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I desperately need help! I have been knitting for a few years, just basic knit stitch. I finally attempted purling, and am working on a cowl neck scarf that also pulls up into a hood. (Very cute if I could do it.) The project begins with a knit stitch- that part is done. Now it transitioning to 80 stitches around, 4x knit stitch then 4x purl. Here is my problem:
First, I thought I was alternating knit/purl fine, and ended up with so many added stitches. It was awful! I pulled it all out.
Now, I've tried again and have the correct 80 stitches around the circular needles; however despite careful counting and reviewing MANY MANY videos online to chech my tehcnique- it's still awful! Instead of looking like nice vertical rows of purling popped up, it looks more like a checkerboard of purl block here and knit block there. Perhaps I should post a picture... Anyone have some advice? HELP!

A picture would help. Are you knitting in the round (joined at the end of the cast on) or back and forth?

Yes picture would help if you can post one.And more info. are you knitting in round??

This picture is not great. I can't seem to capture the problem in a picture, because I recently pulled it all apart to start again. This is just a few rows of the problem.

If the rounds are 80 stitches, and the pattern is K4P4, how come I get to the end of a round and find that I'm "off?"I would expect to end the round with the purl and start the new one with the knit, but I;m often ending on a knit, even though I'm being careful to count and not miss/ add stitches...

Here is another photo.

Sometimes it helps me to put stitch markers every so often (maybe every 20 stitches), then if I end up with too many or too few, I can see exactly where I went wrong. May practice a bit on a small swatch to get your technique down.

I usually have the problem in crochet.

Anyway, make sure you are going into each stitch on the left hand needle only once.

When you put your work down, make sure the yarn is coming from your right when you resume.

Thanks for the ideas. I'll try to practice on some cheaper yarn for now, especially since I'm in the northeast and I think I'm about to be without power for a while!

Sorry but it sounds like operator error If you are staring with 80 and make sure you are not counting wrong you should end up with 80,you are picking up stitchs somewhere?? knitting one stitch more then once?I know if I get deep in tv and try to knit I may try to knit a stitch I have already picked up yarn for,just hadn't taken it off the L needle yet.GL

STAY SAFE!!!

Nichole the might help its a good site to save

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/purl-stitch

Nicole,
I find myself so deep in watching TV ....
I am knitting along and all of a sudden I am purling, Why? It is only on 20 stitches, WHY???
All I know is I am 81, Perhaps that is my problem!
I feel for you when you have to keep ripping.
Keep on being determined...It will be worth it in the long run.
Sometimes it helps to just put it down, and come back to it another time.
Keep on keeping on.
misspolly31

Hows the knitting coming along.I have to agree operator error somewhere

For a knit stitch the yarn is held behind the needles. For a purl stich the yarn is held in front of the needles. So when you switch between knit and purl stitches you have to move the yarn between the back and the front. And thats almost certainly where your problem is.

When you change between knit and purl stiches the yarn has to go BETWEEN the needles, not AROUND them. If you wrap the yarn around a needle you're adding a stitch.


I agree, using stich markers will help keep your count straight. Just remember to pass them from one needle to the other without working into them. If you don't want to spend money on stich markers you can use a loop of contrasting yarn, but be double sure not to knit the marker into the project.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JoW,

do you knit English or continential?