# :confused: ???



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I was knitting along today, as many times in the recent past....and noticed that when I switch from a very comfortable K1P1 to all P, the stitches get so tight on the sending needle that I can barely get the receiving needle under the next stitch. I've noticed this in the past, and can't figure it out.
If I start out all K, or all P, the stitch never tightens up like that.
But if I switch from one to the other after knitting a swatch in one or the other, sometimes the stitch gets way too tight, and, even though I do my best to make another round on the circular, the stitch stays tight from then on.

Is this a common problem ? 

Is there a secret to loosening the stitch again ?

This is taking all the fun and hope out of my dream of accomplishing more than simple scarves.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

When you do K1P1, you are always moving the yarn front to back - and that always adds a bit of 'looseness' to your knitting.

When you do all knit or all purl, are your stitches too tight? Lots of knitters have trouble with that ... if that's what's happening, try this ...

You put your needle through and wrap the yarn around, then out and off the 'sending needle' to the 'receiving needle' (left needle to right needle)

Right then, pause and look at the stitch on your right needle. Could you knit into it if you came back to it on the next row, or it squeaked right tight around the receiving needle?

If it is too tight, tug a bit (upward with the right needle ought to do it) to loosen the tension on that stitch. Many knitters have this 'gut instinct' to tighten EVERY STITCH, for fear of them falling off or being too lose or something ... resist.  It's supposed to have breathing room, quite a bit in fact. 

Do the next stitch, and again, check to see that once it arrives on the receiving end it's loose enough. Also, look one-stitch-back, and confirm that you didn't somehow manage to tighten that one too: if it was ok in step 1 and is now too tight, then what you're doing is tugging too hard on the yarn when you wrap it to do the next stitch and you're inadvertently pulling the stitch tight on the receiving needle *in the course of doing the next stitch*. 

So what you want to watch for is two things, really: while you wrap the yarn, make sure that the stitches already sitting on the receiving needle aren't having their yarn tugged back out of their stitches, tightening them up; and after the stitch arrives on the receiving needle, make sure it has breathing room.

Once a whole row is done too tight, it's hard to loosen it up (possible but hard to explain in writing and a royal pain regardless) ... but if it's just one stitch at a time and you pay attention while you do it, just tug a bit as described above.

Hope some of that helps! Knitting is supposed to be fun!  

RELAX and let your yarn hang loose ... it doesn't want to strangle the needles, it wants to envelop them in a wooly hug!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Relax!

Really ... just relax. You're probably concentrating so hard on switching from the K1P1 that you are subconsciencly tightening up your stitches, then getting a bit frustrated that the stitches are tight and your frustration transfers to your stitches.

The only way to loosen the stitch is to frog it (rip-it, rip-it) and try again.

Folks say that experienced knitters can look at a knitted object and tell when the knitter was calm or upset by the tightness of their stitches.

So, just relax and your stitches will also.

ETA:

Yeah, what Frazzle said!!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I know I have said this before, but it is VERY common for lefthanded knitters to twist their purl stitches.
Be sure that the loops are all leaning the same direction, both the knits and the purls.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Like GAM I was going to suggest that you heck to see if you aren't maybe twisting stitches some place. I know when I work with the girls at work some are very loose knitters and others are very tight knitters. The tight ones seem to cinch the yarn down after that wrap it around the receiving needle (right). So I try to have them just knit the stitch without touching the working yarn, other than to wrap it, until after the stitch is completed.

Good luk! And like Cyndi says, RELAX


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

There may be something to the stitch twisting possibility, but, if I'm doing that, it's consistent, just not often. 

Sometimes, a whole row just seems tight, and all the stitches seem to be angled the wrong way. Sometimes making another full round will loosen it all up for the duration, other times, it just stays tight. I don't often have the issue, but sure did yesterday.
I was trying to go all pearl from the K1P1 wrist-warmer/sweater sleeve cuff (haven't decided which, just yet ) shown in the first pic, below.
I'm going to tuck these pics in here both to disguise them for only the serious knitters to see......AND to avoid adding to any of my longer threads, as that habit of mine seems to really eat some people's lunch. :yawn:

FR's progress report, in photos, as follows:

My K1P1, with my very large 100% wool scarf underneath. 
The scarf measures over 9 feet long and stretches comfortably to 24 inches wide. It feels to be an inch thick, and I love it.
I'm also quite pleased with the look and texture of the K1P1 in that chunky wool yarn, knit 30 stitches on a size 11 by 16 inch Addi Turbo. 










