First knit row loop problem

#1

I keep having the same problem and it is starting to drive me nutz. I do my slip knot, cast on my stitches, and then knit my first row. At the end of my first row, no matter what I seem to do, I have this loop of yarn left.

Of course, when I am done knitting my piece, I also have the 2 tails as well that I have to sew back into the piece, but in my Stitch n Bitch book, I see no mention of this loop issue, so I’m not sure how to fix it.

Any advice? Is this normal?

To make things a bit easier, here are step by step pictures of how I end up with this loop ::

01 - A slip knot - with the tail to the left and the ball of yarn to the right

02 - 20 cast-on stitches (using the double cast-on method)

03 - 1st stitch knitted, but not yet tightened (using the continental method)

04 - 1st stitch tightened with extra string in between the needles (this will eventually become the loop I mentioned)

05 - More knitted stitches, with more extra yarn

06 - First knitted row finished

07 - The loop in question show with slip knot still in-tact @ the end of the first knitted row

This only happens at the end of my first knitted row of stitches; otherwise, all other rows are normal

#2

:?? Are you knitting your tail in with the first row? Maybe you should try without.

That looks like your slip knot hanging there. Do you knit it?

Another thought–instead of using a slip knot, just drape the yarn over the needle before you make your first cast on stitch. You’ll get two in one for this cast on and if the slip knot is the problem, you’ll eliminate it. If it’s not, then you can maybe focus on something else.

Odd :thinking:

#3

I have the feeling that the slip knot itself is the problem, since it seems to stem from there. I made sure to not knit the tail in with the first row - that happened by accident once and it threw my stitches off. I make sure to not knit the slip knot; because of that extra loop, it doesn’t really knit well at all.

#4

That’s the problem then. When you use the slip knot, you should knit it. It counts as a stitch.

Try the other way. Just put the yarn over your needle with the ball strand on one side and the tail strand on the other, set your hands and start casting on. The first loop will not have a stitch under it, but treat it as a stitch when you knit.

#5

Here’s some cast on methods with videos. The most popular CO seems to be the long tail.

#6

Hmm this looks awfull familiar to me. Do you tighten all your stitches very much?
Does the extra yarn get more with every stitch you knit?
This could be because you tighten your stitches too much, atleast that’s what I did when I began knitting. Try to knit them a bit looser as not to carry that extra yarn with you(oh god, that’s hard to describe :rollseyes: ).
Or try as the others mentioned, another cast on method.

#7

No no, that was a good description, I’ll give it a try. I do make sure to tighened my stitches quite well, so that might be where it is coming from.

#8

My fave is long tail cast on, but if that gives u problems the knit on cast on could work well for you with this problem, too…I learned with the knitted cast on & it’s very easy. All in all…long tail cast on ROCKS :cheering: :cheering: I wish u luck & keep us informed
:wink:

#9

Thank you all so much for your help. I figured out what the issue was - woot! I eliminated the slip knot, and tried knitting my first row looser than usual, and that fixed the issue. With looser stitches on the first row, that extra yarn was not there … yay :smiley: