Why knit mirrored? Only the individual knitter can answer this question. I learned because I'm left-handed. A Ukrainian co-worker taught me to knit one day at work. In five minutes she covered casting on, the knit stitch, and the purl stitch. I went home that night and tried to repeat what she taught me, but I was having the most difficult time holding the yarn in my left hand the way she did. (I crocheted for 15 years as a leftie, with the yarn in my right hand. That's where the yarn wanted to be when I was knitting.) And trying to maneuver the right needle (which did ALL the work) wasn't easy either. I went online and read about knitting, about English versus Continental and scooping (or picking) versus wrapping (or throwing). I did NOT want to knit English and wrap the yarn; it seemed inefficient and wasted movements. What was a girl to do?
I remembered a book I had found on a trip to the library—Left-Handed Crochet, by Regina Hurlburt. I thought I remembered a similar book by her that covered knitting. I looked online and found that I remembered correctly, there was such a book (Left-Handed Knitting). Even better, the San Francisco main library had a copy. By the end of the week I was knitting away! There were a few problems I encountered, but it has only made me a better knitter. (I think her book might show wrapping the yarn on the purl stitch incorrectly.)
I have since learned to knit in the "normal" fashion, but it's not as easy for me. Holding the yarn in my left hand is still very awkward, and still leaves my right hand doing most the work (which it doesn't like).
The Myths (or: What People Will Tell You is WRONG With Mirrored Knitting)
How to knit mirrored using the Continental method.
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