Lesson 18 - July 6, 2022
Cast-On
If you have questions about the cast-on, ask them here :) (in the comments)
Knit Like a Superstar™
Knit Like a Superstar™
Knit Like a Superstar™
I believe I have mastered the magic loop cast on. I had lots of practice as I was always getting a purl ridge on the right side. You sent me a video on this and I have successfully fixed this. I am doing the knitting In front and back of stitch for increases. I find this easier. I Amon my way to completing this. I am so excited I figured this out as just purchased yarn for two more pairs of socks. Thanks for your help.
Hi Sandra, this is wonderful! I’m so glad to hear your check-in and know that things are going well. Good job!!
Liat
Hi Liat,
I have stated over like 4x but I still feel like I’m perling but in the picture it looks like knitting. I’m going to attach a picture. Also I’m not sure if my sides look ok? To me it is not as smooth or seamless as it could be. Please help….who knows if the 5th time is a charm. I think I have the M1’s L&R down..lol
Hi Carolyn,
I am so sorry that you were having difficulty uploading images. Apparently the image-uploading process wasn’t working. I have fixed the issue and you can now upload multiple images to the comment as long as you are logged in to the site. Can you upload the images one more time so I can see them? Thanks!!
Liat
I sent you an email. Please let me know if it went through and you have the pictures.
Hi Carolyn,
I got your email and am going to post your photos here plus my answer, so others can benefit from my answer as well.
It looks like you just have your knitting inside-out. That would explain why you have purl bumps facing out even though you are knitting, and why the sides are not nice and smooth.
Here is the video you need: How to Turn Your Magic Loop Knitting Right-Side Out
Let me know if that helps!
I tried turning it inside out but, when I start knitting again the outside looks good and then there are purl bumps on my knit stitches. Do I need to purl or how did I get turned around? I can take it out again…..if I should just to figure out what I did wrong.
Ah ok. Yes, it sounds like you got turned around at some point. You’ll need to take it out. You can start over or just take out the rounds that got turned around.
Here are two videos that will help:
Getting Turned Around on Magic Loop and How to Fix
Undo Mistakes on Magic Loop (How to remove stitches one by one)
Let me know how it goes!
Liat
Hi Liat – I have cast on for two socks, and knit the first round, more than once. Each time, the second sock on my needles is noticeably tighter than the sock closest to the needle tips. I’m reluctant to continue with the first increase round because of this. As I was aware of this before I started over, I believed I was knitting with comparable tension on the second sock but it still came out tighter. And ideas why this is happening so that I might adjust whatever it is I’m doing to cause this?
Thanks!
Hi Marla,
Hm, I haven’t encountered this issue before, but don’t despair. You’re working with fingering-weight yarn, right? I’m wondering if you have the supplies to practice with some thicker yarn before trying this technique on the thin yarn. It might help us identify what’s going on. The other suggestion I have is to please keep knitting for 5-10 rounds on your socks (you can do straight tubes without increasing if you want) and see if 1) anything changes as you get used to the technique, or 2) you can notice what you might be doing on the second sock that’s causing the tightness. Also, please let me know where this tightness is. The stitches are tighter on the needle? Are you pulling out enough yarn from the ball for it not to be pulling on your hands? More details, and more practice, will help root out this issue. Thanks!
Liat
Many thanks for thinking this through to help me. Yes, I am following your fingering-weight pattern size M. My stitches are not tight on the needle. The fabric that’s forming between the needles is tighter on the second sock. I almost added a question about whether I should keep going and see what happens. A related question – the pattern is written for one sock on Magic Loop correct? When the instruction says to repeat the increase rounds until there are 56 sts on the needles (28 on each needle half, if doing Magic Loop), that’s the number for one sock? I’m unsure because after your instructions for the increase round you note “twice” but one round is both halves; that’s why the “twice” reference?. If my thinking is right, I will go through the pattern where I’ve highlighted the numbers for my size and double them. I don’t want to mess that up! Thanks ;-))
Hi Marla,
Yes, it will be good to find out what happens when you knit a little further. If the stitches are not tight on your needles, I’m not sure I’m understanding how the fabric is tighter. If you can post a picture here, that would be great. You can attach the photo to your comment.
About doubling the numbers – good question. The pattern is written for one sock. I would not recommend you doubling the numbers on your pattern. The number on a pattern is never going to be the number for both socks. Knitting both socks at a time is just a technique, not part of the pattern itself. It is important to keep straight the numbers you need for each sock. Counting the total number of stitches you have for both socks will never help you in case of a mistake – you’ll always of course have to drill down to find WHICH sock has the error and is missing or has additional stitches. So best to keep the numbers single.
Let me know if this helps :)
Liat
Thanks Liat! Your explanation about pattern numbers makes perfect sense; it just didn’t when I was reading through before, perhaps because I’m finding it a challenge getting my head around working two socks at the same time on the same needle.
