Keep yarn from twisting while knitting two strands from two skeins held together

crystalirwin · 10-15-2011, 12:03 AM

Any ideas appreciated!

I'm knitting an afghan with two strands held together. The yarn from the two skeins twists and it's driving me crazy! I have tried...

*using a ball winder on each skein individually
*using a ball winder for the two skeins together
*using yarn straight from the skein without winding
*taking working yarn from the inside of the winded yarn
*taking working yarn from the outside of the winded yarn

Help! I feel like I'm spending only half my time knitting and the other half of my time un-twisting the yarn.

p.s. I tried to just knit with it twisted and ignore it, but I can't. I just can't do it.

Suggestions? Experience? Hope???

salmonmac · 10-15-2011, 10:07 AM

I use center pull balls to minimize the rolling around and tangling. You might also try putting each ball into a container (bowl, box or bag) to minimize tangles. I don't worry about the yarns twisting around each other however.

suzeeq · 10-15-2011, 01:55 PM

Trying to the keep the yarn from twisting in the sts is futile, and it won't look bad at all when you're finished. Keeping the 2 separate strands from tangling together as you're knitting is helped by putting each one into a separate container, or one on either side of you. Keep the balls separate, don't wind them together.

knitcindy · 10-15-2011, 06:11 PM

I don't have any advice/help at all -- mostly because the same exact thing happens to me. Although I don't care about the twisting while I'm knitting, that doesn't bother me.

What REALLY bothers me is trying to UNtwist the 2 strands and wind them up seperately! (if I need to start over) That's almost IMPOSSIBLE!!

Hope you find the help you need!!!
knitcindy

crystalirwin · 10-15-2011, 10:08 PM

Thanks y'all. I think I need to just get over the yarn being twisted. I tried it for a couple rows a while back in my project, and it didn't look bad or different, it just bugs me. Thanks again, happy knitting!

nflood40 · 10-15-2011, 10:44 PM

what does 3\ mean in knitting pattern?

Thanks!!!

suzeeq · 10-15-2011, 10:45 PM

That looks like a chart symbol, and could mean k3togtbl or sssk, or something entirely different.

Olha · 11-06-2011, 11:50 PM

I tried carring one yarn in one hand, and another in the other hand and knit in both continental and English styles. But I had to learn English style and my tension was too tight but the loops too big

Then I tried carring two yarns in one hand, one over index finger, one over middle, and it worked better. It is still a little awkward but not as annoying as twisted yarns

Shandeh · 11-10-2011, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by crystalirwin

Any ideas appreciated!
I'm knitting an afghan with two strands held together. The yarn from the two skeins twists and it's driving me crazy! I have tried...

I believe the twisting happens because of how the project is handled at the end of every row.

When it's time to start a new row, if I always flip it around the same way each time, the yarn will twist tighter and tighter each row.

So, to avoid this problem, I flip it around in the other direction occasionally.

Hope this helps!