The Knitting Fiend

I think a knitter would have to be insane to knit stockinette using the “Western Crossed” method. The fabric looks very similar identical that created using to “Eastern Crossed Knitting”, and I find the Western Crossed method more difficult to work. However, I often use the Western method of crossing individual stitches when that is required in a pattern, and for that reason it is useful to explain the individual steps.

The Western method of crossing stitches is the one described in most “how to knit” books in the United States. The technique requires the knitter to either “knit through back loop” or “purl through back loop”, and subsequently yarn over to knit or purl using the “Western” method. ( I previously said I would call the Western method the “normal” method, since it is the method described in nearly all “how to knit books” in the US, Canada, and most of Western Europe. )

To save myself some typing, I will assume the reader normally knits using the “Western” method and only describe how to “knit through back loops” and “purl through back loops” to create fabric with the twist shown in the top row of the swatch to the left. If your normal method of knitting stockinette results in untwisted stitches similar to that illustrated in the bottom two rows of the swatch to the left, and you don’t know what method you use, you probably do use the “Western” method. However, it is possible you knit using the “combination” method, which I have not yet discussed. If you have any doubts, compare your knitting method to that described in either Part I or Part II of “Knitting ad naseum”.

Let’s see how to form a crossed or twisted knit stitch when knitting using the Western Method.

Recall, that when using the Western Method, stitches sit with the right leg in front and left leg behind the needle as shown to the left. If you do not wish to twist a stitch, you must insert the needle tip “through the front loop”, as shown in the figure below and to the left. Most American knitters will recognize this as “the normal” method to insert the right needle tip.

 

Insert tip

Insert through front loop AKA: “insert knitwise”!

Insert through back loop

To twist the stitch, you must “insert through the back loop”, as illustrated above and to the right. When inserting, place the tip to the right of the stitch you are about to knit into; stick the point in the gap and slide it to the left, penetrating the stitch. If you look carefully, you will see the stitch is twisted.

Next, yarn over the “normal” or Western way by taking the yarn below the right needle tip, toward you, up over the top and return to the back. (I snapped the photo at this point.) The pull the stitch through.

If you like, examine the stitch you just created. You will see the left leg passes over the front leg. This twist is the reverse of what you see if you knit using the Eastern Cross Method. Otherwise, the two methods result in stitches that appear identical.

The table below shows how to insert the tip when purling through the front loop and when purling through the back loop. Purling through the front loop is “standard” and shown to the left. Just place the tip to the right of the stitch you plan to purl into, slide the tip into the hole. (See photo.) Then, wrap by taking the yarn over the needle, away from you, under the needle and toward you. Pull the yarn through the stitch to form the new stitch.

 

Insert Tip to Purl — Western Versions

Insert through front loop.

Insert through back loop.

To purl through the back loop you must place the right needle tip behind and to the left of the left leg of the stitch. I find I need to fold the needles away from me as I insert the tip between the two legs of the stitch; notice the needles appear to for a 90 degree angle above and to the right. Notice the stitch also appears twisted. Yarn over as previously described (over, away, under, toward you.) Draw the new stitch through the old one and drop the old one off the left needle tip.

That’s how you do it.

Now, remember I said you’d need to be crazy to knit stockinette this way because it’s more difficult than using the Eastern Cross Method? Chances are you are wondering why I think this, since it’s not much more difficult to form the stitches this way rather than the other way. I find when I knit multiple rows using this method, the stitches begin to seem tight, and I have difficulty twisting the stitches. You may not find this happens for you. Everyone holds the yarn and needles slightly differently, and likes or dislikes different techniques. That’s one of the reasons you’ll see different designers describe different methods to do the same thing!

You pick the methods you like best. I’ll probably eventually describe them all

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Related Articles:
Part I: Western Uncrossed
Part II: Eastern Crossed.
Part III: Western Crossed .
Part IV: Combination Knitting.