Help with RS/WS

#1

I am a beginner knitter and I’m making a beanie with a circular needle here is the part that im stuck at

First set up row:
(RS) P1, k1, p2, k2, kf&b, k4, kf&b, k3, p2, k1, p2, k2, kf&b, k2, kf&b, k1, kf&b, k2, p2, kf&b, p1, k2, kf&b, k2, Kf&b, k1, kf&b, k2, p2, k1, p2, k2, kf&b, k4, kf&b, k3, p2. You should now have 73 sts.

Second set up row:
(WS) K2, *p13, [k5] repeat from * omitting between the [ ] on the 3rd repeat, to last 4 sts, k4.

I understand that WS/RS means wrong side/right side but does this mean I turn the knitting over, or is there a technique to turn the work from RS to WS how do i hold the needle? or what exactly do I need to do?

#2

The pattern is written to be knit back and forth in rows rather than connected and knit in the round. If you’re knitting it back and forth, then when you get to the end of row 1, all the stitches will be over at your right hand. Pass that needle and the stitches over to your left hand, pick up the working yarn and begin knitting row 2.

If you intend to connect the sts and knit in the round, then you need to change row 2 around and exchange the knit and purl sts. And you’ll need to do the same for all WS rows. (For example, row 2would become p4 k13, p5 k13, p2). And it would probably be a good idea to omit 1 stitch on the ends since you won’t need sts for a seam if you knit in the round.

#3

Thank you so much salmonmac! I now get it

#4

I have a similar question to this post.

I am also making a hat, but this pattern IS in the round.

I grew confused when I thought I knew what I was doing but clearly didn’t…

The pattern has about 14 rows for a brim knitting on separate needles, then you’re supposed to transfer the work to circular needles and knit, in stockinette, the remaining crown until it measures about 5". I thought everything was fine, but please tell me where did I go wrong.

First of all, when I transferred my stitches, did I do it backwards?
I passed all of my stitches from my left loaded straight needle to my right needle on my circular. Then, I began by purling the whole row, which it said to do, then it says to purl the next row, too. It ended up looking like I had the stockinette for 2 rows, then it went to the bumpy garter look.

I also don’t know if i’m now knitting my hat inside-out. And therefore is everything backwards? Every time I do a full row of Purl, and then the next row Knit, I can’t understand why it’s not coming out stockinette at least on one side.

I was hoping maybe if I knew which side of the hat is the RS, then that could help me set the pattern straight, even if I messed up, I can try to maybe incorporate that into a design, but I can’t even tell which is the RS. Is there a rule? Like, which way the tail is hanging?? When you’re working in the round, don’t you still alternate your knit/purl rows, or does something change now because it is round, and no longer passed back and forth?

Please help, I’m a bit lost.
Row 1 Knit
Row 2 (and other even rows) *k2,p2
Row 3 (and other odd rows) *p2, k2
Row 14 purl
Row 15 bind off first 10 stitches purlwise; purl to end of row

transfer work to circular needles, work in round in stockinette until hat measures 5".

I’m attaching a photo. I hope this helps. I am also working hard here to not put myself down…talk about having to be consciously aware of that one. LOL.

I’m sorry if this post is so long. it’s my first. Where’s the image? Did it work? I tried to attach an image.:?? :shrug:

#5

Hmmm hard to tell. first off, you don’t need to slip the sts to the other needle, just use it to knit off the first one. the yarn should be coming off the needle in your right hand.

#6

You’re right, the rules for what is stockinette do change when you knit in the round and yes, it does look like you’re knitting on the inside of the hat (inside out). When you knit in the round, you knit every round for stockinette. If you knit a round and then purl a round, you’ll end up with garter st. And in general, there are no rules for RS/WS. It’s whatever the pattern or you decide is RS.

