Am I Twisting My Stitches?

It will be a few more days before all the ginkgo leaves drop.  I took this photo this morning in the rain which is why the colors are so muted.  I'll try and get one more photo when they all drop.

STUDENT NEWS
I've been receiving more lessons the past two weeks.  Keep up the good work!

TIP OF THE WEEK
I have been inspired to do this topic again by a question on Ravelry.  This comes up every so often with my Basics students and occasionally in Level 1 of the Masters Program.  I've run across many self taught knitters who twist their stitches and aren't aware of it.  As I've said before, most knitters look at their stitches on their needle and not at the work coming off their needle.  Depending on the project, twisted stitches can be subtle and if you don't know what a knit stitch is supposed to look like you may knit merrily along for years twisting all stitches or stitches every other row.  What is the problem with twisted stitches anyway?  Well, they are tighter and smaller and have a dramatic effect on gauge.  Knitters who do this will have difficulty reproducing a garment in a pattern.

When I get a lesson with twisted stitches the first thing I have to do is figure out where and how they are twisting the stitches.  There are several different ways this happens.  First, you need to know what untwisted stitches look like.  Here is a photo of stockinette stitch where I have stretched it. Notice that the stitches are open at the bottom.  They resemble "V"s.

The "traditional" way to knit is to wrap the yarn UNDER the needle for knit stitches and OVER
the needle for purl stitches and then to work those stitches through the front on the next row.  If a knitter reverses the way the yarn is wrapped AND works the stitch through the front, the stitches will be twisted.  If your knitting looks like the photograph below, you are twisting the stitches on either the knit or purl rows.  Note that not all of the rows are twisted.  I will get how you can tell whether it is on knit or purl rows a bit later.

If you are twisting stitches on both knit and purl rows, your work will look like the photograph below.  Notice that the column of stitches look braided and that there is a lot of space between the columns.  This photo demonstrates why you don't want to do this.  The resulting fabric will have very little stretch.  By the way, it is not that easy to knit this way.  Working those twisted stitches through the front requires some effort!

The fix for this is quite easy.  Just wrap the yarn the correct way OR work the stitches on the next row through the back.  A lot of knitters do this to solve tension problems anyway.

If you are twisting stitches every other row, work a small garter stitch swatch.  If it looks like this one, you are twisting purl rows.  None of these stitches are twisted.

If it looks like the photo below, you are twisting on the knit rows.



When I have students who twist stitches I find that it is an easy fix for them.  Often they are very embarrassed that they haven't noticed the issue before.  I have found that very few shop owners are willing to bring this up with the knitter even if they notice that the stitches are twisted.

Here is the video:  Twisted Stitches

I was teaching a gauge class at a conference a few years ago and I had a student who came in and was really mad.  The teacher in the morning class had told her she was knitting "wrong".  (I try not to use this term.)  She was twisting stitches on every row and she liked the way the fabric looked.  I just let her know that it was her decision but that she would have problems getting recommended gauge. I also told her that doing the Masters Program would not be a good idea.  Everybody is different...

KNITTING SALON
Salon will be on Sunday from 11:00 to 1:00 pm.  I have to drive to the Louisville airport.

CURRENT PROJECTS
It was a close call but I got everything finished in time to send them up to Zanesville for styling.

Here are photos of the crop top.  It buttons in the back.

The little girl's dress took no time at all.  The Love Bird design is from Mary Beth Jacobs.  She designed this for a yoked sweater in the issue.  By the way, this dress, the skirt and crop top, the pleated linen shirt and the vest will all be in the Spring 2016 issue of Cast On.  The photo shoot is next week.

I finally have time to start Christmas presents and a few birthday presents.  Here is the first one.

Fixing Mistakes Part 1

I apologize for not making any entries until today.  I plead exhaustion!  The conference is now over and it was worth all the effort we put into its planning and execution.  The Yarn Tasting as a huge success.  Here is a photo of the "buffet" line for some of the worsted yarn.

