Children knitting left handed

[PigeonPie]

DS2 (who is 7) wants to learn to knit and I'm more than happy to try to teach him. However, he's left handed.

I don't know whether it's worth teaching him to knit left handed or do I just say that it's a craft which is multi-handed and you get used to doing it in a certain way?

All thoughts gratefully received. Thanks

I'm left-handed and knit the conventional way, as that's how my right-handed mother taught me! But I'm quite slow - maybe that's why. I'd say teach him the conventional way - he can switch it round later if he needs to - I've done this with some activities I'm sure. For following patterns, it's probably easier.

I crochet left-handed and it's sometimes hard to follow pattern when they use left and right. It also means I'm having trouble teaching my right-handed kids to crochet!

Thanks Buck (love your name btw!).

My DSis and I almost fell out when I suggested to her that her DS should learn to play an instrument (which I also play) the conventional way round (she got very PFB about it!) however I think they will be thanking me now as he is beyond grade 8 standard and has his own instrument which would have been prohibitively expensive if it had had to be completely re-designed.

My feeling is that multi-handed crafts can be done in a conventional way, although I will be trying to teach him to sew left handed.

. As knitting involves both hands, I wonder if he could learn the regular kind - particularly continental knitting where the yarn is held in the left hand anyway.

I tried to teach my dd to knit left-handed using an anythinglefthanded leaflet and mirroring. She never really learned and I think she was just not interested enough.

The trouble with learning left-handed is that with a conventional pattern becomes mirrored so if eg you are knitting the right front of a cardigan, it will be the left front. This can become quite a headache with more complicated things.

Thanks folks. I'd never thought about the pattern turning out back to front I think that seals it for me that he can learn the 'conventional' way.

Of course, since DS2 decided he wanted to learn, DS1 now does too. No idea how I'm going to keep them both going at the same time, but we'll have a go. Just had a chance to pop into our local wool shop and I've bought them both children's needles (didn't really need to but I'm sure they'll come in useful at some point in due course) and they've each chosen a ball of wool and of course a row counter each (having seen mine) so they're all set.

No way could I sew right-handed! Like attempting to use a spoon in that hand... very messy!

I have played violin and guitar, both conventionally - I think it favours left hands really as that's the fingering hand. I'm inclined to agree with you for multi-handed activities.

My 3 were all learning to knit this summer - I had to make a rule only one at a time! Anyway, they can all do "knit" now, so I think my job as a mother is over now, job done.

By the way, my dad comes from a culture where everyone knitted, and he learnt aged 4 using seagull feathers for needles. My auntie once knitted 5 lopi (like fair isle) sweaters in a WEEKEND for her north American daughters and grand-daughters, to get them done before they went home, to avoid postage charges. I can't do a hat that quickly!

Good luck with your knitting lessons!

ds1 is VERY left handed, but I taught him to use right handed scissors, and also to knit right handed

so it can be done, and I don't see the harm in it :o