I am new to knitting; and have been using a circular needle to make baby hats- my question is - How do I keep the needle from twisiting??? I have undone my work several times and getting frustrated. Please advise.
Circular needle help
I’m not sure what you mean. Do you mean the cable between the needles? What length is it? (Measured from tip to tip of the needles.)
I after I cast on and try to get the all the stitches going the right way and start my first row at least one stitch twists and I am having to pull the entire thing a part and start over. Yes the cable twists also. I am using a 16inch circular needle #5 making a newborn hat w/ 72 cast on stitches.
What do you mean when you say twisted stitch? Is it leaning a different direction or won’t it sit right side up?
If the cable is twisting too much, you can try this: With just the needle (no stitches on it) turn on the hot water at the sink. Hold the needle out straight and run the cable back and forth under the hot water several times. Keep holding the cable out straight for several minutes until it cools off. Hopefully it won’t be so twisty.
For joining try this - cast on your 72 stitches. Don’t join in a circle yet, just turn and work the first row as for flat knitting. Now join them into a circle. Since you’ve got a row done, it should be way easier to make sure you’re not twisting stitches. You can use the tail of the cast on to sew the little opening shut.
It sounds like your sts are twisting around the cord on the first round. That’s okay, you can still untwist them at the end of the first one; there’s only a single strand of yarn where you joined, so you can take the twist out so all the sts are facing the same way. Or you can knit the first row flat, then join at the end of it.
If you mean the stitches get twisted here is what I suggest. I always make certain that when I hold the circular into a circle to prepare to knit that all of the cast on edge stitches are in the center of the circle and the smooth loops on the outside. Check them carefully and make sure none of the stitches are twisted around, but all lay nice and even. Bring the points together and start knitting. I think it is a good idea to knit several rounds without laying it down when you first start out so that you don’t somehow get them twisted later. After you get a little experience you won’t have a problem that way.
You only have to turn all stitches correctly once. Then join, then keep knitting.
If you twist your work later by accident, just don’t pull out or knit on. carefully adjust the stitches again. They can not entagle (if you don’t knit over twisted work).
After one or two rows you should start to see easily where things are.
The tip of working without stopping for a bit sounds good to me. That should keep it at bay.