I am using this pattern: lionbrand.com/patterns/kwetq-stripedScarfMans.html to make a striped scarf, first time with stripes. (Sorry for the weird look of the links, but this is my first post and I am not allowed to post links yet.) I tried to attach a pic, hopefully it will work…
I am getting a bit of extra overlap/“jogging?” between the colors, on the right side of the scarf, only on one end (the left in the pic). A loop of the “previous” color is up next to the first stitch of the “new” color (I can see it 3x in this picture). Is that normal? I see from reading other threads that I will have to live with the weird stripe of contrasting color on the WS of the scarf (wish I had known it would look like that before I started or I would have done it differently), but I don’t know if this little “jog” is normal or not.
Also, I saw in other threads that you could fix the WS extra stripe, is it correct that I would knit the first row of the new color, regardless of the pattern? Then continue with the pattern, I suppose? I was a little confused about that.
Thanks!
The little jog at the left is normal. If when you turned the work and started the new row, you slipped the first stitch rather than worked it, this would be less visible.
Whenever you join two colors you will have a row of stitches that is half color A and half color B. Whether those stitches appear on the ws or rs of the work has to do with whether the new color was added on the rs or ws, and what type of stitch you are working: stockinette, garter etc.
Yes, you can change the appearance of this mixed color stitch by changing whether you knit or purl a row, you will, however, also change the appearance of your overall work. For instance, if you are working in stockinette, and rather than knitting down and purling back, you decide to purl down (with new color) and purl back, you will throw in a row of garter stich. This garter stitch will be more obvious in your work than the color change, so you have to decide if this is how you (and the designer) wanted your work to look or not. If you want it to be flat, then con’t the stockinette, if you don’t mind the ridges, work some garter stripes. On a scarf, nearly anything goes. On a sweater, you really should stick to the pattern, and the color chnages will be hidden on the inside anyway.
Oh! That makes so much sense. Thank you.
If I slipped the first stitch in the row, would that stitch be looser than the others? If so, is there a way to keep the tension when doing that?
I almost always slip the first stitch and it works fine. It makes a nice chain up the side. Because the sides are garter you just slip the first stitch as if to purl (that means just slip it tip to tip from one needle to the other) then knit the rest of the border. Then either purl or knit till you get to the border and knit all those stitches.
I believe if you are changing colors and doing the slip stitch at the beginning of the row that at the end of the row just before the color change you need to knit the last stitch with the new color, then when you slip it on the next row it will be the right color at the beginning, otherwise there will be a “jog” sort of thing in the chain along the edge.