How to fix twisted stitches when knitting in the round
Don’t twist your stitches! Almost every pattern for knitting in the round tells you to be careful to avoid twisted stitches when joining in the round. But sometimes this happens anyway, so how can you fix twisted stitches?
A twisted cast-on will produce a twisted fabric, instead of a flat one. This is a problem we want to avoid. So how do we fix this?
Fix twisted stitches after joining in the round
If you detect a twist in your cast on and you have just knitted the first row you can just twist it right and continue knitting. This little mistake won’t show in the end.
Twisting back twisted knitting can even be done after a few rows, but it will create a bump and be a bit uneven. Try and see if it bothers you or not. You can always change your mind and unravel it after a few rows when you see the result.
Can I fix a twist after several rows?
If you have knitted several rows and then see that your knitting is twisted there isn’t really anything to do but to rip it out and start over.
How to avoid twisted stitches
The easiest way to avoid twisted stitches in circular knitting is to check your cast on really closely before joining it and start knitting.
Have all stitches facing the same way
I have developed a habit of turning my stitches with the chain of the cast on turned inwards and the loops outwards before I’m joining. This way I can easily see if there’s a twist somewhere and twist it back.
You can see how I do in the video below. It works for me, I hope it works for you too!
Avoid cramming stitches together
It’s easier to avoid twisted stitches if your stitches aren’t crammed together on the cable. So if it’s possible, use a longer cable and spread them out a bit.
Work the first inch flat
If fixing twisted stitches is something you have to do often. Or worse, if you have to unravel and start over, for this reason, maybe it’s time for a new path.
Next time, cast on your stitches and skip to join in the round. Instead, knit a few rows, an inch (2.5 cm) or so, flat before joining and continue to knit flat.
It’s a quick and easy job to seam it closed later. Use the tail from the cast on, you would have to weave it in any way.
Reading tips:
––> Cast on for circular knitting
––> Circular needles for beginners
––> Interchangeable knitting needles
––> Everything about stockinette stitch
