when knitting back and forth in straight knitting stitch how do you tell the front from the back?

Answer 1

It depends on the stitch pattern you're doing. If it has a definite right side and wrong side, then it's easy. If the pattern looks the same on both sides (like garter stitch), then the suggestion above to mark one side with a safety pin is good. For garter stitch, I might take a look at the cast on edge and decide which side I like better and use that as the public side.

Which side the tail is on your cast on edge depends on which cast on you used. For example, if you use a cable cast on, the tail is on the left when you work your first row. If you use a long tail cast on, the tail is on the right when you work your first row. Pay attention to which side the tail is when you work your first row, then you'll know which side it's on for odd rows vs. even rows.

Answer 2

If you are knitting each row, it would be hard to tell, but you could put a safety-pin in the side you decide is the front.

For example, after you cast on, look at where the length of yarn is that you used to cast on. If it is on the left of your work, then the right side would always be when the lenghth of yarn is on your left. Put the safety-pin on that side so you will always know.

Hope this helps!

Good Luck!

Answer 3

By counting rows. The first row is usually the right side and the second row is the wrong side. The third row is the right side, the fourth row is the wrong side, etc........

Answer 4

The back side is the purl side (rough looking).
The fron side (plain) is smooth looking.

Answer 5

Here is a site that has a question and answer section...

http://knitting.about.com/library/weekly/aa010602.htm