🧦 How to Knit Socks Backwards: No More Flipping Your Work in Short Rows
- Silly Monkey Knits
- 13 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Knitting socks is a fun, cozy craft — but when it comes to the heels, things can get fiddly. If you've ever felt annoyed by constantly flipping your sock back and forth while shaping the heel, you're not alone. The good news? There’s a clever technique that can save your time and your sanity: backward knitting.
This isn't a new trend. In fact, backward knitting has been around for centuries — used by skilled knitters for detailed colorwork, lace, and techniques like entrelac (a basket-weave style of knitting). But today, it’s gaining new attention among sock knitters who want a smoother, faster experience — especially when working short-row heels.
Whether you’re a beginner who’s curious or an experienced knitter looking to level up, this post will walk you through exactly what backward knitting is, why it matters for socks, and how to do it step by step.
🧶 First, What Is Knitting? (Quick Refresher for Non-Knitters)
At its simplest, knitting is the process of making fabric by creating loops (called stitches) with two needles and yarn. One needle holds the existing row of stitches, and the other works to pull new loops through them.
Each stitch builds on the last, and depending on how you pull the yarn and where you place the needles, you get different textures and patterns.
In socks, the heel is usually the trickiest part — often worked back and forth (like rows instead of spirals) to create the shaping needed for a good fit.
🔁 So, What Is Backward Knitting?
Backward knitting is a method that allows you to knit in reverse direction without turning your work around. That means you can knit from left to right (instead of the usual right to left), all while keeping the front of your work facing you.
This is especially helpful during short-row shaping — a technique used to curve the fabric around the heel.
Instead of flipping the tiny sock back and forth every few stitches, you just switch direction and keep knitting. No turning, no confusion, no twisted yarn.
👣 Why Use Backward Knitting in Sock Heels?
Here’s why this technique is a game-changer when knitting short-row heels in socks:
✅ No flipping your sock inside out repeatedly
✅ Saves time and energy
✅ Keeps the front of the sock visible at all times (great for spotting mistakes early)
✅ Improves tension consistency, especially for knitters who struggle with purl rows
✅ Wrist-friendly — less strain for those with arthritis or carpal tunnel
🧵 How to Knit Backwards – Step by Step
Ready to try it? Here's how to do the backward knit stitch — explained slowly so even non-knitters can follow along:
🔄 What You’ll Need:
Yarn
Knitting needles
A small swatch or sock-in-progress (ideal for practicing on the heel section)
✨ Step-by-Step: Backward Knit Stitch
🪡 Step 1: Keep the Front Side Facing You
Instead of turning your work like you normally would at the end of a row, just leave your knitting as it is — the front (right side) should be facing you the entire time.
🧦 Why? This saves time and helps you keep track of your stitches more easily — especially on socks!
🪡 Step 2: Insert the Left Needle Into the First Stitch on the Right Needle
Look at the first stitch on your right needle.
Now take your left needle and insert it into that stitch from right to left, but not in the usual front loop.
Instead, go into the back of the stitch — think of it like sneaking the left needle behind the right needle to scoop the stitch.
🧠 Think of this like the mirror image of your normal knitting move — you're just switching hands and directions.
🪡 Step 3: Wrap the Yarn Around the Left Needle (Counter-Clockwise)
Bring the working yarn (the yarn attached to your ball) over the left needle, going from front to back — this is a counter-clockwise wrap.
You’re basically creating a loop of yarn that will become your new stitch.
🧵 You can use your right hand or left hand to wrap the yarn — whichever is more comfortable. There's no wrong way as long as the stitch forms correctly!
Learn: Knitting Backward Made Easy
🪡 Step 4: Pull That Loop Through the Stitch
Now carefully pull the yarn loop through the stitch using your left needle — just like you do with regular knitting.
This creates your new stitch on the left needle.
🪡 Step 5: Slide the Old Stitch Off the Right Needle
Once your new stitch is sitting nicely on the left needle, just slide the old stitch off the right needle.
You’ve completed one backward knit stitch!
👏 Congratulations! You just knit a stitch from left to right — with the right side of the fabric still facing you.
🔁 Now Repeat!
Keep repeating these steps across the row:
Insert left needle into the next stitch on the right needle (from right to left, into the back loop).
Wrap yarn.
Pull through.
Slide the old stitch off.
By the end, all your stitches will have moved to the left needle — and you’ll have knit one full row backward!
🧦 When to Use Backward Knitting in Socks
Use backward knitting during any small, flat section of your sock where you’d normally turn your work:
Short-row heels (both toe-up and cuff-down)
Toe shaping, if working back and forth
Heel flaps, especially in toe-up sock patterns
Decorative patchwork or entrelac designs, which are rare in socks but beautiful!
💡 Pro Tips for Success
🧪 Practice on a swatch first — you don’t want to experiment mid-sock.
🎥 Watch a video — if you're a visual learner, backward knitting makes more sense in motion.
🪡 Use a smooth, light-colored yarn so you can see the stitches clearly.
✋ Relax your hands — the motion feels awkward at first but smooths out quickly with practice.
🧦 Final Thoughts: Level Up Your Sock Game
Backward knitting is one of those “aha!” techniques that quietly transforms your experience. Whether you're knitting toe-up socks with a short-row heel or working on a complex sock design, this trick lets you move faster, stay in control, and enjoy the process a whole lot more.
It may be a centuries-old method, but it feels totally modern in today’s fast-paced crafting world.
💬 Let’s Chat!
Have you tried backward knitting before? Would you use it in your next sock project? Drop your thoughts in the comments below or tag @sillymonkeyknits on Instagram — I’d love to see your progress!
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