What is Mirroring in Knitting?

 In knitting it is visually appealing to mirror increases and decreases. Other elements should mirror as well.

What is a mirror image? A mirror image is a reflected duplication of an object that appears identical but is reversed perpendicular using the center as the dividing point. In essence right and left are reversed.

So to mirror decreases and increases that appear at the start and end of a row, three things must happen.
1. The slant of the decreases or increases should be in opposite directions.
2. There should be the same number of stitches between the selvedge and each decrease/increase.
3. There should be same number of stitches between each decrease/increase and the center.

Below are some charted examples of decreases: 

Above: The decreases are blended. Notice the slant in opposite directions and are equidistant from the edges.

 

 

 

 

Above: The first chart has the decreases slanting opposite, but they are not equidistant from the edges. In the second example they are equidistant from the edges but they are not slanting in opposite directions. 

What about the bar increase?  Since it has no slant, that part of the definition is taken out. The "bar" is visible, therefore to mirror the increase, there would need to be the same number of whole stitches before the first bar and after the last bar. Here is a post that explains how to do this.

To mirror within motifs, again the same idea applies. To mirror motifs, the same idea applies.  Below are some examples of how to mirror within motifs:

Above: The top motif shows decreases that are not mirrored while the lower motif shows mirrored decreases.  Here we really see the symmetry that is needed to create mirroring. 

 

 

 

And finally, above we see motifs that mirror within themselves and to each other. 

 

Mirroring is part of balance and visual harmony.