Curling up

[Witchjnr]

Hi,

I am a new knitter... and I have to say I THIS SITE!! It has been the best help (next to my Nan) that I have found to help me through my trying days as an inexperienced knitter.

I have managed to knit several scarves (all knit stich and now I am attepmting a knit one row, purl one row (garter stitch??)and the little sucker keeps curling up on me.

I spoke to my Nan (knitting mentor) about this and she has told me that knitting into the back of the stitch on the first and last stitch on each row would solve this, or to knit the last stitch on each row. Now this is all well and good but every time I try I inadvertantly add another stitch - any suggestions???

Any advice for me - this is the eighth time I have re-started this scarf!!

[Jax3303]

Knit 1 row, purl 1 row is Stockinette stitch, and Stockinette curls. It's just the nature of the beast. a good blocking when done may help, but as far as I know, the only way to prevent the curling is to knit a boarder around the stockinette stitch. like, Cast on and do 5ish rows of garter stitch (knit every row), and then keep 4-5 stitches on each edge of the scarf in garter stitch, with the stickinette in the middle, then when it's as long as you want, knit garter stitch for the same number of rows as at the begining and bind off.

HTH

[Ingrid]

This is such a common thing that there is a permanent post in the How To Section, here.

[Witchjnr]

Ok now I know I should probably know this - but what is blocking?

[linsey]

There is a detailed article about blocking under basic techniques. Essentially it is a way to get all the pieces (or the entire garment if you wait until it has been assembled) to be the right shape and size. You either dampen the pieces and then pin them down and allow to dry or pin first and steam block. Not critical on a scarf but when you progress to sweaters it is invaluable.