Does anyone knit backwards? What are the advantages of backwards knitting?
Backwards Knitting
Some people like to do it for entrelac when you have lots of rows that work 2, sts, turn, work on the same sts, turn, work 3 sts, turn, work the same sts, turn, and so on. I don’t mind turning as I found that knitting backwards more fiddley and uneven tension was more of a pain than turning. Though I sometimes knit backwards if I’m fixing a row with a lot of stitches and had to take out a bunch of rows in the middle. But as a standard technique instead of purling a row, only a few people do do. You tube will have some videos showing it.
I’ve used it for an entrelac blanket, because switching so much would have been ridiculous, especially when the blanket got bigger.
To be honest, the only reason I see to knit backwards is when, as Susie said, you have to work back and forth on a few stitches many times.
I guess if someone really, really hated to purl, it might come in handy.:shrug:
I’m thinking about learning backwards knitting. I knit english, and plan to knit backwards using continental so I won’t have to switch hands. Would that help with tension?
I think the tension comes with practice whichever method you choose to use. I’ve just finished an entrelac blanket and knitting backwards made it much easier to work, not so much cumbersome turning. Besides, it’s fun to do.
I’m thinking about learning backwards knitting. I knit english, and plan to knit backwards using continental so I won’t have to switch hands. Would that help with tension?
That may mess up your tension, but try it out and see how it works for you. It’s not uncommon to get different tension on knit rows and purl rows. One way to overcome that is figure out which row you’re looser on and use a needle one size smaller. But really, even tension on both knit and purl st comes from practice practice practice and if you like to knit, you won’t mind an excuse to knit more.
How could learning continental mess up my tension? I’m glad to hear that backwards knitting is fun. Maybe I’ll try entrelac one day.
Learning continental might not mess up your tension though people find it can be a lot different than they get in english style, but the knitting backwards may not give you an even tension either. Try the 2 different size needle trick instead.
Tension…trying to get mine right gives me a tension headache! I haven’t been able to get the hang of English knitting, I do it Continental at least in part because I learned crochet first but maybe more because I have trouble getting coordinated for English style. It seems to require something more, at least for me, than Continental. Today I had a chance to try combined knitting, you wrap the yarn the other way for purls, then have to make sure you knit or purl that twisted stitch correctly on the next row. So far I think I like it, my tension seems to be more even using two needles of the same size. Knitting backwards seems like something I will try to learn just because, even if I never use it much.
I have practiced backwards knitting a few times. It’s going well so far but, knitting continental is very painful. Once I get used to it, I’ll see if I have to go up or down a needle size or 2.
I’ve notice something. When I knit backwards I find myself knitting in the back loop. Is there a way where I can make it so I can knit in the front loop?
Practice. But what appears to be the back loop when looking at it from one side may actually the front loop of the other side. Or you could be wrapping the yarn backwards. It may help to learn to purl, so when you do backwards knitting you’ll know what it should be like.
Thanks. I have noticed that I’m wrapping the yarn in different directions.
I knit English and to knit backwards, put the left needle into the back leg of the st and put the working yarn into the V formed by the needles from left to right. If you flip the project over as you’re doing this you can see that you’re inserting the needle and wrapping the yarn as you would when you purl.