  

Here is the menu.  We had 40 different yarns for the participants to try.

I came home to lessons to review, garments to knit for the Winter issue of Cast On and the post-conference discussions.  We start planning for next year immediately.

STUDENT NEWS

It looks like summer is almost over, based upon the number of lessons I am receiving.  Keep up the good work!  

TIP OF THE WEEK

A week before the conference, Binka Schwan, one of the co-chairs of the Masters Committee called to say that she did not think she would be able to come to the conference.  Her husband was diagnosed last February with ALS and David's health would not permit her to attend.  Sue Lambert pitched in on Binka's portion of Masters Day and I offered to teach her Knitting 911 class.  I didn't tell Binka at the time but I rarely fix my mistakes.  I just rip everything out.  In preparing for this class, I learned a ton and I am going to devote my next few entries on fixing mistakes.

By the way, I know many of you have had Binka as your co-chair or you have taken a class with her at conference or the Taming Tension correspondence class.  The Scottsdale chapter of the ALS organization is having a walk in honor of David.  Here is a link if you would like to find out more information:  ALS Walk

Back to the tip.  As I taught the class one of the things I noticed was that several of the students had difficulty recognizing their mistakes.  You can't fix something if you can't see it.  This tip will focus on seeing and fixing twisted stitches, split stitches and slipped stitches.  This photo shows all three.  (I knit this swatch on gigantic needles.)  When I say twisted stitches, I mean one or two twisted stitches. If you twist all your stitches, this isn't the fix.  I've done entries on this topic.  Check the index.

These are all pretty noticeable on the RS except for the slipped stitch.  Here is what it looks like on the WS.

Why should you fix these?  The only one that can cause major problems is the split stitch.  This is a weak spot in the fabric and it might break.  Twisted stitches have a different gauge than regular stitches but other than just looking different than the other stitches, they aren't the end of the world. As for a slipped stitch, it is barely noticeable on the RS.

I try and look at the fabric I am creating every 10 rows or so (NOT THE STITCHES ON THE NEEDLE!) to see if I can spot any mistakes.  It is much easier to fix these things as you see them.  If the mistake is quite a few rows down, it may be better to let it go.  You can really mess up the tension of the piece.  It is a judgement call.  Here is a video of how to fix these things:  Fixing Split, Twisted and Slipped Stitches.

KNITTING SALON

Salon will be on Sunday, August 9th at 1:30 to 3:20.  

CURRENT PROJECTS

The conference put a major kink in my knitting time.  As always (you think I would learn) I am doing way too much for Cast On.  I've finished the Man's sweater for the Fashion Framework article (collars).   There is a photo below.  I have it on my dress form.  It is sized for men but it doesn't look bad on the form.  I just realized I should have photographed the back so you can see how wide the collar is. 

I finished up a sweater last night.  I'm calling it Asymmetry.  The Stitch Anatomy lesson is on ruffles. These aren't true ruffles.  The sleeves are designed to be very long.  The ruffles will cover part of the hand.  The yarn is Anzula Cole, a silk and camel blend.  It was WONDERFUL to work with.  I used Size 9 needles.  Despite this being a chunky weight, the drape is lovely.



Here's the back.



And here is a closeup of the neckline.



I've got started on the poncho.  At TNNA in Columbus there were lots of ponchos in the fashion show.  The color is completely wrong.  The yarn it TOSH Chunky and the color is Cousteau.  It is much greener.  The color palette for this issue is jewel tones.

I hope to have this finished by the next time I post!

Twisted Stitches

I am very excited.  I spent the week working on the Yarn Tasting event which will be Saturday night of the TKGA conference.  It will be hosted by StevenBe and Stephen West.  I have been contacting yarn companies to provide yarn for the tasting and the response has been fantastic.  So far Miss Babs, Redfish, Blue Moon Fibers, Shibui, and Anzula have committed to provide yarn and I am just getting started.  There will be three stations for the yarn to be tasted..one for worsted, one for DK, and one for sock/lace.  There will be enough yarn to knit a small swatch--approximately 20 sts by 26 rows but the best part will be the goody bags.  There will be wine and cheese and conversation.

