Purling on the wrong side

How-to Questions
1

What the crap does this mean :thinking: ??? Do you turn the needle to where the project is on the TOP, that is the only way I see that you could do it on the ‘WS’. I am making a baby blanket and the instructions say “(WS) purl…” Please help me! I am a left-handed knitter so would prolly do it a little different anyway but I need major help here guys! TIA.

2

Do you have a link to the pattern?

If you are doing stockinette stitch the side with the V’s or smooth side is usually considered the RS. To make stockinette you knit one row purl the next. You purl on the WS or bumpy side and knit the smooth side or RS.

This what you mean?

3

You have a right side and a wrong side to any knitting project. The right side (RS) is the one that will be seen, the outside of the sweater for example, or whatever it might be. The wrong side (WS) is the side that, to use the example of the sweater again, would be on the inside.

When your instructions tell you to (WS) purl it just means that you are going to be working on the wrong side of your work, and you are going to be using the purl stitch.

Does that help?

4

I know WHAT the wrong side is, I just don’t know HOW to do this. How do I turn the yarn? Will it be at the top of the needle while I work ot down like usual? I am so confused!

5

Oh. Well knit your first row. All the stitches will be on the other needle. Switch the needle with the stitches to the other hand and now you will be on the WS so you would purl in your case. Make sense now?

6

Yes but I cannot do that, I have to do it with the needle that has the stitches is in my right hand and the free needle is in my left. I don’t think I will ever be able to get this down :crying:

Maybe is someone WALKED thru the entire process with me? Are there any videos maybe?

7

Yes, you can. It’s just the opposite of what I do. (I have the needle with the stitches in my left hand and the empty needle in my right hand.) You will be knitting by sticking the empty needle into a stitch on the other needle. It doesn’t make any difference which hand you use. After you’ve knit all the stitches switch hands so they are the same way they were when you started.

8

I tried, I think it’s hopeless! It just feels funny when I try to do it with the yarn in my left hand. :crying:

9

You mean the working yarn that you wrap over the needle? Maybe you can do it with the other hand. That is called continental style.
This may help, but I don’t know if they are holding the yarn that way.
Learning to knit left handed

What you may need to do is take a class if you need more visuals.

Check the videos here in KH (top of forum), too. They are for right handers, but you can see how she holds the yarn both ways.

10

That was helpful to show me the purl stitch, Jan, but I don’t see how I am gonna do that ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE PROJECT. If I just purl like I knit, it will be on the right side, right? THE WRONG SIDE concept is what I am having trouble with. How can I do it right will keeping the empty needle in my left hand? I cannot do it the other way because it feels WRONG, my hands are clumsy that way, just like if I were to try and catch a ball like that, I can’t do it.

Oh yeah, and I would LOVE to take a class but I don’t have any idea where one would be. I am in Southern Arkansas, if anybody knows please tell me!

11

The knitting just automatically switches as you knit. After you do one side you do the other when you switch the knitting back to the other hand. Trust me. You just need to get started and practice. Don’t keep ripping it out…just start on something simple and flat like a scarf and keep going.

12

I tried, I think it’s hopeless! It just feels funny when I try to do it with the yarn in my left hand. Crying or Very Sad

I felt the same way when I started knitting. I am left handed but gave up left handed knitting. This is what I do:

  • I knit english style (with the yarn and empty needle on my right hand).
  • I keep the right needle still in place in such a way that I do not need to hold it at all. You can keep the needle still in many ways and you will find your own way. This is how you can do it:
    [ul]
    1. put a “flower foam” by your side and stick the needle there (the foam needs to be big enough to hold the weight).
    2. prop the base of the needle on the pipping of the couch coshion.
    3. get a single flower vase, stick it in between the couch coshions and stick the right needle in there.
    4. I’ve seen left handed knitters knitting with the right needle under their arms to hold it still - for some reason I cannot do that…

Note: to use this method you need straight 14" needles.
[/ul]

  • The knitting movements is done with my left hand and the yarn movement with my right hand. I touch the right needle but I don’t need to hold it so my right hand is free to deal with the yarn.

I hope this helps. Don’t give up! You will get it for sure.