Cast on, knit, purl and cast off.
They are all difficult to describe without pictures (check the article links added here), but all knitting books seem to show pictures only for righties.
On the one hand, it's possible to just reverse the pattern, which can even be done holding images up to a small mirror.
On the other hand, author of Stitch 'n Bitch, Debbie Stoller, advises that lefties can sometimes benefit from learning Continental stitch, which requires you to hold the yarn in your left hand., Hold this needle in your right hand.
With the left hand, make a loop the shape of a pink breast cancer ribbon, with the loose end of the yarn lying on top.
Hold this loop between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, twist it slightly left and place it on the needle.
Tighten it so it holds to the needle without being snug.
You now have two stitches cast on.
Continue making loops and sliding them onto the needle until you have the number of stitches you want.
Note:
There are dozens of ways to cast on.
Once you master this, experiment with others. , Insert the working needle up into the first stitch on the stationary needle.
Then hold the needles in an X shape with your right hand.
With your left, wrap the yarn coming from the ball around the working needle, going from outside the X to the inside.
Hold this yarn along the body of the working needle as you use the needle to pull it through the loop, which is still on the right-hand needle.
Slide the original loop off the right-hand needle.
Repeat with the next stitch on the stationary needle.
When you finish a row, turn and work the next row, either using the knit stitch again (garter stitch) or switching to purl (stockinette stitch). , Hold the needle with your cast-on stitches in the right hand,the stationary needle, and hold the other in your left hand,the working needle.
Insert the working needle into the first stitch on the stationary needle, from the left side of the stitch.
Hold the needles in an X shape with the right hand, and with the left, wrap the loose end of the yarn around the working needle, going from inside the X to the outside.
Hold this yarn along the body of the working needle as you use the needle to push it through the loop, which is still on the right-hand needle.
Slide the original loop off the right-hand needle.
Repeat with the next stitch on the stationary needle. , This works the yarn off the needle, giving it a finished look.
Knit the first two stitches, then insert the stationary needle into the left-most stitch on the working needle and slide this stitch over the other and off the needle.
Knit another stitch from the stationary needle, then slide the left-most stitch over and off.
Repeat until you have only one loop left on the working needle.
Take this loop off the needle, cut the loose yarn, slip the end of the yarn through the loop and tighten into a knot. , Many knitters make a gauge swatch (a small square) to ensure that the correct number of stitches with the needle size suggested by the pattern produces the correct square size.
You may need to change needle sizes to 'get gauge'.
For the most part, patterns can be followed as written.
Sometimes increase and decrease techniques (for example, s s k vs. k2tog) will need to be reversed for the stitches to lie as intended on the finished piece.
In an asymmetric patterns, following the written instructions will result in a piece that is the mirror image of that pictured.
If the asymmetric pattern has a chart, this can be solved by reading the chart from left to right. , They both just take practice. -
Step 2: Cast on by making a slipknot and place it on a knitting needle.
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Step 3: Learn to knit by holding the needle with your cast-on stitches in the right hand
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Step 4: the stationary needle
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Step 5: and the other in your left hand
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Step 6: the working needle.
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Step 7: Understand that Purl stitch is what is seen on the back of the knit stitch.
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Step 8: Cast off when you are finished with a section of knitting.
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Step 9: Following a pattern closely is extremely important.
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Step 10: Knitting left-handed is no harder to learn than knitting right-handed.
Detailed Guide
Cast on, knit, purl and cast off.
They are all difficult to describe without pictures (check the article links added here), but all knitting books seem to show pictures only for righties.
On the one hand, it's possible to just reverse the pattern, which can even be done holding images up to a small mirror.
On the other hand, author of Stitch 'n Bitch, Debbie Stoller, advises that lefties can sometimes benefit from learning Continental stitch, which requires you to hold the yarn in your left hand., Hold this needle in your right hand.
With the left hand, make a loop the shape of a pink breast cancer ribbon, with the loose end of the yarn lying on top.
Hold this loop between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, twist it slightly left and place it on the needle.
Tighten it so it holds to the needle without being snug.
You now have two stitches cast on.
Continue making loops and sliding them onto the needle until you have the number of stitches you want.
Note:
There are dozens of ways to cast on.
Once you master this, experiment with others. , Insert the working needle up into the first stitch on the stationary needle.
Then hold the needles in an X shape with your right hand.
With your left, wrap the yarn coming from the ball around the working needle, going from outside the X to the inside.
Hold this yarn along the body of the working needle as you use the needle to pull it through the loop, which is still on the right-hand needle.
Slide the original loop off the right-hand needle.
Repeat with the next stitch on the stationary needle.
When you finish a row, turn and work the next row, either using the knit stitch again (garter stitch) or switching to purl (stockinette stitch). , Hold the needle with your cast-on stitches in the right hand,the stationary needle, and hold the other in your left hand,the working needle.
Insert the working needle into the first stitch on the stationary needle, from the left side of the stitch.
Hold the needles in an X shape with the right hand, and with the left, wrap the loose end of the yarn around the working needle, going from inside the X to the outside.
Hold this yarn along the body of the working needle as you use the needle to push it through the loop, which is still on the right-hand needle.
Slide the original loop off the right-hand needle.
Repeat with the next stitch on the stationary needle. , This works the yarn off the needle, giving it a finished look.
Knit the first two stitches, then insert the stationary needle into the left-most stitch on the working needle and slide this stitch over the other and off the needle.
Knit another stitch from the stationary needle, then slide the left-most stitch over and off.
Repeat until you have only one loop left on the working needle.
Take this loop off the needle, cut the loose yarn, slip the end of the yarn through the loop and tighten into a knot. , Many knitters make a gauge swatch (a small square) to ensure that the correct number of stitches with the needle size suggested by the pattern produces the correct square size.
You may need to change needle sizes to 'get gauge'.
For the most part, patterns can be followed as written.
Sometimes increase and decrease techniques (for example, s s k vs. k2tog) will need to be reversed for the stitches to lie as intended on the finished piece.
In an asymmetric patterns, following the written instructions will result in a piece that is the mirror image of that pictured.
If the asymmetric pattern has a chart, this can be solved by reading the chart from left to right. , They both just take practice.
About the Author
Jean Chapman
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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