STUDENT NEWS
I finished up the revisions for the Basics class and quite a few students (and former students) have asked for the materials.  I will be changing how I process the lessons.  Instead of including the next lesson with the swatches, I will email it, along with my letter, as soon as I review the lesson.  This is what I have been doing for my non-US students for quite some time now.  If you want the revised lessons, send me an email with your full name and I will get it to you.


TIP OF THE WEEK
As I revised the lessons, I realized I have never discussed twisted stitches.  Every once in a while I get a lesson where all of the swatches have twisted stitches.  Generally this happens to self-taught knitters.  What amazes me is that many times these knitters show their work to others, generally yarn store owners, and no one comments on it.  Twisted stitches should be avoided unless you are doing it on purpose, say for Bavarian Twisted Stitches patterns.  The main reason is that twisted stitches have a very different gauge and they can make it difficult when using patterns.  There are several ways stitches can become twisted.



The most common way is to wrap the yarn the opposite way (under the needle for purl stitches and over the needle for knit stitches) and then to work those stitches on the next row through the front.  This twists the stitch towards the right.  (If you work those stitches through the back, they resulting stitch will not be twisted.  Combination knitters do this.)  The next way to twist a stitch is to work the stitches through the back.  This is easier for knit stitches.  You really have to work at this to do it for purl stitches.  This twists the stitch towards the left.  The photo above shows the difference.

I have reviewed swatches where every other row is twisted.  In the Basics class, the first swatch is a garter stitch swatch.  If those stitches are twisted I know the problem is with the knit rows.  If those stitches aren't twisted, it is the purl rows.  My experience has been that this is an easy problem to fix.  Once the knitter realizes their mistake, they solve it.  Twisted Stitches

Once when I was teaching at a conference one of my students was very defensive about their twisted stitches and they preferred the look of twisted stitches.  That is fine as long as the knitter is aware of the difference this can make to gauge.  The only other issue is that when the fabric is stretch, there is much more space between the columns of stitches which can be a problem as well.  The photograph shows the swatch where it has been stretched.




KNITTING SALON
There will not be salon this week as the opera is Saturday (La Boheme) and I have friends in town from Utah.  They have picked a crazy time to visit as UK is in the Final Four.  I suspect that on Sunday I will be going on a Bourbon Tour.  There will be salon the next weekend.


CURRENT PROJECTS
I finished up the argyle vest samples for the Fall issue.  They are sized to fit a 9 month old baby and a 5 year old. I think they are sweet.



I finished the back of the Wasp Wing tunic.  It went very fast.  The front and back are the same.  There will be ballerina length sleeves.  Obviously it is to be worn over something.

 I'm hoping to finish the front this week.  I still have two more things to do.  We are adding a new feature to the magazine called Confident Beginner.  The project will be a slouch hat & scarf.  There will be lots of videos associated with it.  Since the magazine is going digital soon, there will be lots of video links on how to do things for every pattern I write.

It was a busy week trying to finish the baby dress and pattern.   I was so proud of myself for really making headway on the dress when I noticed (after knitting 5"), that my calculations for the pleats were for knife pleats, not box pleats so I had to start again.  It has been so humid here that the yarn I ripped out straightened out almost immediately and was a good as new.  The pattern writing went much smoother than the knitting!  I must say that the dress is unbelievably cute.

I spent another day writing a finishing article.  We've added a new series of articles to Cast On (starting with the Fall issue) on finishing.  I used Rowan Pure Wool Aran for the samples.  It is lovely so I will use it for the rest of the articles as well.  Westminster is sending me a box. 

I won't be doing an entry next week.  I will be in Colorado and Utah.  I am looking forward to the low humidity.

STUDENT NEWS
Not many lessons arrived this week.  It is funny how my students instinctively know when to send work.  I spent the bulk of the week chained to my computer working on patterns. 

