Left-handed knitting uses the same stitches as right-handed knitting, but you hold the working yarn and needles in opposite hands
If you're left-handed, you have two main paths: mirror the right-handed method (holding the yarn in your left hand instead of your right), or learn the true left-handed technique where your dominant hand controls the active needle. Most left-handed knitters choose the mirror method because it's easier to follow existing patterns and watch tutorials without translating every instruction. The true left-handed method gives you the same hand position as a right-handed knitter uses, just reversed, and it's the approach that feels most natural if you've never knitted before.
The choice matters because it affects how you'll hold your needles, which hand feeds the yarn, and how you'll read pattern instructions. Neither method is wrong—it's about which one matches how your hands naturally want to work.
Key Takeaways
- Left-handed knitters can mirror the right-handed method (yarn in left hand) or use true left-handed technique (yarn in right hand, dominant hand controls the working needle).
- The mirror method works with all existing patterns and tutorials because the stitches themselves are identical—only your hand positions swap.
- True left-handed knitting requires you to reverse pattern instructions and watch left-handed tutorials, but it feels more natural if you've never knitted right-handed.
- Continental and English yarn-holding styles both work for left-handed knitters; the choice depends on your comfort, not your handedness.
- Cast-on and bind-off methods are the same regardless of which hand holds the yarn, so you can learn these from any tutorial and adapt them to your setup.
The mirror method: yarn in your left hand
The mirror method is the most practical choice for most left-handed knitters. You hold the needles the same way a right-handed knitter does—the working needle (the one you're actively knitting with) in your right hand, the stationary needle in your left—but you feed the yarn with your left hand instead of your right. This means you can follow any knitting pattern, watch any right-handed tutorial, and ask for help from right-handed knitters without anyone having to translate.
To set this up, hold the stationary needle in your left hand and the working needle in your right hand, just as a right-handed knitter would. The difference is that your left hand also controls the yarn tension and feeds the yarn to the needle. If you normally knit right-handed, this will feel backward at first, but it becomes automatic within a few hours of practice. You're not learning new stitches—you're just moving the yarn to the opposite side.
This method works with both Continental style (yarn held in your left hand, closer to the needle) and English style (yarn held in your right hand, farther from the needle). Since your left hand is already holding the yarn, Continental style is usually more comfortable for left-handed mirror knitters.
True left-handed knitting: dominant hand controls the working needle
True left-handed knitting puts your dominant hand on the working needle—the needle you're actively using to create each stitch. Your right hand (if you're right-handed) stays still holding the stationary needle, and your left hand does the active work. This mirrors exactly what a right-handed knitter does, just on the opposite side of your body.
The catch is that all written patterns and most video tutorials are written for right-handed knitters. You'll need to reverse the instructions: when a pattern says "knit through the front loop," you'll knit through the back loop instead. Left-handed tutorials exist online, but they're less common than right-handed ones. If you're willing to do this translation work, true left-handed knitting feels more natural because your dominant hand is doing the skilled work.
To start, hold the stationary needle in your right hand and the working needle in your left hand. Your left hand will do the movements that a right-handed knitter's right hand does. The yarn can be held in either hand depending on whether you prefer Continental or English style, but most left-handed knitters using this method prefer English style (yarn in the right hand) because it keeps both hands active in different ways.
How to hold the needles and yarn
Needle grip doesn't change based on handedness—it changes based on comfort and the needle type. You can hold needles like a pencil (overhand grip, good for control), like a knife (underhand grip, good for speed), or in a relaxed position between your fingers. Try each one for a few rows and stick with whichever feels least tiring after 15 minutes of knitting.
Yarn tension is where handedness matters most. Your non-dominant hand will hold the stationary needle, which means your dominant hand controls both the working needle and the yarn tension. This is actually easier than it sounds: your dominant hand is already good at fine motor control. Wrap the yarn around your fingers in a way that lets you adjust tension by opening and closing your fingers slightly. There's no single "correct" way—watch a few left-handed knitters and copy the hand position that looks most comfortable to you.
