Kitchener stitch is killing me!

[CarolynnMarilynn]

I have watched the knittinghelp video a dozen times. I am doing what she says to do (I think) and my kitchener stitch seam just ends up looking like a line of wool through the stitches - is this how it is supposed to look? It doesn't look woven, just like the wool is acting as the needle with both sides on now. Argh! I am seaming a shoulder, fwiw.

can you help?

[siennasmom]

No, it shouldn't look like that. You shouldn't be able to tell there's a seam.

After the first two stitches, here's how I remember what to do:

Front needle: knit off, purl
Back needle: purl off, knit

You just do that over and over again. Use your darning needle to "knit" the first stitch and drop it, then "purl" the next stitch but don't drop it. On the back needle, "purl" and drop, "knit" but don't drop.

Does that help?

[imgr8ful]

i had so much trouble the first few times, it definitely takes practice. i follow the same mantra, knit off, purl, purl off, knit. you might be pulling the stitches too tight, but i don't know for sure... um, not sure what else to tell you, good luck!!

[fek&fuzz]

Don't pull the yarn too tight. I was nervous the first time and pulled way too tight, the second time I left it loose and the seam was invisible.

[jennnk]

For shoulders, you can also do a 3-needle bind-off.

[CarolynnMarilynn]

i got it- thanks! i was doing it wrong and dropping all the knitted ones only. thanks!