The second and third pics show my K2P2 progress from late last night.
Will it be a stand alone turtleneck, a sweater t-neck or one of those chunky "balaclavas" ? I'm working it on a size 13 by 20 inch Addi.



















The next two are of the mohair tube scarf going to me Mum-in law.
I'm very happy with it. A little pearl trim on the ends with all knit in the body.
It doubles as a chunky and super warm triple-tube hand warmer.


















Lastly, one of the two nice and chunky wrist warmers I made for meself a couple weeks ago. I knit them on size 15 straights and sewed them up.
That was OK and all, but, from now on, it's circular needles for me.
My how these warmers keep cold mornings pleasant.










So you see......I don't _always_ knit angry.

ISCLAIMER: No patterns were used, abused or otherwise violated in the construction of the above-referenced items.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

ROFL Forerunner!

Love the chunky knit scarf, looks a bit like the way I knitted my Afghan a few years ago.

I like chunky. 

Do those wrist warmers keep your hands warm? There are many things that I do outside that I just canna do with gloves on, so end up with freezing hands.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Wind..... I know what you mean with the little circulars lending themselves to strained stitches.... and, with the little experience and growing variety of needle sizes  that I have....I no longer encounter that issue. The fit with the 11 by 16s is good with those thirty stitches. That is a single strand wool yarn I'm using. 
I did, ummm, inquire about a set of 12 inch Addis in an 11 or 13, the other day. :bouncy:
I am having no difficulty knitting these small diameter items, generally, and I'm really enjoying the progress, seam-free.

Little farm...... the wrist warmers are great as a go between from mitten to coat or outdoorsy sweater sleeve, and could be knit a little longer to be pulled over the hands when hands are not in use. As for my own handling of cold hands outdoors, it's either heavy leather gloves that can take the abuse, or.... a chunky knit mitten inside of a large leather outer mitten all of which comes off when I'm doing detailed work, like changing bolts in the process of rebuilding a dump wagon a couple days ago. 
If I keep my hands in the mittens..15 degrees-ish.....while I'm back and forth to the shop, etc. and take them out for a couple minutes at a time, that seems to work to keep fingers relatively happy and quite functional.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

The mohair tube scarf is my favorite, so far.
I didnt quite get what that meant, until I see it there. 
It looks very cosy and I bet the MIL will really like it.

The giant 9 foot long scarf is also impressive.

I think you are doing great. The stitches on the k2p2 do look twisted to me.
There are examples of that style right here for comparison. 
I suppose it is not a good idea to change your pattern in the middle of a project though.

Twisting stitches is not that bad really. It just gets frustrating when you go from in-the-round to working flat (like short rows) on the same project. 
That is when you see those whole rows of stitches that slant wrong. 

Keep at it! One of these days you will be ready to use and abuse patterns too.
Knitting instructions are meant to be violated.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Oh..... did I mention that I have a set of 24 inch Addis coming in a _size 19_ ?:heh:
The joining cable looks like it was carved from a pretty good sized anaconda.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

On the twisted stitch business, how is that accomplished/un-accomplished ?
Am I grabbing the stitch from the wrong angle ?
I really like the look of that K2P2, but it would be mighty handy to be able to switch stitch types without having to go to my room and cry every other time.


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Forerunner, What nice work you are doing, and impressive with winging it. In pic 3 how are you achieving that raised element ? It looks like a twisted - raised stitch. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it and it is nice. 

Last night I went looking for you-tube toe up, not very successful, then I need to dig out the needle stash. I want socks, but you're making those warmers look so inviting. Oh and with carrying wood in, I may consider trying a hat / hood face warmer...............

So please tell me about that stitch..........