If you're using the mirror method, your left hand will be doing what a right-handed knitter's right hand does. If you're using true left-handed knitting, your left hand will be doing what a right-handed knitter's right hand does, but on the opposite side of your body. The physical sensation should feel balanced and not strained in either shoulder or wrist.
Reading patterns and following tutorials as a left-handed knitter
If you're using the mirror method, you can follow any pattern written for right-handed knitters without changes. The stitches are identical—only your hand positions are different. Video tutorials work the same way: watch a right-handed knitter and do the same thing with your hands in opposite positions. This is why the mirror method is so popular: zero translation work.
If you're using true left-handed knitting, you'll need to reverse directional instructions. "Knit through the front loop" becomes "knit through the back loop." "Slip, slip, knit" (a left-leaning decrease) becomes "knit two together" (a right-leaning decrease). Increases, decreases, and cable crosses all flip. This sounds complicated, but after a few projects it becomes automatic. Many left-handed knitters keep a notebook of their personal pattern translations for stitches they use often.
YouTube has a growing library of left-handed knitting tutorials. Search "left-handed knit stitch," "left-handed purl stitch," and "left-handed [specific technique]" to find videos shot from a left-handed perspective. Websites like Ravelry and left-handed knitting blogs also publish reversed patterns and stitch guides.
Cast-on and bind-off methods for left-handed knitters
The cast-on and bind-off are the same regardless of which hand holds the yarn. These techniques don't depend on handedness—they depend on the mechanics of looping yarn around needles. You can learn any cast-on from a right-handed tutorial and use it exactly as shown, just with your hands in opposite positions if you're left-handed.
The long-tail cast-on, cable cast-on, and provisional cast-on all work the same way for left-handed knitters. The same is true for bind-offs: the standard bind-off, the stretchy bind-off, and the Kitchener stitch are all hand-neutral. If a tutorial shows a right-handed person doing it, mirror their hand positions and you'll get the same result.
The only time you might need a left-handed tutorial is if you're learning a technique that involves directional decreases or increases, like a left-leaning decrease or a cable cross. For basic cast-ons and bind-offs, any tutorial works.
Choosing between the mirror method and true left-handed knitting
Choose the mirror method if you want to follow existing patterns without translation, watch any tutorial without adapting it, or ask for help from right-handed knitters. This is the practical choice for most people. It takes a few hours to feel natural, but after that, you can knit anything a right-handed knitter can knit.
Choose true left-handed knitting if you've never knitted before and want your dominant hand to do the active work from the start. This feels more natural in the long run, but it requires you to reverse pattern instructions and seek out left-handed tutorials. If you already knit right-handed, switching to true left-handed knitting will feel backward and isn't worth the effort.
Many left-handed knitters use the mirror method for everyday projects and learn true left-handed knitting later if they want to. There's no commitment—you can switch methods or use both depending on the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I knit left-handed if I learned right-handed?
Yes, but it's usually not worth switching. If you already knit right-handed, your hands have learned the muscle memory. Switching to left-handed knitting will feel awkward for weeks. Most left-handed people who learned right-handed stick with right-handed knitting because the investment in relearning isn't worth the comfort gain.
Do I need special needles or yarn for left-handed knitting?
No. All needles and yarn work for both left-handed and right-handed knitters. The needles themselves have no handedness. The only thing that changes is which hand holds which needle and which hand feeds the yarn.
What if I'm ambidextrous or don't have a strong hand preference?
Try the mirror method first because it's easier to follow patterns. If it doesn't feel natural after a few hours, try true left-handed knitting. Some people find one feels better than the other even if they don't have a strong hand preference in everyday life.
Are there left-handed knitting needles?
No, needles don't have a handedness. What some companies sell as "left-handed needles" are just regular needles marketed to left-handed knitters. Save your money and buy standard needles instead.
How long does it take to feel comfortable knitting left-handed?
Most left-handed knitters feel comfortable within 3 to 5 hours of practice. The first hour is awkward, the second and third hours feel less strange, and by the fifth hour your hands know what to do without thinking. After that, speed and evenness improve over weeks and months like they do for any knitter.