Left Handed Western Mount Knitting

The way we learn how to do a skill tends to be our preferred method.  I learned how to knit using the eastern uncrossed method and hence, this website is dedicated to knitting this way.  Most lefties, however, learn how to knit using the left handed western mount knitting.  Another lefty on Ravelry chastised me when I presented this website to the community as a resource.  She felt I would only confuse people since I only presented my way of knitting.  Because of this she did not think I should advertise and promote my website as a resource.

I have more faith in my fellow lefties and their smartness than she does.  If someone comes to this website and sees it isn’t the way they knit then they will move on and find another website that suits their needs.  I have had enough inquiries about different aspects of left handed knitting to know that my website is a useful website.  In addition, I have successfully assisted lefties who knit using the western mount.

Today’s post then is first, my acknowledgement that two ways to produce the knit stitch exist.  Second, that I knit the more unorthodox way and third , this website is geared towards the way I knit.

Western Mount Knitting

So, What is the difference?

Two differences exist:  which leg is the leading leg and the way the yarn wraps around the needle.   The next question, then, “Which one should I use?”  This is purely a matter of preference.  Both styles will produce the same result in the end.

In eastern uncrossed (the way I knit) the leading leg is in the back of the needle and you wrap the yarn clockwise as if the needle is pointing right at your face.

In western knitting the leading leg is in the front and you wrap your yarn counter clockwise.

Western mount knitting

You can see in this photo that I am about to start the next stitch.  I am going to insert my left needle from the right side of the stitch.

Western mount knitting

 

Here my needle is in the stitch and I am ready to wrap.

Left handed western mount knitting

Wrapping the yarn counter clockwise.  Then finish the stitch.

That’s all. You have now knitted using western mount.  This mimics how right handed knitter make the knit stitch.

Left handed western mount knitting

Here is the purl stitch.  Purl into the leg closest to you and wrap your yarn clockwise.

To recap:

Style                    Leading leg                         Direction of wrap

eastern                               In the back             Clockwise

western.                           In the front              Counter cw

Here’s a short video showing left handed western knitting.   Left handed Western Knitting

I hope this helps you have a better understanding of knitting and knowing that there is no right or wrong method to knitting.

 

7 thoughts on “Left Handed Western Mount Knitting”

  1. If I do Eastern knitting, when it comes to a k6, m1, k1, do I do the m1 by knitting in front as the western way ?

    1. Not sure if you received an answer to this. I am quick to respond to contacts, but I forget to check comments. Let me know if you still need help.

  2. Wow, this MAKES SO MUCH SENSE! I’m teaching myself to knit after learning how to loom knit and crochet. I have struggled to understand exactly what I’m seeing on the internet until I read this. It turns out, I am definitely using the western mount method. Thank you for making this website, and for explaining the different methods!

  3. I never knew there werebeastern & western methods! Thanks to your info I discovered that I knit eastern but I hold the tension in my right hand. I learned to knit from my left handed mother who learned from her right hand mother. My mom taught me long tailed cast-on. Somewhere along the line I accidentally retaught myself to cast on right handed!
    Thanks for your information!!

  4. Oh, my… I’m definitely eastern. That western scares the heck out of me… and wrapping counterclockwise is counter-intuitive to me. 🙂 I taught myself to knit after crocheting for many years. Because I’m a leftie, I controlled the yarn in my right hand for crochet. I just didn’t/couldn’t get controlling the yarn with my left hand, and kept messing around until something worked for me. Now I know it’s the eastern method for a leftie. Oh… and continental style, although I had no idea I was doing that! Thank you for this site, and I hope you keep doing it. I knitted for a few years in the ’90s. I made my dad a sweater that he loved and my mom an afghan (she crocheted too, so I wanted to do something she couldn’t). I guess I was braver about jumping into things then because now I wonder how I did it.
    Thank you! (I told you I’d be back.)

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