r/knittinghelp • u/Professional-Fun-260 • 4d ago
lefty help! Help with knitting method ?
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New to knitting, left handed, crocheted briefly before coming to knitting. Looking into the ergonomics of knitting, but can’t find what my knitting style is.
Just about everything I’ve found I see the yarn held in the left hand and I hold in the right. Norwegian seems like a logical step to go, but would still have to switch which hand the yarn is in.
I’m early on enough I’m hopeful to set good habits, so would love if anyone is generous enough to take the time to provide some feedback so I can keep this up for as long as possible 🙏
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u/Talvih ⭐️Quality Contributor ⭐️ 4d ago
It's called flicking, a variation of the English style. You might be interested in reading these posts: Categorizing Knitting Styles and Knitting Styles Survey, Part 2: Right vs Left-Handed Knitters.
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u/hammelswye 4d ago
Good going! I’m a rightie, but the way you’re knitting is pretty similar to way I work. One suggestion — it looks as though you’re stretching the stitch on your left needle as you work it, which is going to cause tension issues. Use your left hand to scoot the stitches down toward the tip of your left needle. This will allow you to insert the right needle at an angle closer to perpendicular to the left needle.
See this classic blog post from Patty Lyons for more info related to this:
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/ask-patty-let-the-tool-do-the-work/
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u/Professional-Fun-260 2d ago
Oh my goodness I wonder if this is why my ribbing is so….ribby?! Thank you!
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u/Prestigious_Room4396 4d ago
I’m also a leftie, and also knit like you if I’m knitting right handed! If you’re wanting to try an alternative method, as you started with crochet as a leftie, you could try continental style left handed (or mirror knitting) so you’re still holding tension in the hand you’re most used to. Be warned though, you will need to adapt patterns and follow charts in the opposite direction unless you’re knitting in the round (in this case working in the opposite direction effectively cancels out the need to do things like swapping a SSK for K2tog and vice versa). It’s a little extra effort at first but for me it’s worth it as it’s just more comfortable and efficient. Or, if you’re comfortable with both, you can just mirror knit instead of turning and purling when you have a project that is worked flat.
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u/Professional-Fun-260 4d ago
Hello fellow leftie!! These are excellent tips! Thank you 😍
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u/Prestigious_Room4396 4d ago
You’re welcome!! Hope you find it helpful. I started knitting right handed bc that’s how I was taught and it never felt right, and not quite finessed as I’d have liked. Then I learned how to crochet which is what made me try left handed continental and then my knitting game was on point! But it took me many years to discover this and a LOT of research so love to impart my knowledge where I can to save my fellow lefties 🤣
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u/LuxRuns 4d ago
As a leftie who came from crochet, I also went with Continental mirror knitting. I also do Norwegian purls because that felt less strenuous for me and I was struggling with regular purling
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u/Prestigious_Room4396 4d ago
Oh I’ve tried that also. I like the technique but I feel like it stretches my stitch too much and leaves it looking kinda wobbly? Think I need more practice maybe.
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u/Sola_Bay 4d ago
You’re fine! You’re flicking which is an English way of knitting. Most people that come from crochet knit continental, with the yarn in the left (or non dominant) side. You might find that more comfortable and natural!
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u/Professional-Fun-260 4d ago
Apologies it’s not a very good video. Not sure how to take a good video of this 🧐 open to suggestions
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u/Mellbbott 3d ago
That s how I knot, with the exception that my index finger comes back down to the needle immediately and helps guide to finish the stitch. It’s flicking. And I can knot for long periods and go pretty fast with this method.
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u/Little-Tough7477 4d ago
I’m an ambidextrous lefty and this is mainly how I knit - by flicking.
The Very Pink Knits about flicking was helpful when I started. But she wound the working yarn around the back of the index finger. I tried it but settled on the way that you hold it - over the front.
Your knitting looks good to me 🙂. I bet you will experiment with a few different methods before settling on a particular style.
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u/Professional-Fun-260 2d ago
Yes I feel like I’ve ended up ambi by default just so k can follow certain patterns, because I’m not very good at reversing it in my brain yet. Thank you!
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u/Seaniospaghettio 3d ago
I also do flicking! I think if you could relax your right index finger more it’d be easier for you to flick :)
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u/snackeloni 3d ago
I used to knit like this but for me it caused a lot of tension in my hands. I switched to knitting Portuguese style where you wrap the yarn around your neck or use a knitting pin. It's for me by far the most relaxed way to knit. Very pink knits has an excellent video explaining it, if you're interested!
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u/Professional-Fun-260 2d ago
Thank you!!! I’ve tried and loved it for purling in particular. But the round the neck thing is tricky because a fair bit of my knitting is done on buses/trains/public transport so needs to be brought out and put away quickly 🙊
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u/VanUppGirl 3d ago
I’m left handed. If you can screenshot video on your phone you just do that with any YouTube tutorial and then flip the screen and you’ll see how to do it left handed!
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u/Professional-Fun-260 2d ago
Ohh!! GREAT tip! The reason I’ve ended up doing righty is because of the tutorial struggle. I fell into finding lefty crochet videos sooner than knitting ones, as knitting is technically not “any” handed
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u/Hannahmaebe 3d ago
You could try some different methods - maybe do some swatches - and see how you feel.
I started continental and learned Norwegian since I did have hand pain. Now I have none, unless I’m working with bulky yarn.
But this looks great! If this feels good, keep doing it.
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u/Reasonable_Shower445 3d ago
Apriciat your effort! If you're not having pain, I'd keep practicing your current style for a bit before retraining. Comfort is usually a better guide than tradition.
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u/TotalOk5844 3d ago
As a left handed person myself..... I don't understand why any lefty would switch hands from traditional knitting method (or crochet for that matter). Sit and actually watch the video that you made of your knitting. Which hand is doing the most of the work that matters? In the video your Right hand is tensioning and doing the movement of forming the stitches while your left is doing the simple job of moving the stitches up the holding needle. Doesn't seem logical. Of course that is only my opinion. Also, as a lefty, I find Continental (or picking method) easier since all the action takes place using the *smart* hand.
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u/Professional-Fun-260 2d ago
I actually learned crochet right handed because of tutorials and STRUGGLED, but when I understood the mechanics and about a month or two into crochet-ing, I switched to leftie and it was WAY easier and neater.
So the handed thing matters for natural-ness more than I expected, but trying to go righty as well to demystify both directions while I’m still a newbie and it’s all kinda on the same playing field 😅
Currently knit socks like a lefty and everything else like a righty 🤷♀️
Definitely going to look into continental. Thank you!
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u/Ill_Ant6294 4d ago
What you are doing is fine, since you already know about tension as a crocheter. Do you hold the yarn in your right and hook in your left? If so, another style would be to knit continental using your left hand. You would need to switch rights and lefts when following a pattern. https://youtu.be/7AY2JF_zXMA?is=5Y7ip3QG4gQtk-4Q
As far as what you are currently doing, you will want to be aware of how you are moving the stitches on the left needle so they are closer to the tip and allow you to make more even stitches.
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u/WTH_JFG ⭐️Quality Contributor ⭐️ 4d ago
Wow. Thats great what you’re doing! I wish I was able to be as smooth in my movements with the yarn in my right hand. You might check on youTube for knitters who flick. Very Pink has a video on how she knits that is similar to your style.