Purling.....grrrrrrr

#1

Having recently learned how to knit, I absolutely detest purling. It may have something to do with the fact that I am left handed but was taught to knit right handed. It just feels like an unnatural movement to me, and no matter how much I have practiced and done it, it does not get any better - as to the swiftness of it.

Anyway, here I sit at work knitting on my Wonderful Wallaby pullover for my granddaughter and I am up to the neck now where I have to purl every other row which makes me quite cranky. I got to thinking there has to be a better way to do this, so I figured out how to purl backwards…I know - backwards??? :?? I can’t see where this is changing the look of the stitch or the tension of the stitch so I see no harm in doing this. Curious if anyone else has ever attempted this or found a different way around the normal purling method?

pat.

#2

Hi Pat,

I was quite intrigued when I first found a site about backwards knitting. It’s actually used for some types of knitting to make it easier…good for you for finding a way that’s easier for you. :thumbsup:

Here’s some cool vides on the techique:
Video #1
Video #2

#3

Hey, that was something that I was going to attempt to practice. Not that purling aggravates me, but I thought it would be a cool idea to try out. I’m a lefty, so if I can learn to knit with my right hand, then I should be able to do it the other way too (an assumption only as I cannot cut with lefty scissors, so the operative word is “should”).

Thanks for the videos Roxanne, otherwise I wouldn’t have understood what “backwards” knitting was. I would have thought that knitting left-handed would be called mirror knitting. I don’t like that it’s called “backwards”. :frowning:

#4

I’m a lefty, too. I love to sew, but struggled for years cutting right-handed since left-handers never seemed to work. My mother-in-law bought me a pair of Gingher scissors (yikes, expensive), but the important point is that the handle is molded to fit the left hand AND the blades are oriented for the left hand cutter. Most scissors are right hand blades with a left hand handle. Another new thing I’ve found is the spring loaded scissors that don’t have a hand orientation, they are very comfy (and cheap). I only use my good scissors for cutting fabric, so it’s nice to have pairs to use for paper and other art projects.

#5

Ah-ha!! And here I thought I had come up w/something special! That first video is exactly what I have figured out…I can now do an entire row of purling in about a third of the time. The only difference is I hold the yarn in my left hand.

Sighing w/relief…
pat.

#6

Great ideas Sara!! Whenever I cut with right-handed scissors, I lose the circulation in my thumb. I always thought I’d get around scissor cutting by batting my eyelashes at hubby! :inlove:

I am going to find out where I can find both types of those scissors in my area.

Sorry to hijack your thread bubba. Glad to hear that the purling is working out for you.