New Knitter - a few questions!

Lynseymac · 08-13-2012, 03:10 PM

I wonder if anybody can help me. I've only just started knitting and have been making a rabbit.

When making a dress I added another colour to make stripes when the pattern told me to, but the colour appears broken up on the RS and looks the way it's supposed to on the WS, like I have it the wrong way round. How does that happen?

Also, I have a question about wool, and I realise this might sound silly, but is some wool more difficult to knit with than others?

The brown wool I was using is "supersoft" and my knitting looks really fluffy and messy around the edges. I was also using 2 Debbie Bliss wools, both 100% cotton. The pink wool was lovely to knit with and looks really neat. The green wool was organic eco baby stuff (only difference I can see) but the fibres kept splitting and wrapping around the pink wool. I also found it hard to pick up the stitches because they seemed to split in two.

I'd be grateful if somebody could help.

salmonmac · 08-13-2012, 08:58 PM

This may happen when you switch color depending on the stitch pattern you�re using. It happens in stockinette, for example on the purl side, which might be the intended WS in your stripe pattern. Is it possible that you�ve missed a row and are changing color on the wrong row? What kind of stitch are you doing? stockinette, garter?

Different yarns are likely to have a differnt feel in the hand and be softer or stiffer than others. Even different colors in the same yarn may feel different because of processing to dye or bleach the yarn

Lynseymac · 08-13-2012, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by salmonmac

This may happen when you switch color depending on the stitch pattern you�re using. It happens in stockinette, for example on the purl side, which might be the intended WS in your stripe pattern. Is it possible that you�ve missed a row and are changing color on the wrong row? What kind of stitch are you doing? stockinette, garter?

Different yarns are likely to have a differnt feel in the hand and be softer or stiffer than others. Even different colors in the same yarn may feel different because of processing to dye or bleach the yarn

Thanks for getting back to me. It was garter stitch, only 2 rows of each colour. I probably did miss a row or something. I'd used stockinette earlier on so I knew what the RS was. I've ended up putting the dress on the rabbit with the WS showing because it looked better!

Jan in CA · 08-13-2012, 09:05 PM

Welcome to Knitting Help!

It sounds like you started the stripe on the wrong side. What stitch are you doing? The stripe should be started on the side you see when it's done. This is also called the RS (right side) or public side. The WS always has that broken up look.

To make it less confusing we knitters call all fibers yarn rather than wool. Wool means its actually wool yarn from a sheep. So to answer your question, yes, some yarns are harder to knit than others. Some yarns are more spitty. It can be just the way the yarn is spun, the fiber or even your needle size and type. That's something you learn from experience.

suzeeq · 08-13-2012, 09:56 PM

It was switching it on the garter stitch rows. If you switch on the RS knit rows of stockinette it's not apparent. But if you want to switch on the garter rows, that's probably why it happened.

Lynseymac · 08-13-2012, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by suzeeq

It was switching it on the garter stitch rows. If you switch on the RS knit rows of stockinette it's not apparent. But if you want to switch on the garter rows, that's probably why it happened.

Thanks, the pattern said
Next Row: [K2tog] 35 times 35sts
Knit 1 row
Join in green yarn and Knit 2 rows
Work in garter stitch for a further 6 rows, alternating the colour every two rows.

So if I am switching on garter rows, do I just make sure that the RS is showing when I change the yarn?

suzeeq · 08-13-2012, 10:29 PM

You might have to experiment on a small piece; cast on about 10 or 12 sts and work in the alternating pattern stitches to see how it comes out. Since the row you're knitting into on the RS was also knit on the WS that puts the purl bumps on the RS so the other color is going to show through. What you could do on the above rows is -

Next Row: [K2tog] 35 times 35sts
Purl 1 row
Join in green yarn and Knit 2 rows
Work in garter stitch for a further 6 rows, alternating the colour every two rows.

However, since you change color every 2 rows while you work in garter stitch, you're still going to have the problem, I think.

salmonmac · 08-13-2012, 11:02 PM

Yes, as Jan and Sue have said, if you start on a RS row and work 2 rows in one color and then 2 in the next row, you'll do ok. Your pattern:
RS Next Row: [K2tog] 35 times 35sts
WS Knit 1 row
Join in green yarn and Knit 2 rows (RS and WS)
Work in garter stitch for a further 6 rows, alternating the colour every two rows.
should work out just fine starting with a RS row. The WS rows however, will have what are technically called "icky dots".
Sounds like you solved the problem by using the side that looked best. I'd love to see a picture of the finished bunny.

Lynseymac · 08-17-2012, 08:16 PM

It would give you a laugh! Tried to sew on my first ear and it won't go floppy. It sticks straight out horizontally and looks like a bat!!

salmonmac · 08-17-2012, 09:31 PM

Oh dear, I've done those kind of ears, too. Maybe it can just be a very alert bunny?