Sunday, March 16, 2008

I need a little help...

...Got the long-tail cast on (yay me!), but now I am questioning the double decreases? I have done a few rows to check if I am doing it right and I can't tell. I have the markers placed at 2 X [K] from each end. When I am approaching the marker each 2nd row, I knit to 3 before the marker, slip 1, k2tog, then psso. Then I slip my marker, kint 1, then do the sl. 1, k2tog, psso. Is that at all right? I am confused by the 'keep one stitch constant' thing.

Also, I read somewhere that EZ said 'no ends to weave in'. Is that because you are to felt your ends together when you change, or is there some magic going on that I am not getting??

10 comments:

Morwenna said...

Ok, I just had a 'duh' moment. I think the phrasing 'double decreases' confused me. 2 decreases per row (every other that is) NOT 4, right? I was wondering why she wasn't using opposite slanting ones....so at each marker that's 2 x [K] from each end, ONE decrease, right? I am soooo terrible with patterns, which is why I will NEVER write one!!

Morwenna said...

Oh, and what about needle size? I did my gauge and casting on with 6's, and the fabric seems fine?? Is that just way too small?

Anonymous said...

Do you mean you are doing a decrease each side of your marker at each end? I'm also feeling 'duh'. I don't think I understand. But if you are doing it right it should look like a square U as you start out...

Stellaria said...

NO. STOP.
OK, you're not putting your marker on the *needle*. You have to put it ON THE STITCH. Putting it on the needle won't help you to keep your decrease stitch constant - I tried it with my first, and she really isn't kidding when she says to mark that stitch with a coilless pin.
Knit to the stitch before the marked stitch. Slip that stitch. Now take the marker off the marked stitch, and knit it and the next one together. Pass the slipped stitch over the new (k2tog) stitch, and put the marker back on it.

When you knit back on the wrong side, you can just leave the marker in the stitch as you knit across it. Just watch out for it when you knit on the right side, because it will be pinned to the stitch BELOW your working "marked" stitch.

Man, I hope I'm making sense!
I have no idea what she meant by no ends to weave in. I weave mine in as I go, when I start each new color - it's a technique I learned in my shadow knitting book. I'll have to see if I can find a tutorial, because it really makes stripes less of a pain!

Donna said...

Here is a link to weaving in as you knit. http://sockpr0n.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-weave-in-ends-while-knitting.html I LOVE thins technique. I suddenly don't mind using different yarns in a project.

Donna said...

Crap, that didn't work. Okay, the last part of the link is "in-ends-while-knitting.html"

Donna said...

Question....so I followed Stell's directions. My first marked stitch was number 32 ([K] x2). After slipping the stich before the marked one, then knitting 2 together, then passing the slipped stitch over, I marked the new stitch, and it ended up being stitch number 31. Is this right? For some reason, I thought it was supposed to stay on stitch number 32.

Morwenna said...

Ok, thank you Stell! I FINALLY got it. I have like an inch done now ;)

Donna, that looks good, I am going to read through the whole thing in a bit. Thanks!!

Stellaria said...

Donna, you did it correctly. You're decreasing out a stitch on either side of your marked stitch, so the number of stitches before your marked stitch will decrease.

Donna said...

STELL!! Thank you! The way you worded it "decrease out a stitch on either side of your marked stitch" made it click in my head. :^D