Reverse, Mirror, Backward or Left to Right Knitting

[@heraffa]

This is the most comprehensive and easy to understand tutorial I’ve seen on this topic so far.

[@courag1]

You make really clear videos. What I have found for myself is that it is really helpful to learn Combined Continental or Eastern or Russian Knitting in which you learn how to knit through the back leg of the stitch. Knitters who are Lefties sometimes try to mirror knit but going one direction with knitting as we are used to knitting either the Standard mount either Continental or English, doing it the reverse direction, if you knit forwards English, you are knitting back what appears as purl from the front in left-handed Continental Combined. If you are a Continental knitter the same can be done by learning to "flick" with your lefthand. The mount of the stitch still requires knitting through the back leg but to access the yarn, being able to pivot the lefthand needle to be able to catch the yarn, is a definite advantage. Whereas changing hands with the yarn and knit in your same style, you still have to do the wrap as a Combined knitter would do. There was a video most helpful on this, I'll try to find it and give you the link. Continental knitters often have trouble with their purl rows not being of the same tension, they get "rowing out" when looking at reverse stockinette. Knitting back backwards often solves this tension problem so there are other reasons to use it. Or if you drop a few stitches off the tip which happens even to me with 50+ years of knitting, knitting backwards makes for some cool repairs. No turning and turning. It is faster. I try not to make my knitting easy, I try to purposefully make it challenging so that if I get bored with my pattern, I knit in a different style but have learned to make all my tension match so changing styles is not an issue for me. My father died of Alzheimer's disease. A while back I found my short term memory was not up to par, so I decided to challenge myself with anything what was difficult, for my brain's sake. It worked, and at the same time, it was rehabilitating my arthritic fingers. To fully get my hands back I gave up all dairy and finally all meat. But I am no longer wheelchair bound, so was it worth it? Yes, for my mother and sister died of cancer, it is also the best way to prevent or reverse early cancers. Knit to your health, but use it for wisdom. And I'll look for that link for you as I think you will enjoy it.

[@thechillydog]

I really like the idea of challenging ourselves to keep our brains sharp. I also practice different knitting styles so I can try to avoid repetitive motion injuries. Happy knitting and stay healthy!

[@machomamma]

Great video. This is one of the few videos that explains that the yarn wraps counter clockwise. I think that is a key point in understanding this topic, and many people leave out that important fact. When ever I’m not sure, I just look down at the tip of my needle to check.

[@thechillydog]

Yep! I don't know why more instructions don't tell knitters that helpful little tidbit.

[@sandralandry8442]

Finally someone who understands the way I knit! 😊

[@ginette2100]

I'm so excited about knowing this neat trick 🙌 I'm an english I've learned continental recently. Now this reverse knitting allows me to practice me picking style by knitting english throw back and forth 😅 absolutely love your teaching 👍👍

[@rachelbarnett6890]

I was today years old when I discovered this technique and it's a game changer! I'm a continental knitter and I just switch to holding the yarn in my right hand when I mirror knit. Thanks for the help!

[@thechillydog]

That is so clever! It pretty much gives you the same picking motion you're already used to.

[@thomasstambaugh5181]

This is totally cool, I've wanted to do this for decades. I'm not sure why, but knitting from left-to-right feels like playing the piano with my left hand. It's a bit awkward at first, but a vital part of the resulting "music", at least to me. I'm a programmer, and the symmetry of this appeals to me. Thank you so much for presenting this in such a clear and straightforward way. Your decomposition of each stitch into its basic elements (leading and trailing edge, clockwise vs counterclockwise wrap, etc) reveals the underlying mechanics in a way I've seen from no other source. Thank you so much for doing these.

[@emmab7658]

Very interesting, I need to try this! Also I just discovered that when I do my purl stitches I work the yarn clockwise around the needle and then do the following row of knit stitch with a leading back leg of the loop. Have been doing that for over 30 years now and it works fine. Amazing how you can use the needles in so many different ways. 😃

[@indyw3458]

Great way to change things up when I want to cognitively challenge the brain and it reduces repetitive strain injury of my right hand too after too much knitting. Thank you for another great video! Keep them coming.

