Omg omg i've been doing it wrong!

How-to Questions
1

OK. I just bought a book yesterday called “KnitSpeak” which is kindof like a dictionary of the knitting language. When I looked up knitting I found that I’ve been doing wrong this whole time…

Instead of Knitting I’ve been Knitting from the back loop. I’ve only done one project so far, and It doesn’t look bad at all…

Is knitting from the back loop that same thing as the knit stich or no? Cause If it’s not the same I’m going to have to totally relearn this wonderful new hobby I have…

Please help…:knitting:

2

I think what you might be doing is combined knitting…the link will take you to Amy’s Knit videos…and then check out her purl videofor this…:happydance:

3

As long as you are just knitting there is no problem. If you start adding purls then you’ll get twisted stitches.

However, don’t despair! A very famous designer and teacher, Annie Modesitt knits that way and has lots of information on how to do what she calls Combination Knitting. Do a search for either her name or the technique to find out how to have your knitting look like everyone elses when you’re done.

4

Well see… I have been combining the purl stich… The pattern for the baby blanket is k1 row, p1 row repeat from * three times. k1r repeat from * three times. Repeat stich 14 times…

It looks fine, but I’m just worried now… and kinda depressed…
:knitting:

5

:happydance: If it looks right then you prolly just figured the combined method out on your own…if you want you can post a picture up close of the sts and we can then let you know for sure it is right…but don’t worry or be depressed!! :hug:

6

Thanks for the hug… LOL… I guess what matters is if it looks right to me so… Anywho… Thanks so much guys…:grphug:

:knitting:

7

I am just finishing up a pair of Pomatomus socks that features that variation of the knit stitch throughout. It creates raised lines when used in a k1tbl, p1. It’s a very attractive look, but doesn’t lay flat as a standard knit stitch.

8

Hey there – Lighten up!

I spent the first 10 years knitting AND purling through the back loop. Yep, my stitches were twisted. But otherwise, all my projects functioned and looked really nice, just like I’d intended. And people liked them just as well.

I even :aww: taught others to knit/purl like that.

But no matter. No harm done! Like I said, only another knitter would know to spot this goof.

It’s like any other mistake in knitting [or any other craft]: just learn from your mistake, correct it so you don’t do it any more - and move on! Beating yourself up NEVER is good.

NEVER BEAT ON YOURSELF!

You likely are self-taught, right? So pat yourself on the back and BE PROUD that you’ve mastered - yes, MASTERED! - an ancient craft.

Dot

9

Oh please don’t worry about how you knit. Amy Modesitt is a great knitter, in fact she does knitting all over the United States. I also think in Canada so look up her website and you will see how to do Combined knitting. Just think you learned all by yourself and others have paid lots of money for her to teach them.
So congrats on your Combined knitting.

:waving:

10

OMG :heart: … I think I’m gonna Cry…:aww:

Thanks for all the love people… And yes I am self taught… I picked up the little book from Walmart that came with a free pair of needles and basically threw myself into it… I’M FREAKING LOVING IT…

BTW… If there are anymore Guys out there don’t be ashamed… You’ve got a great hobby… and for the record look up the history of knitting… You’ll be supprised…

Also… Pick up the book “Knitting with Balls: A Hands on guide to knitting for the Modern Man”… You’ll love it…
:knitting:

11

I knit the way you do, always have. Other than having to decrease a little differently I haven’t run into any problems that would cause me to relearn the ‘right’ way :slight_smile:

12

Good for you for figuring out how to knit at all…it took me an army of books, needles the size of drumsticks (think chicken instead of drum LOL) and a YEAR of fussing and cussing! :teehee: I actually figured out the knit stitch just fine but for the life of me couldn’t get the purl stitch. I think learning to knit is teaching me patience and perseverance among other things!

