Knitting has only two stitches: The knit stitch and the purl stitch. Every design is made up various combinations of these two stitches. You will be able to make these stitches in your sleep once you’ve mastered the motor movements. It will seem awkward at first, requiring way too much attention and your tension will be tighter than a scrooge’s wallet. Thus, making it near impossible to insert your needle into the next stitch, but it will get easier with practice! I promise, it will! So, let’s look at the left handed knit stitch to start.
Click any image to enlarge
In Through the Front Door
There’s an easy rhyme to help you remember the actions of the knit stitch:
IN THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, AROUND THE BACK, OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW AND OFF JUMPS JACK.
As you recall from my previous post, the knit stitch has a leading leg and a back leg. You will form the left handed knit stitch by going into the leading leg (the part of the stitch behind the right hand needle) from front to back. This is going “in through the front door”. So, your left needle is going into the leading leg of the stitch on the right needle. Knitting is made up of making a loop inside of the loop from the previous row. By going into the stitch you are getting ready to form the new loop of the next stitch.
Around the Back
Next you are going to go “around the back” which is taking the working yarn, that is the yarn coming from the ball/skein, from behind or back of the left needle and pulling it over to the front of the needle. This will be the new stitch.
Out Through the Window
The third part of making the left handed knit stitch is pulling the new stitch on the left needle out towards you through the space you entered when you inserted your left needle into the stitch. This is going “out through the window”. You now have the new stitch on the left needle and the old stitch on the right needle. Hang in there! You are almost done!
And Off Jumps Jack
Finally, “off jumps Jack” which is dropping the stitch from the right needle. You might have to help push the old stitch off the right needle with your finger tips, especially if your tension is really tight.
That’s it for the left handed knit stitch! Easy as pie! Right??
Please leave comments below. This website is a new adventure for me and your feedback will help me make it a better resource for you. If you have any tutorials you would like to see, please leave that in the comments below as well.
-Karen
Thank you so much Karen! I have been knitting for years but taught myself. I am useless with my right hand . I don’t do the knitting stitch right although my purl is correct. I spent the weekend at a knitting retreat with friends. One woman is an instructor but even she couldn’t straighten me out. Your instructions for the Western Mount were very clear (thanks for the close up pics) and resembled my old way except I never crossed in the back. This is going to make following a pattern so much easier. My lacework was always correct in one direction and a nightmare in the other. Many , many thanks!
I am so happy I found you…I am singing and dancing yelling YES YES YES I’m a lefty who has had to do it right handed most of my life and now I can be a natural knitter. Thank you for opening up my world
Best yet. The written words were very helpful. I have tried many sites but this one clicked.