How to Knit Backwards

While knitting can be a fun and relaxing hobby—the tangle of needles, yarn and your finished product in your lap as you turn the work between the front and back—can be less so. I tend to knit anything I can in the round, but for some items (coasters, purse straps and other small, flat items) it just isn't feasible. This is when being able to knit (and purl) backwards comes in handy. You can easily complete flat-knitted items in both garter and stockinette stitches without turning the work, changing your hand position or tangling your threads.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Yarn
• Needles

How to Do a Garter Stitch

1. 

   Garter stitch is accomplished by knitting both the front and back of the work. Begin by moving the yarn to the front of your work as if to purl.

2. 

   Bring the working needle—which is now the left needle instead of the right—around the back of and through the next stitch on the holding needle (the right one).

3. 

   Draw the yarn under and around the working needle, counterclockwise, to make a loop.

4. 

   Pull the loop through the back of the stitch on the right needle and let that old stitch fall away.

5. Continue to the end of your row or section.

How to Do a Stockinette Stitch

6. 

   Stockinette stitch means knitting the front side of the work and purling the back. In this case we'll actually be purling backwards and you will keep the yarn behind your work.

7. 

   Place the tip of the (left) working needle through the next stitch on the (right) holding needle to rest behind the holding needle.

8. 

   Draw the yarn over the working needle, pulling it towards you and down, to create a loop.

9. 

   While keeping tension on the yarn so as not to loose your loop, scoot the working needle back through the stitch on the holding needle and let the old stitch drop from the holding needle.

10. Continue to the end of your row or section.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to place the yarn back behind the work when you start knitting forward again, to avoid creating a yarn over.
• When you make your loop, resist the temptation to bring the yarn up between the two needle points and wrap away from you. This will twist your stitch. If you accidentally do this and find yourself fighting the stitches as you knit forward on the next row, just knit into the back of those twisted stitches and everything will be fine.

Resources

• KnitPicks Yarn and Knitting supplies