Help with 400 stitches knitted in the round!

#1

I am knitting a child’s hat that requires 400 st. casted on and worked in seed stitch for 1 inch working in the round. I did this and it had so many stitches I had a very hard time determining if they were all straight when I joined…needless to say after knitting the one inch I finally could see that indeed it was not straight and I had to rip it all out!!! I have never worked with so many stitches before. Any help out there as to how to make certain they are all straight before joining…hints or tips?

Thanks,
Anne

#2

Have you tried breaking it down into sections so putting a marker every 50 stitches to help the count and see if its not twisted in each 50 stitch section?
Or even every 25 stitches?

#3

I did do that when I was casting on but removed them as I began knitting the first row. That may be a good way of doing it. I find the stitches move so easily on the cable part of the needles which makes it harder to keep them straight. I’m just a bit disgruntled at this point. I may not pick it up again very soon!

#4

A HAT with 400 stitches? a CHILD’S hat with 400 stitches? gauge about 20 stitches to the inch?

#5

Yes, that was my reaction too! Ummm… are you sure that is correct?

#6

Maybe 40 sts? I make a blanket once that was 400 sts across…

#7

No it is 400 stitches…decreasing after the first inch. It gathers so the brim is gathered like a ruffle. It is a Debbie Ware pattern.

#8

That’s one heck of a lot of stitches. Best of luck to you!

#9

What you can do, too is knit a few rows straight so that when you join you can be sure that the stitches aren’t twisted. You’ll have a little gap there, but you can stitch that up. Much easier than tearing out all those stitches.

#10

What a great idea Ingrid

#11

Whew! I gasped at 400 sts for a child’s hat, too. I wondered if you may be knitting with thread.:teehee: Wow. Just wow. Post pics when it’s done, please. I would love to see it.

#12

I would probably lay the needle flat on a table, make sure the CO edge is to the outside all the way around, and work that joining stitch right on the tabletop. It’s a bit awkward, but you don’t have to worry about anything shifting on you.

#13

I can’t wait to see a photo of that hat !! 400 stitches is HUGE!
xx

#14

I was thinking of a blanket also. Best of luck to you!