Hi, my problem is that after 6 trys…I still haven’t been able to succeed. Hat pattern is a simple beanie. I have made other hats, but this one has a provisional cast-on and knitted in the round.
The pattern shows how to make a crocheted chain ( a few st more than needed) then knit 92 into that for round 1. I knitted into the back bump or the chain taking care to not twist chain. Knit for 1-10. Purl rnd 11 as a folding ridge. Rnds 12-21 knit. Next rnd (joining rnd) fold up hem along folding ridge, incert RH needle into next st on LH needle and into first st of cast on round. Knit these 2 st tog. Conntinue knitting next st on LH tog with next st from cast on rnd to end of rnd. Remove waste yarn, then change to larger circular needles.
I have tried this numerous times and each time I end up with dropped joined stitches which I can’t see until I remove the provisional cast on. Laddering down just isn’t able to fix the number of dropped sts in this case…I think because of the join. I’ve tried one and the other end of chain for starting the provisional and each time the provisional is very hard to pull out. I tried different yarns for the provisional…but all seem to be hard to pull out, and the work looks fuzzy. But the dropped joined stitches are biggest problem. I’ve resorted to cutting it out, but still have same problem with those dropped stitches.
I tried the provisional cast on shown on this site [SIZE=“3”][SIZE=“2”](well actually I bought the CD cause the videos don’t want to work anymore since they re-did it)[/SIZE][/SIZE]. That doesn’t appear to be working either, since before I can cast on 92 or more stitches I have completely twisted and knotted balls of yarn and a very very loose CO.
What I think is missing is…what size of crochet hook do I use for patterns directions or does it matter? I used a needle that is about same as knitting needle. But do I do so tight, loose or what? I have crocheted for about 50 years…so I know how to crochet, but I don’t know if I am causing this problem by not using right size hook or perhaps I am just knitting it all wrong, but seems to me if I can knit a regular hat I should be able to do this.
:knitting:
Thisis how I do the provisional cast on…I crochet it onto the needle…you might give this a try and see if it works out better for you…I always use the crochet hook close to my needle size too…I know some that will CO with the waste yarn and knit a few rows then switch to the main color…at the end they will go back and remove the CO and the few rows of knitting in the other yarn to get the live sts…
AHHHH now why didn’t I think of the crocheting onto the knitting needle. I shall try that. I actually was wondering if I would have better luck removing the waste yarn B4 trying to pick up the live stitches…but somewhere I read…“trust the pattern” and since I trying to learn I figured I better try it. But heck, I could have made 7 or 8 hats in the time I have spent trying to make this work. But I hate to give up…so I am hanging in there. Thanks!
I’ve used dustinac’s method twice. Worked great both times.
Hope it will for you, too!!
My only boo-boo was that I put them on the wrong end of the circular needle. I’m adding on then joining in a round. Can’t knit into a stitch that’s on the same needle. :doh:
If you are comfortable with the longtail cast on method then you can do this provisional cast on.
Tie the waste yarn in a slip knot together with your working yarn. Put this slip knot on your needle. Place the waste yarn over your thumb and the working yarn over index finger. Do your longtail cast on as normal but do not count the slip knot loop as a stitch.
When you are done and begin knitting proceed as normal until you get to the slip knot. Slip the slip knot loop off the needle and undo it. Tada! You have a provisional cast on.
Hi, Thanks for the ideas…but I am still failing with this pattern! I did try the provisional that “AH” suggested…I believe it is the same one that is shown on the Knittinghelp CD. I had issues with it being horribly loose, and tangling up.
BUT…I wonder…“AH” describes it…but doesn’t mention having the knit into front then next stitch into back as per the CD’s instructions.
AT least that was what I believe I heard. The CD didn’t actually show how to pick up the live/provisional stitches…it showed the actual cast on.
Now I just got thru unraveling the whole mess again. I simply can not pick up the stitches without messing up. I even tried pulling the provisional CO out and then tried to knit the row currently on and the corresponding stitch of the CO or live stitch. This is suppose to be a knit tog of 2 layers. This is a beanie, with a folding edge that is purled.
Is it possible that I am NOT suppose to join the provisional CO into a circle and simply make the round with row 1? Will it matter?
I tried pulling out the provisional this last time…and while it was easier to pick up stitches and knit tog…I got totally messed up with lining up the vertical stitches. My eyes aren’t as sharp as they could be but no amount of light makes it easier, LOL.
When you fold over 10 rows onto another 10 rows, with the 1 purl row, I find it is being difficult starting this with the stitches being straight…that and having live stitches unraveling while I am trying to see the stitches I need.
I really hate to give up on this pattern, but really…it shouldn’t be this hard. LOL I hate the pattern, but it is the style my son wants.
I have been trying to figure out how to crochet the provisional right on the needle. (I’ve done this with looms too) but me thinks I need to think a bit harder on how to make it work. LOL Needs some co-ordination which I lack tonight.
Hi, well as far as I know there is no link to the pattern. It is a booklet called knit a dozen beanies. However, I decided to not follow the book pattern as it described and was also shown in a picture. I added a row to the count just above the provisional…then I picked up the row just above, or below the 1st round…depending on ones view after turning, LOL. Success…sort of. At least I was able to get the 2 layers together with only 1 dropped stitch and I cheated a bit and used a hook/pick to pull those stitches onto the L needle before knitting tog. The pattern said to put R needle into stitch on L needle, then pick up the corresponding stitch on the first row and after finishing the whole row, remove the cast on. WELL… either I am completely misunderstanding the technique…or a person needs a bit more room to pick up those stitchs.
BUT using one the suggested tricks ya’ll gave me I finally got past that part of the hat and will be finished in a few more minutes. I have made a lot of simple hats and other items…but this was just not working as the instructions show’s. It is my first try at trying to pick up a provisional CO…and I think I will avoid this pattern till I can find someone in person to show me why it was not working since I can’t say I learned anything but how to not follow the pattern. LOL!
Thanks again all…it was driving me really really crazy! Still is…but I am willing to accept a slightly less than perfect result since the uneven and fuzzy row is on the underside or brim of the hat and it IS together finally.
AH, genius provisional cast on! First one I’ve gotten to work. But when you’re ready to pick up the stitches, how do you remove the waste yarn since it’s entertwined with the working yarn?
If this is the brim of your hat, then the pattern is simply providing a knitted hem as opposed to a sewn hem. If it were me, I would revise the pattern so I could just sew the hem instead.
First I’d change from the provisional CO to another stretchy CO, maybe long tail? Then I would follow the pattern until I got to the joining row. At that point, I would replace the joining row with a row of knit sts, then continue with the rest of the pattern. When I was finished – or maybe even after just an inch of two if I felt like it – I would fold the hem at the folding row, take a length of yarn and a tapestry needle and loosely whipstitch the hem to the inside of the brim.