I received an update from Lola on her sweater for the Swatch to Sweater class.  She is finishing up the back and will be ready to begin the front.

Back in January I started plans to do another correspondence course but when I inherited the Swatch to Sweater class I had to put it on hold.  For the past few years I have been teaching a class on gauge )(how to calculate it and how to use it to modify and create patterns).  I think this would work better as a correspondence course.  I have some time now to put my ideas together.  Gauge isn't fun but it is necessary and it makes designing much easier.

TIP OF THE WEEK
This tip doesn't apply to everyone.  Frequently (more frequently than you might think) I get a lesson to review where the swatches have twisted stitches.  I'm not talking about just a twisted stitch here or there but where every stitch on a row is twisted.

I've had students who want to know why this is a problem.  Well, if you ever want to use a pattern and have the garment turn out, you have to fix this.  Twisted stitches are smaller than the untwisted version so they will have a different stitch and row gauge.  You will have to use much larger needles to even come close to the expected gauge.  The resulting fabric will be very lacy particularly when stretched side to side. 

How do stitches get twisted?  There are two ways to twist a stitch.  If you knit or purl the stitch through the back rather than through the front, it will twist the stitch on the needle.  If you wrap the yarn around the needle in the opposite direction (over the needle for a knit stitch or under the needle for a purl stitch ) when making a new stitch, you will twist the stitch on the needle.

When I get a lesson that has twisted stitches, the first thing I do is to see if it has twisted stitches on every row.  If stitches are twisted on every other row and there are no twisted stitches on the garter stitch swatch, I know the  problem is with the purl rows.  If the garter stitch is twisted but the stockinette is twisted every other row, I now the problem is with the knit rows.  If every stockinette row is twisted, both knit and purl rows have a problem.

As you can see in these photographs, the twisted stitches are smaller than regular stitches.  If you aren't sure if there is a twisted stitch, stretch the piece from side to side.  Twisted stitches will be crossed at the base. 

The video for the week shows how stitches get twisted.  Twisted stitches

The good news about twisted stitches is that it is a very easy problem to fix.  You just have to work the stitches through the front or wrap them in the traditional way.  In every case where I have had students who do this, they have been very successful in making the change.

Sometimes you may want to intentionally twist stitches on the needle as a way to fix a tension problem.  In the upcoming weeks my tips will concern tension and I will discuss it then. 

KNITTING SALON
Salon will be on Saturday.  One of the things I did last weekend was to go through all of my knitting books again.  When it took me 45 minutes to locate a book I needed, I knew it was time.  I now have stacks of books on my dining room table.  I hope everyone takes a few.  The rest will go to the Friends of the Library.

CURRENT PROJECTS
I have finished up everything for the winter issue of Cast On.  Since the photo shoot isn't until August 14th I am way ahead of schedule.  The baby dress turned out better than I had planned.

I photographed it hanging at first but you can't see the pleats. 

The bow makes all the difference in the cuteness factor.

Now that I have some time I decided to make myself a pair of socks from yarn I have had for years.  I never made myself a pair with the Leaves of Spring pattern I did a few years ago and I thought this yarn might work.  I love this stitch pattern.  I found it in Gisela Klopper's book but I made some modifications to it to close off the leaves at the bottom.

I decided to use the Briar Rose yarn I bought at the Kentucky Fiber Festival before I forget I have it.  I wanted to do a Medusa's jacket for me.  The one I did for Cast On a few years ago was red.  I want mine to be blue.  The Briar Rose is 50% merino and 50% tencel.  I did a swatch to test it out first and it will be perfect.  The tencel makes it lighter.  It blocked well and I think the snakes will show up even in this dark color.

I like the shine as well.  I would really love to finish this in time for the conference in Reno but we shall see how that fits in with my schedule for Cast On.  The next Fashion Framework is on skirts and it looks like I will be doing it.  First pleats, now skirts!  What were we thinking!  Both require so much knitting!  This yarn would actually work well for a skirt....hmmm.