I would go back to the last row of the brim, row 15. After you bind of and purl to the end of the row, change to the circular needle by knitting the next row, joining in the round making sure the row isn’t twisted and continuing to knit every round. I don’t see any purl rounds between row 15 and knitting in the round.
“Row 1 Knit
Row 2 (and other even rows) *k2,p2
Row 3 (and other odd rows) *p2, k2
Row 14 purl
Row 15 bind off first 10 stitches purlwise; purl to end of row
transfer work to circular needles, work in round in stockinette until hat measures 5”."

If it still doesn’t make sense, come back and ask. Do you have a link to the pattern or a pattern name? Enjoy knitting it!

#7

Well, I thought I had fixed it. I went back to the row 15 where it had the bind off and then I finished to the end of the row, but I realize now that what I think I did wrong, again, is that I transferred the stitches (in purl) to the circular needles in that row.
So now, it seems that I am again knitting the hat inside-out, because when I have the project hang properly on my circular needles, yarn feeding in the right hand… the garter stitch is on the outside. I need to keep purling each row now to get my stockinette look on the one side.
Do you think it’s a problem if I knit this thing inside out? Will it look wrong once I’m done? As for the crown, it’s just a simple decrease until the top of the hat closes up.

I’m getting back into knitting and this was a pattern that I thought would be easy. The only thing is, it was tweaked and customized to be shorter and smaller for a child, instead of an adult (which the hat pattern was originally intended for).

I’ve already restarted this project 3 times. The first time I messed up I couldn’t tell why my ribbing was not working (2x2), then I realized that I didn’t cast on a correct number of stitches–so I fixed it and made sure they were a number divisible by 4, and then it worked like a charm.

Sigh… I guess since I’m really discouraged at this point, and I don’t want to have to go backwards again, I’m just going to go forward and finish and knit this hat inside-out. I’ll see what happens, and at least that will be one sure way to know what to do if this ever happens again. :-\

Thank you for your help, though, it really did make sense, and I know for next time.

I’ve never had to transfer to circular needles before in the middle of a project, and I totally messed it up. So, what I should have done would be to make that first row a knit row?? For the desire of getting stockinette?

Thanks.

#8

You could continue as you are and flip the ribbed cuff up so the RS of the main part is on the outside. You may be knitting with the needle on the side of the hat away from you, they should be closer to you. So if you flip it inside out that should put everything right again. I think the problem is because you ‘transfer’ stitches; that has the probability that you get the sts on the needles the wrong way. When you just knit with the new needle the same way you’ve been going, everything works.

Garter stitch isn’t what you have on the outside, it’s the purl bumps. Garter is a stitch pattern, not a stitch, and when you knit all rows flat, you see the purl bumps, but if you stretch it lengthwise you’ll see the knit rows between them. Purls are the back of a knit st and if you stretch that apart, you won’t see any knit rows between them.

#9

I don’t see a problem just getting this excellant learning project finished inside-out. It even sounds impressive that you were able to do it that way and you have learned to recognize where you went wrong and correct it.

I think that after the bind off you should purl to the end of the row, and then change to the circular needle by knitting the next row. Now join in the round and continuing to knit every round. You’ll be on the outside of the hat and only doing knit st all around.

What’s next? Whatever it is, good luck with it and come back if you have questions.

#10

It was just explained to me, too. I’m knitting Barbie clothes on dpn and it’s supposed to be done on straight needles. So…in order to keep it in pattern, I have to do the opposite on the WS row. If it says purl,then I knit,if it says p1 k1 purl 3 knit 3…then I k1, p1, knit 3, purl 3. But that’s only on the WS rows. It helps to mark the rows with pencil so you can keep track…it’s kind of confusing. I’m not real experienced either. Sometimes I just re write the rows the way I’m supposed to do it and stick it to the pattern. Notes always help me.
:happydance:

#11

If you do k1 p1 or k3 p3 that’s ribbing and you don’t have to think about 'reversiing the stitches - you just knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts whether you knit in the round or knit flat. I think you asked in another post about reversing the purl row to knits to knit stockinette in the round, but you really just knit all rounds. It’s sort of the same, you just do k1 p1 or k3 p3 on all the rounds.