Need lefty help w/Debbie Bliss Striped sweater pattern pls!

Paninky · 02-10-2013, 11:02 PM

HI,
I'm having a problem with this pattern and it's making me a little crazy - I'm so close to the end but I'm afraid the baby will have outgrown the sweater before I can finish it :(
Pattern: is Striped Sweater on p70 of Baby and Toddler Knits. It's also been published in a more recent book of hers.
Problem: I knit left-handed, which means the shoulders are reversed. they are not identical because of the button-over flap on one shoulder.
I am having a terrible time trying to knit the neckband, which also is not symmetrical because of the 2 different shoulders. I can post the directions from the pattern if someone can help me figure out how to change them appropriately.
Thanks!

GrumpyGramma · 02-11-2013, 04:41 AM

Hi and welcome to Knitting Help. I'm confident someone should be able to help you and a few lines of the pattern would help them do so. Is there a picture online that you can link to? That can be helpful too.

Jan in CA · 02-11-2013, 04:42 AM

Do you truly knit left handed or do you mean continental? Just thought I'd check because it gets confused sometimes. Except for one person all left handers I've known have knit right handed. Part of the reason is because patterns have to all be redone.

suzeeq · 02-11-2013, 05:14 AM

Even when a person knits true lefthanded, putting the stitches on an empty left needle, patterns don't have to be changed. The sts like for a cable may be reversed, but it usually won't matter.

Jan in CA · 02-11-2013, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by suzeeq

Even when a person knits true lefthanded, putting the stitches on an empty left needle, patterns don't have to be changed. The sts like for a cable may be reversed, but it usually won't matter.

My friend needed to change some things I think. Increases for instance.

GrumpyGramma · 02-11-2013, 07:01 AM

This is from How to Knit Left-Handed

Quote:

There are lots of things to consider if you are left handed and want to knit. One of the major problems you will find is that all knitting patterns are written for right handed people. If you choose to knit truly left handedly then you will need to reverse all the shapings given in a pattern, and read any pattern charts in reverse.

I thought I had read that everything had to be done in reverse. I've never known anyone who knitted left-handed. I guess when the OP checks back we'll find out for sure, the "lefty" part made me think this is a true left-handed knitter. I've known left-handed people who learned to crochet with the hook in the right hand. If I had to reverse things, I think I'd have to write it out in the correct order.

From http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/FEATmirror.html

Quote:

Patterns, however, can and do have a right-handed bias. A truly left-handed knitter working from a written pattern will make their decreases backward, will cable backward and will end up with a left front when working from the directions for the right half of a cardigan.

I blithely thought, work the right for the left and the left for the right, but with an asymetrical design I don't think that would work at all even if it would for a symetrical design. I haven't worked from charts so I'm not familiar with them, I wonder if charting the instructions could help.

Quote:

While written abbreviations are clearly "handed", a chart speaks a more universal language. For more complex stitch and color work, charts do not assume handedness.

This is perhaps a more complicated situation than I realized. Maybe if I do some digging I can find some helpful links.

suzeeq · 02-11-2013, 03:32 PM

Possibly increases and maybe decrease too, but the pattern doesn't need to be rewritten otherwise. It would be the same if a person knit combined. Cables can be done as written, it's just they'll twist the other way, which won't really matter. Lace patterns would be the same.

Paninky · 02-12-2013, 06:58 AM

To clarify I truly do knit left handed. I knit the stitches off the right needle to the left one. I'm also mostly self-taught.

All I can find online for pictures of the sweater are other knitters' FOs in Ravelry. The pattern itself, and an �fficial' photo are nowhere that I can find (I got the pattern from the book).

As someone quoted in an earlier post, the issue is with the shaping. Because of the way I knit, the buttoned shoulder flap is on the left shoulder (looking at the sweater) instead of on the right This doesn't matter in itself, but it does mean that the shaping directions have to be changed.

To add to that - it's the first time I've ever picked up stitches. A wonderful woman at a LYS got me started...but it was right-handed

Took a while for me to understand what was wrong there..I never knit up and down before!

The good news is - I think I actually figured it all out! I've done 3 rows and they seem ok so far - way past time for bed tho so I need to finish up tomorrow.

Many, many thanks to all who responded. I think it was probably the show of support and willingness to help that allowed me to suddenly see the answer. The proverbial light bulb -I hope!

GrumpyGramma · 02-12-2013, 07:58 AM

That's great. I'm glad it's working out for you. Will you post a photo when it's done? I'd love to see it.

salmonmac · 02-12-2013, 11:32 AM

So glad this is working out! I'm a lefty too but I learned to knit right handed. It took me a while to learn that you have to pick up sts the same way that you knit. If you knit left handed, you have to pick up sts that way too. It keeps the working yarn in the correct place o continue knitting.
Good luck with the rest of the sweater. Your photo will be the official one for us.