I’ve been knitting continental for 35 years, since my grandmother taught me. No matter what I do, my stitches tend to be large and not consistent. When I check my gauge, if I use the size needles to get the right length, my width is always wider.
I checked the basic how to video, and that’s how I knit. I don’t want to hold my yarn too tight, and I’m at a loss as to how to fix my problem. :rollseyes:
Well, I tend to be on the other end of the spectrum, knitting too tight, and I always go with the needle size that will give me the proper gauge for the number of stitches/inch, rather than rows/inch. Often patterns will ask you to work for ___ # of inches in length rather than ____ # of rows (although they do ask for that too as you know), but the width is much more critical especially if you are making something that needs to fit, such as a sweater. So if I were you, I’d use smaller needles in order to achieve the desired width rather than the desired length.
I totally agree with knitqueen, and I, too, don’t even swatch a project on the called for needles anymore. I know that I have to go up a needle size. You’ll find you have much better results, I think, with a needles a size or two smaller than the pattern calls for. You can always adjust the length of your project, but never the width, so the stitch gauge is important.
Thanks. It drives me nuts; no matter what I do, my stitches are very loose. I guess I just have to go with what I’ve got.