remone

Reforming stitches for garter stitch

I am attempting the pattern Misty Morning from the Jan 2012 issue. I start with waste yarn then a row of nylon cord then the latch tool cast as per instructions. I then do the 2 rows of knit. When I start dropping the stitches to reform them the nylon cord and waste drops off. Should this happen or am I doing something wrong! Also should I leave the end stitches unreformed?
Thanks for any help!

Hi

I hope this will help you with your problem. It sounds a bit complicated but does work and you won’t drop any stitches.

Take your latch tool and push it through a stitch from the first row knitted then move the needle forward and back to release the stitch. By pushing the latch tool down you will be able to ‘un-knit’ the stitch leaving a bar which you can knit up with the latch tool and then replace this new stitch on to the needle. By inserting the latch tool first you control how many rows of stitches are undone.

To form garter stitch you only want to undo one row but the same principle applies if you want to knit up several rows to form a rib. After knitting the required number of rows you just insert the latch tool where you want the stitches to change and run the rows down to the latch tool then pick up the bars to form new stitches.

If you leave the end stitches as they are they will form an edge which is easy to sew up. The edge stitches are more fiddly to reform so it is easier to leave them.

Hope this makes sense try casting on a few stitches to start with – it’s not so frustrating if you do drop a stitch!

Kind regards
Sue.

Sue P
2012-02-17 00:24:37
Hi

I hope this will help you with your problem. It sounds a bit complicated but does work and you won’t drop any stitches.

Take your latch tool and push it through a stitch from the first row knitted then move the needle forward and back to release the stitch. By pushing the latch tool down you will be able to ‘un-knit’ the stitch leaving a bar which you can knit up with the latch tool and then replace this new stitch on to the needle. By inserting the latch tool first you control how many rows of stitches are undone.

To form garter stitch you only want to undo one row but the same principle applies if you want to knit up several rows to form a rib. After knitting the required number of rows you just insert the latch tool where you want the stitches to change and run the rows down to the latch tool then pick up the bars to form new stitches.

If you leave the end stitches as they are they will form an edge which is easy to sew up. The edge stitches are more fiddly to reform so it is easier to leave them.

Hope this makes sense try casting on a few stitches to start with – it’s not so frustrating if you do drop a stitch!

Kind regards
Sue.

Sue P
2012-02-17 00:24:37

End Needle Selection

Many thanks.

Hi
When working end needle selection’ brings the needles at the edges to ‘D’ position so that they knit the contrast colour when knitting Fair Isle and knit a plain stitch when knitting tuck or slip. This makes it easier to increase or decrease stitches when knitting textured patterns as you have a plain stitch at the edge of the knitting. Just push back the 2 edge needles to ‘B’ position work the increase or decrease and bring the edge needles back to ‘D’ position so they knit on the next row.
However when you knit an open stitch pattern with some needles in ‘A’ position you switch off the ‘end needle selection’ otherwise the needles next to the ones in ‘A’ position will be selected to knit and the pattern will not knit correctly.
The above would apply if you are knitting a tuck rib pattern with a punchcard and needles knitting or tucking on the ribber. Whether you have ‘end needle selection’ on or off depends on the needle set up on the main bed.
I do hope this helps you sort it out.
Regards Sue.
Sue P
2011-05-17 16:49:12
Thank you Sue. I think I am starting to understand! Sometimes it takes a bit of time. So often I have ended up with a very messy edge when attempting to increase or decrease when working in tuck stitch. I get loops that just will not knit off properly several stitches in from the ends after an increase/decrease.
I have given up trying to do Fair Isle passed the armholes as it always ends in disaster!
I have always had all needles on the main bed in work so I take it I should then always have ‘end needle selection’ so that means I am making some other mistake! Back to the drawing board then!
remone
2011-06-01 15:58:09
Hi Remone
Yes I think you usually keep ‘end needle selection’ on as it saves you having to manually move needles forward at the edges.
When knitting tuck stitch make sure you move the claw weights up frequently especially when increasing and decreasing and always use them once you have started the armhole decreasing. This should help the stitches to knit off properly.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2011-06-01 16:11:30
Hi
When working end needle selection’ brings the needles at the edges to ‘D’ position so that they knit the contrast colour when knitting Fair Isle and knit a plain stitch when knitting tuck or slip. This makes it easier to increase or decrease stitches when knitting textured patterns as you have a plain stitch at the edge of the knitting. Just push back the 2 edge needles to ‘B’ position work the increase or decrease and bring the edge needles back to ‘D’ position so they knit on the next row.
However when you knit an open stitch pattern with some needles in ‘A’ position you switch off the ‘end needle selection’ otherwise the needles next to the ones in ‘A’ position will be selected to knit and the pattern will not knit correctly.
The above would apply if you are knitting a tuck rib pattern with a punchcard and needles knitting or tucking on the ribber. Whether you have ‘end needle selection’ on or off depends on the needle set up on the main bed.
I do hope this helps you sort it out.
Regards Sue.
Sue P
2011-05-17 16:49:12
Thank you Sue. I think I am starting to understand! Sometimes it takes a bit of time. So often I have ended up with a very messy edge when attempting to increase or decrease when working in tuck stitch. I get loops that just will not knit off properly several stitches in from the ends after an increase/decrease.
I have given up trying to do Fair Isle passed the armholes as it always ends in disaster!
I have always had all needles on the main bed in work so I take it I should then always have ‘end needle selection’ so that means I am making some other mistake! Back to the drawing board then!
remone
2011-06-01 15:58:09
Hi Remone
Yes I think you usually keep ‘end needle selection’ on as it saves you having to manually move needles forward at the edges.
When knitting tuck stitch make sure you move the claw weights up frequently especially when increasing and decreasing and always use them once you have started the armhole decreasing. This should help the stitches to knit off properly.
Regards
Sue.
Sue P
2011-06-01 16:11:30