Knitting Backwards

Once you’re confident in knitting and purling, let’s try knitting backwards! This is a useful technique that can be used when knitting in rows, but it is particularly useful when knitting back and forth over a small number of stitches. Knitting backwards is helpful when knitting bobbles, entrelac and short rows. In this video, Mary Beth Temple demonstrates how to knit backwards on a Stockinette stitch (knit on Right Side/purl on Wrong Side) swatch.

Mary Beth begins by knitting the stitches on the Right Side of the work. When she comes to the end of the row, she does not turn the work to purl on the Wrong Side. Instead, the Right Side remains facing up and she starts knitting backwards following these steps:

1. Bring left needle through the back leg of the stitch on the right needle.

2. Wrap the yarn counterclockwise over the left needle, bringing this loop through the stitch, to create a new stitch.

3. Drop the stitch off the right needle. New stitch has been created on the left needle.

These steps are repeated across the row. Mary Beth notes that the first stitch tends to be a little loose, so she tugs on the working yarn slightly to tighten the stitch. Once the row of knitting backwards is complete, she works the next row by knitting all the stitches with the Right Side facing.