Backward or Mirror Knitting

Backward knitting is a handy technique that lets you work across a row in the opposite direction without turning your knitting over. You may also hear it called mirror knitting, and it’s particularly useful when you’re working across a small number of stitches and don’t want to keep flipping your work back and forth.

If you’ve ever worked on a shawl edge, an entrelac project, or another piece that requires frequent turning, you can probably appreciate the appeal!

I first became interested in backward knitting while working on shawl finishing techniques. Sometimes, turning your work repeatedly just to work a handful of stitches feels like an unnecessary interruption to an otherwise enjoyable knitting rhythm.

The good news is that backward knitting gives you another option. It’s not a technique you’ll need for every project, but it’s a useful one to have in your knitting toolkit.

Let’s look at what backward knitting is, when it comes in handy, and how you can start practising it.

What Is Backward Knitting?

When you’re knitting a flat piece of stockinette stitch, you usually knit one row, turn your work, and purl the next row. This means you’re regularly flipping your knitting over to work in the opposite direction.

Backward knitting changes that process.

Instead of turning your work, you keep the same side of the fabric facing you and work across the next row in the opposite direction. You work stitches from the right-hand needle onto the left-hand needle, using a reversed needle movement to form the new stitches.

This allows you to create knit stitches while continuing to look at the same side of your fabric.

The terms backward knitting and mirror knitting are often used interchangeably, although terminology can vary between knitting resources. In this article, I’ll use them to describe working backwards across a row without turning your fabric.

It’s worth noting that backward knitting isn’t the same as left-handed knitting. You’re changing the direction in which you work across the stitches, rather than simply mirroring the usual knitting method.

Why Would You Want to Knit Backwards?

You might be wondering why you’d learn a new technique when you already know how to knit and purl.

That’s a fair question! Backward knitting isn’t essential for most projects, but there are situations where it can make your knitting more comfortable and efficient.


1. You can avoid repeatedly turning your work
This is the biggest reason I find the technique useful.

When you’re working a small section of knitting, turning your work after every few stitches can feel fiddly. Backward knitting lets you work across that small section without flipping the entire piece.

This can be particularly helpful when you’re working on shawl edges or other narrow sections where you’re repeatedly changing direction.


2. It can help with entrelac
Entrelac is a knitting technique that creates a woven or basket-like appearance using interconnected squares or rectangles.

Because you’re often working small sections of stitches back and forth, entrelac involves frequent turning. Backward knitting can reduce the number of times you need to turn your work, making the process feel more continuous once you’ve become comfortable with the technique.

If entrelac has been on your knitting wish list, this is one reason you might enjoy learning to knit backwards.


3. You can keep the right side of your knitting facing you
When you’re working a stitch pattern that you want to keep an eye on, remaining on the same side of the fabric can make it easier to see how the stitches develop.

This can be particularly helpful when working on small sections of a design or when you’d like to keep an eye on a charted motif.

It doesn’t remove the need to understand your pattern, of course, but it can make it easier to follow the fabric as it grows.

Knitting is a very individual craft. We all have techniques we enjoy and others we’d rather avoid.

Some knitters find working backwards more comfortable than turning their work and purling back across a narrow section. Others find the reversed movements awkward, particularly when they’re first learning.

Neither experience is wrong. The goal is to find techniques that work well for you and the projects you enjoy.

How Does Backward Knitting Work?

The easiest way to understand backward knitting is to practise it alongside your usual knitting technique.

When you knit normally, stitches move from your left-hand needle to your right-hand needle. When you knit backwards, you work stitches from the right-hand needle onto the left-hand needle instead.

Because you’re working in the opposite direction, the needle movements and yarn wrapping need to change, too.

This is the part that may feel unfamiliar at first.

Pay attention to how the yarn travels around your needle and how the resulting stitches sit on it. Wrapping the yarn differently can change the orientation of your stitches, so it’s worth checking your work as you practise.

Rather than trying to memorise every movement from a written explanation, I recommend watching the technique in action.

Watch a Backward Knitting Tutorial

Very Pink Knits has an excellent visual demonstration of backward, or mirror, knitting, including a slow-motion version that lets you see how the needles and yarn move.

Take your time watching the movements before picking up your needles. You may find it helpful to watch a small section, try it yourself, and then watch again.

There’s no need to get it perfect on the first attempt.

Slow-Motion Backwards (or Mirror) Knitting — Very Pink Knits

Tips for Learning to Knit Backwards

If you’d like to give backward knitting a try, here are a few things that can make the learning process easier.


Start with a small swatch
You don’t need to practise on an important project. Cast on a small number of stitches and work a few rows of stockinette stitch.

Once you’ve knitted a row normally, keep the same side facing you and practise working backwards across the next row.

A small swatch gives you room to experiment without worrying about damaging hours of work.


Focus on your stitch orientation
One of the trickier parts of backward knitting is becoming comfortable with the reversed needle movements and yarn wrapping.

Pause occasionally to inspect your stitches. They should sit correctly on the needle rather than becoming unintentionally twisted.

If the fabric looks different from what you expected, compare your movements with the video tutorial before continuing.


Pay attention to your tension
Your backward-knit rows may initially look a little different from your regular rows.

That’s not particularly surprising when you’re learning a new movement. You may find yourself pulling the yarn too tightly, leaving it too loose, or pausing to adjust your grip.

Try to maintain a comfortable hold on your needles and working yarn. With practice, you’ll become more familiar with the technique and may find your tension becomes more consistent.


Don’t expect to master every stitch immediately
Backward knitting is most straightforward when you’re working simple stockinette rows. More complicated stitch patterns, increases, and decreases may require additional techniques or adjustments.

Start with the basics before attempting complicated shaping.

And remember, you don’t need to use backward knitting for every project. It’s simply another option available to you.

When Should You Use Backward Knitting?

Backward knitting can be useful for:

• Entrelac and other projects worked in small sections.
• Short sections of knitting where repeated turning feels cumbersome.
• Working across a row while keeping the right side of your fabric facing you.
• Situations where you want to work knit stitches instead of turning to work a straightforward purl row.

It won’t replace purling in every situation. Rows containing a mixture of knit and purl stitches, complicated stitch patterns, and shaping may require different movements or additional techniques.

If you’re following a knitting pattern, make sure you understand the intended stitch pattern before substituting backward knitting for the usual method.

The technique should make your knitting more comfortable, not introduce unnecessary confusion.

Is Backward Knitting Worth Learning?

I think it’s worth experimenting with if you regularly work on projects that involve frequent turning.

You may find it particularly useful when working on shawl finishing techniques, entrelac, or other projects that require you to work back and forth across a small number of stitches.

On the other hand, if you mainly knit straightforward garments, socks, cowls, or hats and you’re happy turning your work as usual, there’s no need to add another technique to your learning list simply for the sake of it.

Knitting should be enjoyable. Learning a new technique is wonderful when it solves a problem you’re experiencing or opens up a project you’d like to try.

If it doesn’t serve a purpose in your knitting right now, you can always come back to it later.

Keep Exploring Knitting Techniques

Backward knitting is just one of the many techniques that can make particular knitting projects easier or more enjoyable.

If you’re ready to try something new, explore my shawl knitting patterns and resources for more inspiration, helpful techniques, and ideas for your next cast-on.

You don’t need to learn every knitting technique at once. Keep exploring the ones that interest you, and enjoy discovering what works best for your knitting.