Knitting Knotties - help please

WinstonsGirl

Ok, so I think I might try knitting with a chart (eek!!).  I've read up a bit on it, and the pattern is pretty small, as is the blanket.  Anyway, there's no legend with the chart, so do I just assume the white boxes are knit and the grey boxes are purl??  This is an example of 1 or the pattern charts.  

And here's a picture of the blanket, if that helps.  It's the X/O I'm confused about.  The rest has instructions.  

APDSS22

From what I see, the grey blocks are indeed purl stitches.

WinstonsGirl

Ok, so that bottom row would be knit 4, purl 4, knit 4.  When I go back on row 2 though, do I need to reverse that??  P2, K3, P2, K3, P2??  Or do I keep doing it the same way with white blocks being k and grey being p??

moutonrouge

Yes, you would need to reverse it when you flip at the end of the row, so you purl the knits and knit the purls. 

esstee33

Yep! Gray boxes are purls, and reverse it on odd rows, as PPs said. If you don't, there won't be a consistent bump pattern on the "right" side of the material.

WinstonsGirl

Ugh.  This might be too much thinking.  I'll give it a whirl though

esstee33

Are you a visual person? I always try to visualize what the stitch is doing when I make it. So when you knit a stitch, it's putting a bump on the opposite side. When you purl, the bump goes on the side you're looking at. So if you get to a place when you're not sure if you should knit or purl the stitch you're on, try to visualize where the bump is going to go and if that makes sense. 

Can you tell by looking at the next stitch whether it was knit or purl on the last row? 

WinstonsGirl

esstee33 said:

Are you a visual person? I always try to visualize what the stitch is doing when I make it. So when you knit a stitch, it's putting a bump on the opposite side. When you purl, the bump goes on the side you're looking at. So if you get to a place when you're not sure if you should knit or purl the stitch you're on, try to visualize where the bump is going to go and if that makes sense. 

Can you tell by looking at the next stitch whether it was knit or purl on the last row? 

I'm not sure.  It's been a while since I've knitted.  I used to be able to, but who knows now.  I think I'll need to write out the pattern and just go from that.  Otherwise I'll just be thinking about it all the time and messing myself up

anjemon

Writing the pattern might be helpful. I seem to do best when I have a list of rows I can check off. Keeps me from getting lost/confused.

esstee33

OK. When you're looking at your knitting, look at the stitch directly BELOW the ones you currently have on your needle. Knit stitches will have little Vs below (like a scarf!), and purls will have little bumps. Like so: http://blog.lionbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/K1P2-RS-300x180.jpg And knittinghelp.com videos are lifesavers, seriously: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwU5IWHltw So when you're doing a pattern like the one you have and you're not sure if you need to knit or purl it, you can look at the stitch you have coming up next and see if the previous row was a K or P, and use that to count where you are in the pattern. Honestly, though, anytime I use charts, I print out a paper copy and color code that shit with some colored pencils. I also number my charts so I can count my stitches to be sure I knitted all the knits and purled the purls. I've been working on a Beatnik sweater (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf10/PATTbeatnik.php) for a couple years now, and color coding my charts is the only thing slowing my rage. Writing it out also helps immensely! ETA: grr, paragraphs.

esstee33

WinstonsGirl said:

Ok, so that bottom row would be knit 4, purl 4, knit 4.  When I go back on row 2 though, do I need to reverse that??  P2, K3, P2, K3, P2??  Or do I keep doing it the same way with white blocks being k and grey being p??

**SITB** 

Yes, this! 

CMGragain

When you are knitting across the front side, the white stitches are knit and the grey stitches are purl.  When you are knitting across the back side, it is just the opposite, the white stitches are purl and the grey stitches are knit.
One row of straight knit followed by one row of straight purl is called stockinette stitch.
My Grandma taught me to knit when I was five.

WinstonsGirl

Ok, I wrote out the pattern.  That had me ready to punch a wall, probably cos Survivor was on in the background and I couldn't concentrate.  Anyway, written out I think will totally help.  I started tonight, but I've just done the base of all knit stitches.  I did learn how to properly M1 though.  Yay for youtube!!  Thanks ladies for the help.  I'll post a photo if I ever get through this.  

WinstonsGirl

Aww shit, ok I've got another question.  My next row says:

 (Wrong Side) K1, M1, k18, p1, k20.
Work Increase Rows until you have 55 sts.

Does the increase rows stay the exact same as the written above, or do I need to p2 at the end?

