I’m working on a pattern that tells me to do 5 rows of garter after many rows of stockinette. It says to make sure I’m on a “right side” row. I think the right side row is the VVVV side (it’s the outside of the sweater I’m working on) but when I try to do the garter stich, it basically looks like VVVVs on the “right side”, then it looks like I have a row of purl or knots (sorry for the bad description) on the right side, and again more V’s. Looks almost like ribbing, not just a plain garter stich. Not sure if this is clear, but anyone have an idea of what I’m doing wrong? I think it should be easy to transition from stockinette to garter, but it doesn’t look like a nice even garter pattern of loops. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANY HELP!!!
If you are knitting the sweater flat you’ll need to knit every row to achieve the garter stitch. It will take a few rows to achieve the garter look.
If you are knitting the sweater in the round you’ll need to knit and purl (alternating rows) to achieve garter stitch. On the "right side’ you’ll need to start with the purl stitch to achieve the garter.
Hi sarajane. I have never knitted in the round before so I was fascinated to read your advice re doing a knit row, purl row to create garter if using this method. I’m making circles in my head but can’t understand how that would make garter…can you try and tell my fuzzy head? If doing that makes garter then how are you making stockinette?
To do stockinette in the round, you knit every round. You’re knitting in a circle on the RS all the time with the edges joined together (there’s no edges, so no seam). So to produce stockinette, the Vs, you have to knit every round. To produce garter, you knit a round, then purl a round to make a V round, then a bump round.
:doh: That seems SO odd to me sue. I know exactly what you mean in your explanation but my mind is saying…that’s soooo weird! I’ve never ever knitted like that and must try. That’s for the time explaining tho.
I just realised that you’d have to put a marker at what you deem is the ‘beginning’ of the row in order to change the knitting style. How do you mark? Just put coloured thread through a stitch?
You should be able to see when you get to the end of round again if you have begun garter stitch, your first round of purl bumps will show up. Mark it however you have been doing previously: you can use a bought or homemade stitch marker, safety pin etc. but I generally look at my tail which marks the round.
redwitch and sue. Thanks. I should have realised you would be able to see the obvious stitch difference. It would really be on the first ‘change’ but yes, even the ‘tail’ would have shown. Odd when you’ve never used a technique that the little issues escape your logic
Even when doing garter stitch, it helps to have a marker. Half the time I don’t realize I’m knitting when I should have switched over to purls and have to go back several stitches to the beginning of the round.
I know exactly what you mean in your explanation but my mind is saying…that’s soooo weird! I’ve never ever knitted like that and must try. That’s for the time explaining tho.