[@tubetubepleasure]

very clear and helpful way to introuduce the various way. Love your presentation.

[@ruthstubens3812]

As someone who usually knits in the continental combined style, I am always paying attention to stitch mount, i.e. where the leading leg sits on the needle, and working it as needed. I, too, switch up my knitting style to reduce hand strain and to achieve even tension, especially when purling. Reverse knitting is something I've wanted to learn and am happy to add to my repertoire. Thank you!

[@annasteen7432]

Thanks so much for the video. This was very hard for me. Your video was a real help.

[@normabyrd274]

I'm intrigued by this method! Your instructions are so clear and I can see how this works. It would be fabulous for very heavy or large items, or ones with various parts to have to handle and difficult to keep turning. For myself, it seems that it would be slower, but overall would save time and effort. Will definitely try! Thank you so much!

[@Leslie_ann_h]

I've been using both typical continental knitting and using this technique as I tension my yarn with the left hand even though my right hand is dominant

[@bambikilla96]

So that was what I was doing wrong! I could not figure out why I always ended up with fabric that looked stockinette and not garter, it was all about the angle. I knew to use the back loops and counterclockwise but I was still inserting from left to right even wrapping above and below counterclockwise, but you've gotten me straight to now

[@ginette2100]

How interesting is this video thanks 👍

[@mizz.wizz.fizz.]

I have knitted this way since I was a child, and other knitters always say it’s weird, or that I’m left handed. I’m right handed but knit back and forth like a knitting machine 😁

[@thechillydog]

Not weird, just different, and probably much more efficient! :)

[@bbyn]

THANK YOU

[@janethubbell2608]

Ok l got that. How do you finish the sides?

[@SquishyTheVampire]

How would you increase?

[@courag1]

Here is the link I think you will enjoy, the hand movement is more fluid. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5Wndp95pbdrmKc Reverse knitting can be done to replace purling if getting rowing out, so it can be used with cable patterns but also works well with lace such as the Brooke's Column of Leaves as it does have decreases on the backsides which I have found are easier to do from the front. It allows an advanced knitter to better diagnose their knitting. It also helps when an error many rows down to be able to reknit just a section and instead of using a crochet hook, you knit up your area you are correcting, with short double points, and I use bamboos for that as loosing stitches at that point is not helpful. I went a year or so just experimenting and not knitting trying to figure out what works best for me.

[@joanneginiotis7498]

what is the advantage of reverse knitting

[@thechillydog]

It's nice for situations when you don't want to keep turning your work over. I personally like reverse knitting for bobbles, entrelac, and sometimes larger blankets when they get to bulky to lift and turn.

[@jenniferwalling8981]

Ok so I'm left handed... is this how I should be knitting?

[@thechillydog]

Great news! Handedness doesn't matter in knitting. No matter what, you have a knitting needle in each hand, and right-handed or left, you can choose which hand feels the most natural for managing your yarn. Remember, it is customary to knit from right to left in the US and that is how patterns are written, so I would not recommend reverse knitting as an all-the-time practice.

[@jenniferwalling8981]

@thechillydog I am a crocheter so my hook is in my left hand and my project and yarn is held in my right so it just feels more comfortable to bring my yarn over the top of my needle from behind but I was so confused when I would purl. I love the look and drape of knitted blankets as crochet can kind of be a little too stiff sometimes. Also this method of purling feels more comfortable. I've mastered garter stitch but that's it. I think I'll give this a try later on today. Thank you so much for explaining

[@geoffashden2]

Having been a continental backward knitter all my life, I find it very difficult to knit the standard way. I am trying very hard to learn the 'forward' technique if only so that I don't have to convert petterns. When I first started following complicated knitting patterns such as Aran, It was very difficult converting knit and pearl stitches, cable front and cable back etc. Fortunately this is now second nature to me now!