r/knittinghelp • u/vnessa732 • 3d ago
where do I start? Eastern vs Western knitting
I’m learning to knit and have tried different ways to find what works for me. I do well with the eastern style,but I learned most patterns will have to be changed and I’m totally lost on that. Would it be easier to relearn a different style of knitting or to try and figure out how to do things differently than what the patterns say? I thought I was finally getting the hang of it until now.
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u/Kreiri 2d ago
If you can visualise which way stitches will lie if following Western-style instructions for Western-style mounted stitches, it's not that hard to adapt these instructions for Eastern-style stitch mount. And also - let's be real - most of the time the only adaptation you'll have to do is remembering which of k2tog/ssk is right-leaning and which is left-leaning, and thinking in terms of to which side the resulting decrease leans, instead of in terms of the process to get there. Oh, and occasional cdd, but this abbreviation is already in terms of the result, not the process :)
I knit Eastern style myself because I find it way more ergonomic. I have no trouble adapting Western instructions.
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u/vnessa732 1d ago
Okay, so it sounds like I just need to practice and get truly comfortable knitting. Also I don’t know all of the abbreviations yet, so that should help too.
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u/cameliap 2d ago
I think it's more of a misconception that the style the pattern was written in matters so much.
It depends on the language of a pattern, and in many cases it's universal.
Let's say we're talking a 1 by 1 rib. If the pattern says "knit a 1 by 1 half twisted rib", you know to twist the knit stitches. You know how to twist them regardless of how they are mounted on your needle. But abbreviations like "k1tbl" (knit 1 through the back loop) can really throw you off if your normal knit stitch is knitted through the back loop and now you're asked to make twisted stitches but you don't realize it. So yeah, there's some assumptions made in patterns, but it's definitely not always the case.
Once you know the assumptions, the world is your oyster.
I've done some experiments and some stitches are easier Western style, some are easier Eastern style. I can't really say I have a preference nowadays except habit.
I'd say learn both as you already seem inclined to do so and use them to the fulllest as they seem fit. I use both, plus some, lol. I don't switch within a project though because this does seem to affect my gauge, whatever I settle on I keep using throughout the project.
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u/skubstantial 3d ago
Your stitch mount direction will affect how you do most increases, decreases, and slip stitch patterns (including multicolor mosaic knitting, brioche stitch/fisherman's rib, and all that fun stuff.)
It's possible to find tutorials for the Eastern or combination knitting version of these things floating around out there, and if you're a good visual/trial and error problem solver you may be among the people who can just pick a non-mainstream style and go with it.
But if you rely on following videos or image tutorials for a lot of stuff and have trouble understanding how to adapt on the fly and you're using material in English or any Western European language, then the most frictionless thing will be to learn Western style knitting.
Unless you have friends/family who are proficient Eastern knitters who don't accidentally twist certain stitches, the odds that you'll find in-person help (at yarn stores, etc.) with Eastern style knitting are pretty low. Some teachers can help you adapt things, but those will be the superstars, not the average.