[2tadpoles]

Okay, I've successfully knitted three items. I've made a headband (the type that's wide and is used as an earwarmer) in garter stitch, and a hat for my son and a little purse using stockinette stitch.

I'm trying to make another earwarmer (I use lots of these and I'm always misplacing them). The pattern is ribbed but the short way instead of the long way. It goes: knit 5 rows, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row. Start over.

My project looks fine until the second time I start the purling. Then my purl bumps are on the opposite side of the fabric than the previous purl bumps. It's like my knit and purl sides reverse, and I've unraveled this stupid thing about five times trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong, but I just can't figure it out.

 

[stretchmark]

It has to do with the odd number of rows. Geeez, let me see if my brain can explain this one. If you knit some rows then purl then knit then purl, then it sort of flips the effect to the other side. I did this once with a stockinette stitch and I accidentally did the same row twice, then my stockinette was on the other side.
I'm not an expert but have made lots of mistakes. Perhaps if you are following a pattern that is how it is suppossed to end up.
HTH! Good luck.

 

[Jennifer Z]

I haven't been knitting a long time, but it seems like a lot of patterns have mistakes in them. If there is a picture of the item it helps a lot in determining whether or not the pattern is messed up. (of course, I am a very visually oriented person, so that might not help everybody)

Since knits and purls are the opposites of eachother, it is possible that it is just a way to invert the pattern, like the above poster said.

 

[Knittin' in the Shade]

it shouldn't do that, the purl rows should all be on the same side. If you think of it as having a right side and a wrong side, and the right side is out on the first row, it'll be like this:
right side: row 1: knit
wrong side: row 2: knit
right side: row 3: knit
wrong side: row 4: knit
right side: row 5: knit
These rows above will make ridges across the fabric becuase they are garter stitch, maybe that's what you think are the purl bumps on the wrong side? garter can look like purl bumps at first. anyway, next row:
wrong side: row 6: purl
right side: row 7: knit
wrong side: row 8: purl
this will give you three rows of stockinette stitch, which is when the flat "v" is on the front and the purl bumps on the back. Then, you'll start over from row 1, and go back to having the garter ridges across the fabric.

 

[2tadpoles]

Well, see.... that's where I'm confused. I'm not really sure how I can be so confused after having actually knitted stuff, but I am.

When I change hands, I've never noticed that my fabric "flips" over. When you knit, is a different side facing you than when you purl? Or is it just a different side facing you every row? I guess I've never paid attention to that.

Also, the Stitch-n-Bitch book specifically mentions that the yarn should be behind your free needle when you knit, and in front of the free needle when you purl. My yarn always appears to hand down in the same place. But like I said, I've actually managed to knit while apparently not knowing very much. :LOL

 

[2tadpoles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knittin' in the Shade These rows above will make ridges across the fabric becuase they are garter stitch, maybe that's what you think are the purl bumps on the wrong side? garter can look like purl bumps at first.

I forgot to mention...

I thought that at first, too. No, my first five rows of garter, then my next three rows of stockinette, and my next five rows of garter are very distinct and look very pretty. Then after I finish the second section of garter and start to purl again, my "v's" are on the backside instead of the frontside, whereas they're on the frontside in the first stockinette section. I'm trying to figure out how I flip-flopped it around. It's pretty ugly!

 

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I think you must have just mis-counted your rows, becuase if you're following the rows like I typed out above, you should always be starting the first purl row on the same side (wrong side) of the piece.