Originally posted by Tooee:
[qb] I want to learn to knit but I'm left handed.
When knitting the left handed way, do I read the instructions the way they are or do I have to do it backward...like if it says to knit do I purl instead?
I hope I havent confused you in my questin here.
Thank you. [/qb]
Tooee,
You are talking about learning to knit "Continental or German Style" also considered left handed, it's not that much different, you don't need to purl instead of knit. Here's a URL for online instructions that look pretty easy
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/yarnforum/messages/106.html here's the part of interest
Continental style and German style are the same thing. It is a way of holding the yarn to make getting the yarn around the working needle easier and faster. The basic difference between the Continental style and the British or American styles is that in the B or A styles, the yarn is held in the same hand as the working needle (usually the right) and in the Continental style, it is held in the other hand (usually the left). Text and diagrams can be found in several books, ...So here goes an attempt to explain with words only:
Set the skein of yarn on the chair to your left. With your right hand, hold the end of the yarn up. Turn your left hand over, palm up, and advance it toward the yarn so that the yarn ends up between little finger and ring finger. Now curl and rotate the hand so that, when your left hand is again palm down, the yarn goes around outside the little finger and over the little and ring fingers (near the hand itself). Raise your middle finger and drape the yarn under it and over your index finger near the end of the finger. Let go with your right hand. Now grasp the needles. Put the right needle through the loop on the left needle and pick the yarn off your left index finger with the needle tip (needle tip moving right to left). Pull it through.
For purl stitch, your left hand will rotate toward you a little so that the yarn is in front, ready for the needle. I can't really describe purling Continental style -- just remember that the yarn always goes counter-clockwise around the needle, and work it out on your own.
She's explained it fairly good, seems as tho she is assuming a bit....can you find someone who does knit to help interpret for you?
Donna
