semi-OT knitting help

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annagybe

(website)

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Remember this yarn

http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/mint-wool

Well I started knitting it up on circular needles, but then realized I accidentally put a twist in it. I undid the entire thing and started over. I thought I carefully straightened out my cast-on's. But now I'm not so sure. They yarn kinked up after I undid round #1. I don't think it could take another unravelling. Would it look bad if there's more than one twist in it. I'm only knitting, so it's coming out as a stockinette switch.

13 years ago

General

11 replies

Latest reply was from Amy

kellygirl

Veteran

I think one twist would make it sort of like a mobius. Depending on the circumference, you may be able to get by with more than one twist. You could also just take it apart and knit if flat then seam it. I have more than my share of twisted cowls so I can sympathize.

Another thought is to knit the first row or two flat and then join it in the round. If it is all stockinette, the edges are going to roll anyway so you wouldn't really notice the seaming at the cast on edge.

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

Anna, are you talking about the yarn itself being twisted or the knitted tube being twisted? If it's the former (just the yarn getting kinks in it) there's nothing to worry about, it'll almost certainly relax when you block the finished product. If the cast-on is joined twisted you will have a twist in your finished tube. You are making a cowl, right? A single twist in the cast on will make a cowl with a full twist in it (it will look a bit like a mobius strip but with a full twist instead of a half twist so it still has 2 surfaces, a stockinette side and reverse stockinette side.) The twisted cast on becomes rather obvious pretty quickly as the knitting will not dangle off the needles as normal but will sort of be twisted around them. A twisted cowl will look kind of like this:
http://www.purlbee.com/the-pur.....twist.html

There is a way to fix the twist without undoing the cast on, but you have to do it on the very next row after the cast on.
http://www.knittingdaily.com/b.....twist.aspx

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

double post, sorry.

13 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

Um, ignore me, I think I misunderstood the question--LOL!

13 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

It's really hard for me to tell, given the irregular yarn, and I'm using #15, 16" circular needles, so the nylon section twists around itself.

13 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

Oh, you mean the nylon section of the circulars is twisting up, right? That typically happens when I have too long of a circular for the number of stitches.

13 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Yeah Kelly, so I have having a really hard time telling if my stitches (cast-ons) are straight.

13 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

aha, I would use a shorter circular needle so the stitches aren't pulled so tight or I'd knit it flat and then seam it. Diana gave a much better explanation of a twisted cowl--it could just be a design element

13 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I really don't think I can redo it again. The yarn is not durable at all. The skinny sections of the yarn are already showing kinking from attempt #1. I think it'll be interesting.

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

After you knit a couple of rows, it should become clearer whether or not there is a twist. Then you'll have to decide whether you want to keep going or re-do it. I think the twisted cowl is a pretty cool element, actually, although with a very bulky yarn like yours it might make the cowl rather thick where the twist is.

13 years ago

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Anna, I could help you in person, if you'd like

13 years ago

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