If you’ve been following along with the rhyFlower Brand for a while, you know we love an applied bind-off at the end of a shawl. One thing we don’t love though is turning our work for 10 or so stitches – this is why we learned to knit backward, also known as mirror knitting, which allows us to work both the right side and wrong side of our work without having to turn our work to do so!
When it comes to backward or mirror knitting, it is a technique that allows you to knit in the opposite direction, from left to right, instead of the usual right-to-left direction. It is also known as reverse knitting or mirror knitting. This method can come in handy in certain situations, such as when you want to avoid purling or when you are working on specific stitch patterns.
To knit backward, you start at the end of your row instead of the beginning. Instead of inserting your needle into the first stitch on the left needle, you insert it into the last stitch on the right needle1. You then proceed to knit or purl the stitches in the opposite direction, working your way across the row from right to left.
There are some benefits to backward knitting, such as avoiding the need to turn your work when knitting flat pieces, which can be particularly useful when working with short rows or complex stitch patterns1. Additionally, it can provide a different texture or appearance to the fabric, especially when working with stitch patterns that are designed to be viewed from the “wrong” side.
I hope this helps you understand backward or mirror knitting. If you would like further guidance or specific instructions on how to knit backward, I recommend checking out tutorial videos or written instructions on websites that specialize in knitting techniques.
Need a visual? Check out this video from Very Pink Knits!