I am knitting on dpns and have realized about 8inches down that my work is begining to twist. How can I fix it and prevent this from happening in the future?
thanks!
Twisting in the round
The only way to fix it is to take it out. You may be able to go down to the first round, undo a couple of sts at then end of the round, then untwist, but it may be eaiser to just start over.
When you cast on, spread the sts out so you can tell how they’re laying and make sure they’re all facing the same direction. This page shows how the sts should look http://www.knitpicks.com/content/index.php/cat/knitting-in-the-round/
What do you mean by twist? Is it curling or have you been knitting it twisted? When you look at your needles does your work hang straight or is it twisted? If you’ve knitted it twisted then you have to frog it.
When I look at it hanging down, and I follow a stitch up, for example, it starts to wrap around the piece. It’s not extreme, as some other projects I attempted, but it is starting to turn a little when it hangs.
So it’s not the sts twisted around the needle?
no, i guess not. What’s happening is that the entire work is twisting as it hangs.
I had this happen with a scarf a few months ago, and when it was done the middle part of the scarf that was done on circulars did not lay flat with the rest of the scarf.
I’m knitting Tubey sweater from Knitty. So i started the back piece fine, and got about 8in down on the first sleeve and noticed it starting to turn as it hangs. What I mean is that when I follow a stitch from where I started knitting in the round and go up the sleeve, it starts to curve around the sleeve. (i thought this is what patterns refered to as twisting…)
does this mean i have to remove and start over?
Your yarn could be biasing, that happens with some - what are you using? The other could be you’re knitting your stitches through the back loop. Do your knit sts look like Vs where the lower points are crossed, or more like upside down Us?
What is biasing?
I’m using Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran. The sts look like V’s where the points cross.
It’s how it’s spun. There are 2 ways to twist it, and sometimes how you twist the yarn as you knit increases the `pull’ of the twist in one direction. I wish I could find some pictures, but when you knit the sts look like |/ or | instead of Vs. I guess that’s not it.
Okay, here’s the article I was looking for… www.knitty.com/issuefall05/FEATwhyply.html
One more thing… do you knit like this? http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/images/tbl.jpg
OH!! that makes sense. That article actually has a picture of how the yarn is knitting up in the round (the bottom one is pretty close).
Does this mean that i dont need to frog it?
Yes I do knit like that.
Things I’m knitting often twist so that the stitches look diagonal instead of straight. I think that’s the kinda thing you’re describing. It’ll work straight again when you block and of wear it. Just make sure you have stitch markers where you need them cause with the twist happening there some illusion as to where the end of the round is.
Okay, so you may be knitting into the back loop… you may be wrapping the yarn the wrong direction or which results in your stitches twisting.
So when you block it, it turns out ok? I’ve kept a marker and have not accidentially added or dropped sts, but it does turn out “diagnonal” i guess. it just seems that when I’m knitting up in the round the place where i joined in the round to start is not directly below where my round starts above. This is the twisting, diagnonal problem i’m having. Am I being paranoid? I just dont want to have the start of the round for my sleeves at my armpit and then have the start of the rounds for the end of the sleeve be on top of my wrist.
it’s hard to describe.
You could try blocking what you have now and see if that helps. If not, try to figure out why it’s going diagonal on you… It may be the yarn, but I don’t think that’s one that has a problem.
what would be the best way to fix that? should I frog the whole thing, or can i start knitting through the front loop at my next round?
i’m definately knitting in the back loop. i know that for sure, and i checked the knitting videos here and found my form is wrong (as i knit in the back). would it be best to start over, or to block and fix?
for reference i’ve worked close to 30in, between 8-10 in the round and the rest flat stockinette.
Well, it’s going to be better to start over if you want to change. Otherwise it’s not going to match. Is it just the part in the round that’s biasing, or flat too?
I found a pic to use as an example. This is part one of some fingerless wrist warmer thingies I made. This is the twisting I thought you were describing and this is the twisting that’s always come out with blocking or wearing for me. If it’s a sleeve that’s twisting, I’d block it before attaching it to the sweater.