problems knitting and purling on the same row.

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i'm a beginning knitter who just completed her first finished object (a garter stitch scarf) and i'm trying to learn some new textures now, like seed stitch. however, anytime i try to knit and purl stitches in the same row, the stitches on the needle end up looking like this:




i only cast on EIGHT stitches. now it looks like there are lots of extra stitches on the needle, and they're all twisted up. any idea what the problem could be?

thanks in advance for your help!

[Knitting_Guy]

When you change from knit to purl are you bringing the yarn to the front, and then back again when you go back to knit stitches?

When doing a knit stitch the working yarn is behind the right needle, when doing a purl stitch the working yarn is in front of the right needle.

You move the yarn front to back, back to front, between the two needles.

It's a very common mistake and is responsible for many myste