Please Help

knittingnewbie · 02-22-2005, 08:11 AM

I am teaching myself to knit via the wonderful videos on this site and a book from the local library. My problem is that my stitches don't look right. It appears as though I am getting the front and back switched back and forth. There is nothing smooth about the "front" of my work. Can anyone tell me what I might be doing wrong?

ekgheiy · 02-22-2005, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by knittingnewbie

I am teaching myself to knit via the wonderful videos on this site and a book from the local library. My problem is that my stitches don't look right. It appears as though I am getting the front and back switched back and forth. There is nothing smooth about the "front" of my work. Can anyone tell me what I might be doing wrong?

Without seeing it, I can't say for sure. But what stitch are trying? If you are knitting all of your stitches (called garter), then your work really would be "smooth" b/c garter stitch is a bit bumpy. What do you mean by:

Originally Posted by knittingnewbie

It appears as though I am getting the front and back switched back and forth.

:?:
I don't understand what you mean :(

knittingnewbie · 02-22-2005, 06:47 PM

The book recommended that I continue doing the knit stitch until I felt comfortable with it. I feel comfortable doing what I am doing but without knowing what my "finished" project should look like I don't know if I am doing it correctly. I was comparing it to the pieces in the beginning videos. Are those all knit stitches?

When I say that it looks like I am switching front and back, I mean that both sides of work are "lumpy" and I thought only one side was supposed to be.

I will work this piece a little further and then take pic and post if that will easier for you (or any willing vessel) to help me.

I did find a couple of pictures online that may help explain my bad descriptions.

I need to add that I really appreciate any help you can offer.

knittingnewbie · 02-22-2005, 07:09 PM

Apparently I don't know how to attach images. I really want to learn this knittng thing.

If you go to the page under Basic Techniques (Bind Off) and look at the 7th picture down this is sort of what my project looks like on both sides. There are no pretty little v's like in the first picture. Does this help?[/img]

ekgheiy · 02-22-2005, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by knittingnewbie

Apparently I don't know how to attach images. I really want to learn this knittng thing.

If you go to the page under Basic Techniques (Bind Off) and look at the 7th picture down this is sort of what my project looks like on both sides. There are no pretty little v's like in the first picture. Does this help?[/img]

Well this picture looks like a fisherman's rib pattern to me. You won't get these little V's just by doing only the knit stitch. You must combine knits and purls over an even # of sts in order to obtain this look. Here's the pattern for fisherman's rib.

If you are doing only knit sts, then your work should be bumpy on both sides like this picture.

Originally Posted by knittingnewbie

... When I say that it looks like I am switching front and back, I mean that both sides of work are "lumpy" and I thought only one side was supposed to be. ...

If you want only one side to be lumpy, then you need to do stockinette stitch, which is to alternate Knit and Purl rows.

Hope that helps...

knittingnewbie · 02-23-2005, 03:27 AM

Well isn't that just peachy. All this time I was comparing my work to the wrong thing. That is great news. I guess I do "get" this knitting thing. Thank you so much for your help. I will continue with more confidence. I just wish that books would use the right pictures when they are writing. How can a person know if they are doing the stitch properly if they have nothing (or worse the wrong picture) to compare to? Again, thanks for your help! And to think of ALL those stitches I ripped out. GRRROh well part of learning!