Knitting Education for Left-Handed Learners

This study aimed to present standard educational content for effective left-handed knitting instruction based on the “Basics of Knitting” and “Basic stitches of Knitting” from the 2015 revised curriculum of practical arts education. Conventional “cast[ing] on” to knitting needles—“the method of starting by making a circle with the yarn”— includes 10 steps. In contrast, “the method of starting by placing the thumb and forefinger between the yarns from top to bottom” consists of 13 steps. According to the “basic stitches of knitting,” the “knit stitch” method involves four steps, the “purl stitch” method also involves four steps, and the “binding off” method comprises five steps. These methods only differ in the dominant hand used, but the process at every step remains the same. The dominant hand is responsible for forming stitches with the knitting needle, which includes threading yarn onto the needle, inserting the knitting needle into the stitch, wrapping yarn around the knitting needle, drawing the wrapped yarn through the stitch, and removing the stitch from the knitting needle. These skills require more precision and strength in the dominant hand compared to the non-dominant hand holding the other knitting needle. An example of adapting standard knitting content for left-handed learners, as explored in this paper, is illustrated in the rest of the explanation. For right-handed(left-handed) knitters, the direction in which the “cast on” and “basic stitches” are made is from right(left) to left(right). This means that they are created from the dominant hand to the opposite side. In the case of right-handed(left-handed) knitters, the tip of the knitting needle is on the left(right) side, which is the opposite side of the dominant hand. In knitting patterns, right-handed(left-handed) knitters read from the first stitch on the right(left) in the first row and towards the left(right). In the case of right-handed(left-handed) knitters, the correct appearance of the “knit stitch” is that the right(left) side of the stitch is at the front (or top) of the knitting needle. Offering standard knitting education content tailored to left-handed individuals is expected to enhance left-handed students’ interest in the class, improve their competencies in making their own clothing, and increase their sense of accomplishment and confidence.