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Forerunner said:


> On the twisted stitch business, how is that accomplished/un-accomplished ?
> Am I grabbing the stitch from the wrong angle ?
> I really like the look of that K2P2, but it would be mighty handy to be able to switch stitch types without having to go to my room and cry every other time.


Chances are you are wrapping the yarn the wrong direction. 

What I mean is: you are putting the needle in the loop correctly, then wrapping the yarn the wrong direction around the needle to form the next stitch.


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Uh, cross-posting.......... so the pretty little stitch is an accident......... well please carry-on and figure out what you're doing, so you can let us know....., please.

Going to your room crying, just gotta love it.....BTDT. I'm outta here, enjoy.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well, let's see...... when I make my pearl stitch, I wrap from below the needle around to above and pull the stitch through. So, maybe I'm supposed to wrap from the top and end up below the needle before I pull through ? 
I'll try that on my _next_ project....

Katy...I'm really happy with the look of that stitch, as well.
If it is an accident, I'm thinking we may be knitting by accident pretty regularly, from now on. 
I'll just see what kind of stitch the other option gives me, and use the one I need as per project.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Let's see what I can add here to stir things up a bit :heh: When you knit with singles your knitting will always come out looking kittywampus, it just makes the whole thing slant funny. It doesn't bother me much but it really bothers some people. The only wan to get around that is to not knit with singles I guess. I have never heard that singles were less giving than plied yarns, never paid much attention before.

Wrapping the yarn around a purl, hmmm, I always wrap my yarn from the top down or over the top of the receiving needle, that is for knit or purl. That might be the problem Forerunner. Try a swatch and see if that makes a difference. I can't think of another reason why your stitches would be getting tighter.

Love your work, it all looks so cozy and warm. You should come live in the northwoods of MN with WIHH and me, you'd have a lot more uses for that sort of heavy wool gear around here :thumb:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Oho!!

Illinois is well known for it's arctic bent, some years.
I recall several winters in my past where it didn't get above -10 for two weeks at a time.
Me dear Mum-in-law is from Michigan, and swears we have the hottest summers, and coldest winters..... and she does Florida and Canada fairly regularly.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The way I taught FR to purl is using the Combined Purling Method. The third video on Knitting Help Purl Stitches
but he knits left handed, which is why using the terms 'sending' & 'receiving' are more helpful than the 'left' & 'right' needles/


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

forerunner, 

I went back to the humble beginnings and saw that we talked about Cyndi's grandma's purling method before. 
The combined method she taught you works well for knitting things flat. 
That is because you change the orientation of the stitches when you work them back the other direction. (when you turn the work and knit those purls).

For knitting in the round, you are NOT ever reorienting them by knitting them 'through the open leg' on the back side of the stitches. 
You are just keeping the same orientation (twisted) over and over. 

So basically, to get untwisted purls (in the round) you are going to have to wrap the yarn around the needle differently than you learned.

Over the top away from you, and ending w/ the working yarn below the needle, then pull it through. 
Yeah, it is slower.  
It is why I dislike purling and usually keep them twisted whenever I can get away with it.

You can do whichever you like, but I think it is good to understand WHY it is happening.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Thanks GAM, it's nice to have another lefty to help a lefty. I had forgotten that FR was a lefty, so glad you could help him


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Alas, where simplicity would go to rest it's weary head, the complication of detail will always follow, blaring it's horn that there be no peace.
All the same, it will be interesting to see how the stitches lay in my _next_ project. 

Now that bluish K2P2 I was working on ?
Today, it made it's way about 60% further toward becoming one of them there chunky knit balaclavas......no patterns, (land sakes) and it's looking _good_.......


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I absolutely can hardly WAIT to see the stern focused-looking knitter ensconced in a blueish balaclava made with no pattern (land sakes).

:teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

You an' me both in re the phonetics and spelling of that catastrophic nomenclature.... 
I, ummm, may have Rachel model that one fer the pics......


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

When purling using the Combined method, the stitch does sit differently on the needle.

When working in the round:
Knit stitches from the previous round are worked through the front leg
Purl stitches from the previous round are worked through the back leg


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Knit an extra row of ribbing so that you start on a knit row instead of a purl row.


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