Twisting yarn when knitting with 2 strands

#1

Hi,
Is there a remedy for preventing the yarns from twisting when knitting with 2 strands? I’m about to start knitting a twisted rib for a cardigan. I worked a swatch for stitch count and the yarns twist and it’s extremely annoying/frustrating to keep straightening them.
Thank you.

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#2

It’s partly just the nature of using 2 strands, but there are a few things you can try.
You can put each ball into a bowl and then put both bowls on a lazy-Susan turntable to make it easier to untwist them, by spinning the turntable the opposite direction.
If you’re holding the 2 yarns together and working them as one, you could rewind them into a single ball.
If you’re alternating colors, you could pay close attention to which way you’re passing the yarns over each other, and alternate that as well. Yarn A over, yarn B under. Or, always cross over when knitting the right side, and cross under when knitting the wrong side.
None of these are perfect (at least, not in MY hands!), but they should help.

#3

Putting the yarns in bowls or in bags works fairly well. For me, winding a ball with both yarns becomes a mess because somehow (and I could speculate here about poltergeists) one yarn always gets ahead of the other.
Are you working stranded knitting or are you using 2 strands held together as one for the cardigan? What is the name and designer of your pattern?

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#4

Thank you.

Both yarns are identical, held in one hand and worked together for more thickness. It’s Double stranded. Knitting Continental style.

Sorry, I should have been more specific in my question.

#5

Thank you.

Both yarns are identical, held in one hand and worked together for more thickness. Double stranded. Knitting Continental style.

Sorry, I should have been more specific in my question.

The pattern is my own. Ribbing: Twisted Rib; Body: Moss Stitch with I-Cord edge.

The double strand is for the ribbing, only. Single strand twisted rib yields a light, open knit.

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#6

Very interesting design. I hope you’ll post a photo when you finish!