When I transition from stocking stitch to the circular needle (for the main body) the tension changes ?
Welcome to KH! Yeah, that happens. It’s mainly because the tension when purling is not the same as when knitting. Knitting flat is knit a row, purl a row but doing stockinette in the round is all knits. I haven’t tested it but I expect the same thing can happen with garter stitch. I keep working on this problem and it has improved but I still see the change in tension.
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Do you mean, when you transition from knitting stocking stitch flat to when you knit it in the round ?
Does the tension get tighter or looser?
Do you change the type of needle tip when you transition ( ie metal, wooden, plastic)?
It could be that you work your purls at a different tension to your knits and that shows up when you go to all knits in the round ( in this case your tension would get tighter).
Or change in needle material can affect the tension.
Does the flat part of the knitting show subtle stripes in tension difference ( sometimes called ‘rowing out’).
It would help to see a picture of your work if you can upload something?
Also, if the difference is noticeable, you can change the needle size for the tray of your work.
For future swatching in flat knitting, you can knit the purls eastern (wrapping the yarn in the opposite direction) - this uses less yarn. Or you can use a different needle tip or size for the purl row.
Thanks for the help. Not sure how to do the photo upload but yes when knitting on the round the stitches are tighter and flatter (neater really) I did the same pattern but in a darker colour and mohair wool last year and never noticed the change at all but this wool is off white and standing out. I think I will unpick up to the armholes and knit/purl straight rows and treat the sleeves the same. Shame really as I love the seamless results of knitting in the round but the slightest tension change is very obvious with this wool
Eastern…do you mean like a German short row?
So I could do every second row (circular needles) purl (to keep the same tension) and use the German short row to facilitate the knit to purl transition ??
I used the same circular needles (when required to do the straight rows from shoulders to armholes) as I’m using now, so no change in needles.
Sorry for delay - if you reply to me, I get an email notification - but not if you just add to the thread!!
By eastern, I mean wrapping the yarn around the needle in the opposite direction. I’ve attached a blog post that explains it clearly. The reason is that the route of the wrap is a bit shorter than if you wrap it the standard way, so that when you work the next row, there is less yarn in the stitch , which makes it more like the knit. ( The eastern wrap mounts the stitch backwards so you have to work the knits through the back loop - the blog explains it all with pictures. )
Unfortunately, it’s best used in the flat knitting section where you are working purl rows - these tend to be looser than the knits rows. But you’ve passed this section. If the tension difference is noticeable, you can try to size up a needle in the round (especially if you’re in the smaller needle size range) to give you a more even tension between the flat and in the round sections.
If you convert to flat knitting, you’d have to work in the same way as the original section if you want the gauge to match.
Hope this helps.
I’m adding another clip that might explain it better!
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Thanks will look up these options and go from there .
You have been such a big help! Much appreciated…
Janene
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