After finally starting my very first sweater I was whipping proudly along until, four inches in, I realized my stitches were twisted. All of them. So, I took it apart and started over. Three times I did this, and three times my stitches came out twisted. :wall: At 270 stitches casting on is quite tedious and I would prefer not to do it more than I have to. Any suggestions on what could be causing the twistiness, or how to spot it and fix it before it’s too late?
I’m not sure if my method of cast-on or join makes any difference but in case it does, I am using the cable cast-on and joining by swapping the first and last cast on stitches. This is what I’ve done for every round project I’ve made and this is the first time I’ve had so darn many twists! The pattern I’m using does not specify a cast on or join method so I used what I prefer. Is it possible that this is the problem?
By twisted sts do you mean that each individual stitch is twisted? These sts are twisted because they’re knit into the back loop.
http://newstitchaday.com/knit-through-the-back-loop/
If you knit into the front of the stitch, it won’t be twisted.
Or do you mean that you have a mobius, where the entire circle of your knitting is twisted? You can avoid this by lining up the cast on facing to the center of the circular needle with no twists around the needle. Sometimes knitting a row or two back and forth before joining makes this easier to do.
I think the problem was a little bit of both. Some individual stitches were twisted and so was the whole piece. It’s hard to see which way they’re facing because of the ruffles where the stitches bunch together. I’m working a sweater that’s supposed to be 45 inches around on a 29 inch needle so it’s a tad cramped. Is there a good way to smooth out the ruffles enough to see where the twist might be?
Also, I’m wondering about knitting back and forth before joining. Since the pattern I’m using is:
Round 1: p1, k4
Round 2: k4, p1
would I knit it as:
Row 1 same, Row 2: p4, k1 to get the stocking stitch effect?
You know, since it’s so many sts cast on, it might be easier to get a longer needle. Even if you’re going to decrease soon for the ruffle, it’s worth ii not to go through the trouble of crowded sts.
Row 1 would be p1k4 and row 2 would be k1p4 if you decide to knit back and forth for a couple of rows before joining.
I wondered if a longer needle might not be a tad easier. I’ll have to make time this week to see if I can hunt one down.
Do you know if there’s a way to straighten out a twist? I have heard that you can if it’s in the first round or two. Is that true?
I wondered what all the to-do about twisting the first round was and then one day I couldn’t manage to not twist every round project I started. I went to the knit a row or two first method and have stuck with it. I’ll try to track down the link for untwisting if you’ve just done one round. I found it on FB and if I liked it it should still be there. Do you have a second circular needle of the same size? You could do two needles knitting in the round if you do. Interchangeables would be ideal but it doesn’t sound like that’s what you have.
Off to look for that link… Maybe someone else will come up with it before I do.
No, unfortunately I don’t have interchangeable needles or another of the same size. There’s only one knitting store within an hour of me and they don’t carry anything above a 29 inch.
Thank you GrumpyGrandma for looking that up for me! I’m only one round in and pretty sure it is, once again, twisted.
I’m sorry to say I’ve lost the link and no matter how I search I’ve not been able to find it.