what am I doing wrong?

[Christinechrstms1]

My strap looks horrible. It doesn't look like the picture. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I will try to post a pic.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/butter

[suzeeq]

Can you post a picture of your strap? The one on the ravelry page looks like it's twisted because it's so thin. Or it's twisted after you finish it then fastened that way.

[Christinechrstms1]

http://imageshack.us/f/577/img0533jw.jpg/ this link will take you to the image of this terrible strap

I couldn't load the pic right from my computer so my daughter told me to us imageshack.us.


I believe there was a slight error with the pattern after the cables were done as my pic looks a bit different. I think in the pic on Ravelry she finished at 9 rows instead of 12 for the cable sequence. If this is so then maybe she did something a bit different for the straps instead of how it is written. I my cables stitches turned out fine for this a a scarf.

[suzeeq]

Okay, it looks like it's supposed to be twisted on purpose, or rather cabled. Have you done cables before?

Here's where you're going wrong, I think -
"c6f (put 3 stitches on cable needle, hold them in front, knit 3 from your main needle, then knit the 3 from your cable needle)"

When you do the cables, put 3 sts on a cn (slide them over with the tips facing each other). Hold those sts in front when you knit the other 3, and knit the ones on the cn. Make sure they're not twisted, lay the sts down flat so you can see them easier, then knit them off the cn. It's possible you're twisting the sts on the cn, it might help if you did this at a table or with a pillow in your lap because that first cable row is going to be very awkward. I'd even suggest you knit 3 rows first then do the cables. With a little more length to the strap it may be easier.

ETA - Also, put it down for the night. When you try to knit when you're tired it gets worse, not better. Pick it up tomorrow....

[Christinechrstms1]

I thought I was keeping everything exceptionally straight. I will undo it and give it another shot. I have been using dpn to hold the stitches to be cabled. I have done cables quite easily before. I will try just using a cable needle and returning them to the original needle instead of knitted from the dpn.

[Christinechrstms1]

I am doing the cable stitches for the strap as per instructions. I am wondering though, it says to knit 4 rows after the cable part.Those straps look like a stockinet stitch. Maybe she means for them to be knit in the round? the pattern switched to knitting flat for a while so that is what I did for the straps. should I try knitting them in a circle? or can I continue flat and just alternate between knit and purl

[Christinechrstms1]

it looks as though it is an error. instead of knit every row it should be knit the knits and purl the purl for 4 rows.

[salmonmac]

The straps are knit in the round on dpns so you knit every stitch. It seems difficult to me to do that with so few sts and the 3st cable crosses, so you might try knitting them flat in stockinette. They'll curl anyway and you could always stitch them closed (with yarn or sewing thread) after you're finished.

[suzeeq]

That sounds like a great idea. To me, knitting on only 6 sts and then doing cables on them too sounds really fiddley, but it could be a nice effect. Too bad more people haven't put up pictures of this one, it's easier to figure out when you can look at one.

[Christinechrstms1]

I looked under ravelry where the pattern was and it doesn't look like anyone knit if yet. From the comments it looked like someone was going to knit one soon. I messaged the designer. I know what to do but it just isn't working out well. I need to do something different. I did try it in the round as well and it didn't work out so well. I will try knitting it separately first then attaching. Other wise I am not sure what to do.