My projects are curling :S

youngknitter · 07-17-2005, 06:54 PM

Ok...um when I knit and purl I find that once I'm finished a project...it curls around the edges. Is there anyway that I can fix this or are my projects doomed to curl? Or am I simply doing soemthing wrong maybe?

BinkyKat · 07-18-2005, 12:05 AM

That happens when you do stockinette stitch. You can limit the curling by knitting a few of your first stitches on every row, knit or purl. and the end of each row. You'll basically make a garter stitch border for yourself.
You can start out by knitting the first 3 or 4 rows after casting on in garter stitch. Then on your first all purl row, knit 3 stitches then purl till you have 3 left and knit those too. Flip around and just knit your whole knit row. Keep up this way until you're ready to finish and do garter stitch for your last 2 or 3 rows before binding off and you have a garter border framing your stockinette stitch. I see this most often on washcloth patterns or on swatch samples in knitting how to books.
Does that make sense?

brendajos · 07-18-2005, 12:05 AM

if you are knitting everything in stockinette stitch it will curl unless you give it a knit stitch border. usually about four rows top and bottom and four stitches on either side will do it, but i think it will also depend on how tight you stitch and how big the work is.

youngknitter · 07-18-2005, 12:08 AM

Yah that makes sense thanks. I just wish it didn't do that cause personally I think it ruins the scarf when it curls.

Ingrid · 07-18-2005, 12:31 AM

You can always practice your pick up and knit skills and add an edge to the scarf going the long way. You'll need a circular needle of the same size as the needles the scarf was originally knit with, but it can be done.

kemp · 07-18-2005, 06:56 AM

I'm not sure what kind of yarn you are using (the react differently) but blocking it might take some of the curl out. HERE is an article about it.

EmilyKaye · 07-28-2005, 05:29 AM

does anyone have a picture of this border? I have the same problem, but I have to see it to understand :thinking:

Thanks!

BinkyKat · 07-28-2005, 05:44 AM

One place to look, next time you're at your LYS or a craft store in the yarn area, the swatch they sometimes hang on the shelves to see how the yarn knits up will have the "border" we're talkin' about...
But you can also see an example of it here on a dishcloth pattern I looked up on knittingpatterncentral.com

http://www.knittingknonsense.com/pinkribboncloth.html

Silver · 07-28-2005, 06:42 AM

It's not a "problem" per se. It is just the nature of stockingette. It happens to everyone. So, don't feel bad!

Ingrid · 07-28-2005, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by EmilyKaye

does anyone have a picture of this border? I have the same problem, but I have to see it to understand :thinking:

Thanks!

If you mean a garter stitch border, just knit the first and last 5-10 stitches of every row. Also knit the first and last 5 rows. (I don't have a pic)