How do I knit/purl on the wrong side?

stefcap · 11-10-2005, 09:25 PM

Hi. I am a very new knitter- just started a couple of weeks ago. I am in love with it already. I am in the process of knitting a scarf for my boyfriend- really straightforward, just knitting the whole thing. However, I found many patterns that I would like to knit, and the directions say to knit/purl on the right side for one row then purl/knit on the wrong side for the next row. I have no idea what that means! What is the right side, and what is the wrong side of the piece? Thanks in advance for any help!

Stefanie

amy · 11-11-2005, 02:43 AM

Welcome Stephanie!

The right side (RS) is the outside or "public view" side. The wrong side (WS) is the inside. If it's something like a reversible scarf, you just choose one side as the RS, usually the first row you knit is considered the RS.

:D

Ingrid · 11-11-2005, 02:46 AM

When you knit one row and purl one row, you end up with stockinette stitch, where all the V's are on one side and all the Purl bumps are on the other side. The knit side-with the v's is usually considered the 'right' side.

stefcap · 11-11-2005, 04:37 AM

Thanks for your responses. I found a pattern for the Besotted Scarf from helloyarn.com and it's directions are as follows:
Cast on 44 sts.
Row 1 (RS) Slip 1, K1, *P2, K8, P2, K2* Repeat from * 2 more times.
Row 2 (WS and all WS rows) Slip 1, P1, *K2, P8, K2, P2* Repeat * 2 more times...

I'm still not entriely sure how to do this. Do I have to flip the piece or do anything to it to make the 1st row on the RS and the 2nd row on the WS, or do I just knit it like I would knit anything else, and the sts will automatically fall on the RS or WS? I have been assuming that I knit with the work facing toward the right as the RS and the work facing the toward the left as the WS. Is this correct? Thanks for any help you can give me.
:D
Stefanie

Ingrid · 11-11-2005, 05:01 AM

As you knit row one, the right side (front/side you want the world to see) will be facing you. When you're done with that row, you switch your needles from one hand to the other to begin knitting row 2, correct? When you do this, the 'wrong side' or back of the work is facing you.

So in this pattern, every odd row is the right side as it faces you, and every even row is the wrong side as it faces you. As the pattern emerges after a few rows of knitting, it will become obvious which is right or wrong.

Just follow the directions and you'll be doing the exacly right thing.

Also you'll notice in this pattern that on every row you'll be knitting into the knit stitches and purling into the purl stitches--as they face you.--knitting into the v's and purling into the bumps.