This pattern is on a diagonal, so I'm not sure if I need to add a purl each row??  Looking at the photo, I feel like I should, but I don't know.  

larrygaga

CMGragain said:

When you are knitting across the front side, the white stitches are knit and the grey stitches are purl.  When you are knitting across the back side, it is just the opposite, the white stitches are purl and the grey stitches are knit.
One row of straight knit followed by one row of straight purl is called stockinette stitch.
My Grandma taught me to knit when I was five.

My grandma was a crochet person. I wish I still remembered how to do it! I quilt now.

allisoneliz

WinstonsGirl said:

Aww shit, ok I've got another question.  My next row says:

 (Wrong Side) K1, M1, k18, p1, k20.
Work Increase Rows until you have 55 sts.

Does the increase rows stay the exact same as the written above, or do I need to p2 at the end?

This pattern is on a diagonal, so I'm not sure if I need to add a purl each row??  Looking at the photo, I feel like I should, but I don't know.  

It means that you increase one stitch every wrong side row until you have 55 sts. What are the instructions for the right side? If it's knit diagonally I feel like you should be either a) increasing at the beginning AND end of each WS row or b) increasing at the beginning of each row. 

What's the name of the pattern/where is it from?

Found it: http://www.petitepurls.com/Spring10/spring2010_pxoxo.html

You don't need to add any extra purls at the end of the row. You will be knitting the new stitches on the row after the increase. 

esstee33

Have you looked for errata for this pattern? A lot of times when the pattern isn't totally clear on what you're supposed to do, they'll publish errata with corrections or more detailed explanations. 

You can also check the Ravelry forums to see if other knitters have had the same questions. That's helped me bigtime on several patterns. 

WinstonsGirl

@esstee33 - I've never heard of errata, so no, I haven't looked. I think I've got it though.

Next Row (WS): K1, M1, k18, p1, k20. Work Increase Rows until you have 55 sts.

Increase Rows Right Side Row: K1, M1, knit across. Wrong Side Row: K1, M1, k18, purl to last 20 sts, knit across.

I need to follow the above instructions, so:
WS - K1, M1, k18, p1, k20
RS - K1, M1, knit across
WS - K1, M1, K18, P2, K20
RS - K1, M1, knit across
Ws - K1, M1, K18, P3, K20


and so on until I reach 55 stitches total?? I think that's it. Stupid instructions. But that does make sense in my head based on the photos I see. I think I need to get a piece of paper to help me keep track of how many purls. Huge thanks to everyone for helping make this clearer.

ETA fucking no paragraphs

esstee33

That seems about right. I wish I could look at the pattern, but I'm at work and it's blocked, soooo... 

Something I'd definitely recommend is sectioning off those last 20 stitches with a stitch marker so you don't have to count the purls. That way you can just purl until you hit the marker, then K20. 

WinstonsGirl

I was thinking that too. If I put one after the first 20 (21?? with the M1) stitches, then I'll know to finish purling. I think I'll write it after each row though, otherwise I forget.

Sugargirl1019

I need some help!

So my sister is making my fat goose dog a cute Christmas sweater. The measurements for the size were a little larger than he was (by an inch) so she knitted a little tighter. Now we tried it on him, and it's too tight! I can't get both paws in, only one.. We need to stretch it.

She carried stitches over .. Idk what its called but the easy way to use multiple colors? Float colors? Idk. It doesn't stretch there especially.

Is there some trick to do in order to stretch the yarn so that the sweater isn't a complete waste? I'm so sad for her.

My dog is too big.

WinstonsGirl

Sorry SugarGirl, but I can't help you at all.    I've never carried over colours.  

I was just posting an update photo.  Not sure how well you can see the design.  I shortened it to make it smaller, but I still didn't get it done until tonight.  It's drying at the moment, but hopefully I can get it to it's proper owners tomorrow.  I'm actually pretty crushed I couldn't get it done in time to give it to them today.   But thanks again ladies for the help.  Much appreciated.  

esstee33

@WinstonsGirl - That looks AWESOME!! 

@Sugargirl1019 - Did she block it? That's pretty much the only way to stretch a finished piece safely. If she hasn't, find out what kind of yarn she used - natural fibers block easily; synthetics take a ton of special work to block that usually involves a steamer, and even then I've never had luck with it. Unfortunately, if it's way too small, I'm not sure how much use blocking would be, either. 

If she's going to rip it out and try again, I'd suggest maybe she should go up or down a needle size rather than trying to knit tighter or looser. That usually fixes my gauge problems much better.