Progress Report
I finished one garter, at 30 inches long. Considering the stretch factor, I'm sure that's plenty long. As you can see, I've started on the next one.
As I was cruising along on the first garter, I realized I had no idea how to stop knitting. How do you end these things? I did a quick google on knitting, and found this site. Where I learned it's called binding off and there is a proper way of casting on. Anyway, I successfully ended the first garter and I have proceeded to the second.
But notice the twist in the second garter. If the dog toy wasn't holding down the completed garter, that sucker would be all twisted up as well. What's up with that? I know it's something I'm doing, because a friend's knitted garter isn't doing that.
Labels: knitting
posted by Sandy at 7:21 AM
5 Comments:
Right: I have a few theories!
One is that you are somehow twisting your stitches. This is an advanced technique, just not quite what you want here.
If you look closely at the stitches on your needle, you will see that the upside-down U that is the stitch on the needle has one 'leg' in front of the needle, and one behind.
If you want untwisted stitches, you need to put the working needle (i.e. the one you're going to form the new stitch on) into the leg which is closer to the tip of the non-working needle. Then wrap etc. as normal.
If the leg which is closest to the tip is on the side closest to you, then you are knitting 'traditionally'. If it is on the other side, then you are knitting in what has come to be called 'eastern'. The direction you wrap the yarn around the needle is the deciding factor in getting the legs one way round or the other.
If you put the working needle into the leg which is further from the tip, you will get twisted stitches.
I hope that helps!
Serious blocking might help chill the twist out, too. I think LornaJay has it right, though.
I know nothing about knitting, so I can't offer any words of wisdom.
I'm behind you all the way, though!
Lornajay - I'm going to have to sit down with your description and my knitting and try to figure out what you're telling me. I think I understand what you're saying, but I'm at work and my knitting is not.
Susan - I was going to try to wash and block them when I was finished, hoping that my help. But if it's in the stitches, I may be doomed to twisted garters.
ML - Thanks for the support!
I'm relatively new to knitting and I really enjoy your blog! I'm always on the lookout for websites to help me and I wanted to pass along a video site I found that has a few basic videos showing how to knit. I'm not sure if you're interested in how to knit videos, but I found these useful when I was just starting out.
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