Congratulations!!! I’m proud of you - combined knitting or regular - now you can do either one! :muah:

13

45 years knitting, and all of them throught the back loop (when knitting)

there is NO WRONG WAY TO KNIT.

there are knitted fabrics that are not what you desired, or planned or thought you where knitting.

but there is no wrong way to knit.

if you want stocking knit stitch (and get stocking knit stitch) it doesn’t matter if you:
knit though the back loop
or
knit with yarn in right hand
or
knit with yarn in left hand
or
formed the purls with your thumbs
or
knit from left needle to right, and followed that with a row of
knitting from right needle to left
or
(fill in blank)

if you wanted stocking knit, and got twisted (every row) or
half twisted (every other row twisted)

then you have a problem

and there are lots of ways to resolve the problem.

there is one style of knitting (KNIT AND PURLS always mounted so that untwisted stitches are made by knitting or purling into the front of the loop) that is SIGNIFIGANTLY more common in US/ Canada/UK and UK commonwealth countries.

but that is just one style of knitting.

world wide, there are several styles of knitting. none of them are RIGHT or WRONG. they are just different styles.

14

So Basically it’s not a sin to twist the stiches? A lady during lunch at the yarn store told me that I was not supposed to knit through the back and that I needed to change beginning with my next project… I told her that my blanket looks fine, but she said that it was absolutely wrong because it was twisted…

15

Oh, heavens. Some people are just bent on doing things the “right” way, whatever that is. Just look at Of Troy’s post above. Her post should show you that there are a zillion ways to knit and all of them are just fine. It all boils down to personal preference. Lastly, welcome to KH and knitting. And most importantly, enjoy it. :slight_smile:

16

It may have looked like `twisting’ to her, but if you wrap your purls the opposite way, it untwists them. If it looks like the sample here - http://www.knittingfool.com/pages/stCatalog2.guest.cfm?StitchID=1176&name=Crossed%20Stockinette&numofst=1&stplus=0&rows=2&rplus=0&sym=0 you may be knitting twisted. A picture of your work would tell us best.

17

Of Troy pointed out that if your stitches are all twisted and that is not what you want then there are things to do to change that. Most knitting that you see is not all twisted, it is not standard, and not hard to straighten it out. You either knit in the front loop or on the purl rows wrap the opposite direction. But if you like the twists there is no one to stop you from doing it that way. :slight_smile:

Many of us who have learned a lot on our own (or been taught in nonstandard ways) do all kinds of things that are not standard. Sometimes we never even know. If we find out, we have the option of learning a new way. (This is not that hard for most of us.) Or knitting on the way we learned. Whatever you do, enjoy it.

18

twisted stitches are not wrong… [I][B]but[/B] they are not part of standard stocking knit. [/I]

(just as cables aren’t part of standard stocking knit, or purls (on front of work)

twisted stitches are twisted stitches.

stocking knit is defined as:

ONE side of work, knits, the other side of the work, Purls.

it’s not alternate rows of twisted knits and plain knits.

[B]REMEMBER[/B]–knitting stitches are defined by how they look, not by how they are worked.

so Purl every row is just a valid a way to make 'garter stitch" as is knit ever row.

and K1, P1 is the pattern for 1 X 1 ribbing (even number of stitches–every row)

and K1, P1 is the pattern for seed stitch (odd number of stitches–every row)

same basic directions, very different fabrics

The FABRIC (outcome) is what is important, not the process.

if you have alternate rows of twisted stitches in a fabric that is supposed to be stocking knit, you don’t have right!

if you have row after row of knits on one side, and row after row of purls on the other, it is right, no matter what process you used to get that effect!

19

When I first started out I was wrapping the yarn clockwise for knit, and counterclockwise for purl. It made the ribbing on my first hate VERY tight!! But the main part of the hat was all stockinette, so it looked just fine. The hat was too big, but otherwise good.

Now, I’d like to say this is the only knitting “mistake” I’ve made . . but of course that’s not true! Knitting continues… Now you know both ways to do it. You can choose. For many projects it won’t really matter.

20

If you don’t want the stitches twisted, you just have to figure out whether the knits or purls are twisted and change the direction you’re wrapping. Took me a looooong time to figure that out…everybody was too busy yelling at me for knitting Continental to tell me. When I’m knitting stickinette on straight needles, I wrap from the needle outward on both sides. Knitting on circulars or garter stitch on straights, I wrap toward the needle. Your mileage may vary :D…but if you like it, it’s all good.