Nov
2
curious mom asked:
I’ve tried wrapping the turning pegs at the end of knitting each row, before returning back down again, but I still get the curling. I do not know how to knit or crochet with needles, so any suggestions will have to be very basic.
American Express Platinum
I’ve tried wrapping the turning pegs at the end of knitting each row, before returning back down again, but I still get the curling. I do not know how to knit or crochet with needles, so any suggestions will have to be very basic.
American Express Platinum
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5 Responses to “How do I prevent my Knifty Knitter flat knitting from curling?”
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Is this like a standard knitting machine? If so, you need to attach weights to the knitted fabric as it emerges - my sewing machine came with these, they have little hooks to hold onto the fabric and so pull it flat as it emerges
Try using a heavy clip. That should hold the yarn
down and keep it from curling.
All knitting done on either the Knifty Knitter either in the round, or flat is stockinette stitch, where you do a knit stitch on one side and a purl on the other. Working the round where you only knit every stitch also produces stockinette stitch because you continually knit the same face or surface of the fabric.
Stockinette stitch always curls, whether knit this way or knit on needles. This is because the geometric shape of a knit stitch and the geometric shape of a purl stitch are different (see, high school geometry really does affect in the real world, we won’t discuss the algebra of knitting right now ), but the yarn wants the shape of the stitches to be the same. The tension of the yarn attempting to become more square on both sides causes the knitting to curl through kinetic enegry (yes, this is your physical science class, no I don’t know why I remember all this stuff). The only cure for this is a border in a non-rolling stitch, like garter stitch, moss stitch, or seed stitch knitted on afterwards on needles, or a crocheted border. Borders, either knit or crocheted, need to be at least one inch wide for fingering (baby/sock), sport, DK or worsted weight yarns; and 1.5 to 2 inches wide for heavy worsted, Aran, chunky, bulky, or super bulky yarns–the heavier the yarn the wider the border needs to be.
Weights will hold the fabric down while you work, but in use even blocking will not change the nature of the stitch, and acryllic yarns do not *block* in the fashion intended permanently unless you apply heat to it, which also permanently changes the nature of the fiber in ways that may not be acceptable. Much as I know you’d rather not hear this, to keep it from happening you need to learn to knit on knitting needles or, at the very least, some basic crochet techniques. Of course, every knitter should know basic crochet, IMO, because crochet can add some beautiful edges and borders to knitted items.
You could go to the Knifty Knitter web site or the kniftyknitterlooms club on Yahoo. A very nice bunch of people in that group and are always ready to help.
May I suggest a garter stitch instead of all knitting. A garter stitch is where you knit a row then purl a row. If you are unsure of how to purl on the knifty knitter go to and under instructions they provide you with a step-by-step method. However, if you are unable to do this, like on an already existing project, some dry cleaners will flatten if for you. Also if you keep something heavy on it for a while or stretching it, that seems to help.