As for the tighter second sock, attached below is a pic. When I separate the needles, the sock on the right opens more than the one on the left. I cannot open the sock on the left any further. That’s what I mean by tighter. I will start the toe increases and see what happens. Maybe it won’t be an issue.
I’m hoping getting started is the hardest part ;-))
Now I have a bigger problem. I started the toe increases, knit one round and then one plain knit round. Discovered a hole in the cast on row of one sock. Picture attached. Not sure what happened but am wondering, before I start over, if it’s possible while I was casting on, I inadvertently switched which yarn was over my thumb and which over my index finger? Sometimes my tension gets loose so I drop the yarns and pick them up again. I believe I’m being mindful but there’s always room for error. Another possibility is, maybe I cast on two stitches on one needle by mistake instead of alternating? Would that create a hole?
Hi Marla,
Thank you for the picture! LOVE the yarn colors.
I counted your stitches and you have 10 on each needle, so I don’t think you missed one on one needle by not alternating. I also don’t think switching the thumb and index finger yarn makes a difference.
I think you just might have a loose cast-on in that spot. Try the technique in this video and see if it fixes it (you may want to knit a few more rounds before attempting this): How to Fix a Loose JMCO. Let me know how it goes!
Liat
Thanks! I’m enjoying working with this color yarn; it’s happy. I tried to tighten up the hole and I was able to tighten a hole at the end of the cast on right where the tail is (didn’t notice it when I sent the last message and pic). But the bigger hole in the middle remains a hole and it doesn’t look like the “v” a proper knit stitch should look like.
So, my next question is, may I just remove that sock and start over without removing the second sock from my needle? And then knit the same number of rows before I pick up again with the other sock?
I’m only a few rows in so if I must redo both socks, I will.
Many thanks again. Hopefully I’ll get rolling soon and won’t be peppering you with questions every day!
Great question! I love that you’re running into so many challenges early on. It means you’re learning lots. It’s a good idea to start the cast-on over. You won’t be able to leave one sock on the needles while you re-knit the other sock, you’d have to put the “good” sock on scrap yarn or another pair of needles (smaller is fine) to hold while you re-knit the mistake sock.
If you want to do it (I don’t think it’s worth the trouble in this case), here is a video mostly showing how to do that: Removing Socks to Fix a Mistake on One Sock
If you have a second pair of needles in the same size, you could cast-on and re-knit the mistake sock on those and then put it on your original needles with the “good” sock, if that makes sense. Personally I would just re-do it because the removing and recovering of the socks is harder than just re-doing the cast-on and a few rounds. Let me know how it goes!!
L
Hi Liat – You are awesome! So many thanks for your prompt reply. I’m so early on I will not bother attempting to transfer the second sock to other needles or waste yarn, nor reknitting the one with the holes on other needles and then transferring. I agree it will be less effort frogging both and starting over. I’m only the cast on and three rounds in. If I get holes again you’ll know right after I do ;-))
Excellent plan!
👍🏼👍🏼
Liat
Oh my gosh…After doing your suggestion of just doing the Magic cast one for sock I realized what my issue was. If we are doing JMCO and you are starting at the toe, of course there will be no gap… I never went farther than two rows. So sorry. My spatial recognition isn’t very good or sometimes my common sense (LOL). I have know made a test “tube”. I will work on my increase and decrease tomorrow. Thanks for hanging in there with me! :)
Hooray!! I’m so glad this cleared it up for you!! Sometimes doing it is so much better than trying to imagine it ahead of time. Great work!
Liat
Well…I am still a bit confused. Why does it seem there is no gap between the front half and back half of the socks with JMCO?
I am still trying to get the hang of it. I had to change to my laptop because I was having trouble with our main computer.
I’m not giving up though!
Hi Deb,
I’m glad you’re not giving up! It’s all downhill from here.
I’m not exactly sure I understand your question about the gap, but JMCO creates a completely seamless tube that is closed at the cast-on end. You wouldn’t want any gap in your socks. To get familiar with what it’s supposed to look like, since this is proving to be confusing, I highly recommend you cast on for just one sock and practice knitting the tube for several rounds. Even better, follow the sock pattern and videos for a few rounds of the toe, so you can confirm it’s coming out right and nothing is confusing before moving on to doing two-at-a-time.
If you have made more progress on your socks or practice cast-on, I’d love to see a picture here so I can confirm that you are on the right track. Thank you.
Liat
Comment *
Hi Liat! Per your request to my question, I am posting in the knitalong. I received my yarn and needle (Size 2, fingerweight yarn-which I actually ordered accidentally. I meant to order worsted weight, but am giving it a go with what I received.
I have been practicing my “Judy’s magic cast on for two socks”. I can get the hang of it casting on for one sock with the regular cast on, but when I try the two at a time with “Judy’s method” I keep running into a problem. Sometimes I have a stitch too many or one not enough and my wraps just don’t seem to look like the video. I am trying to include a photo but am having some trouble with that as well. The name and email box below are greyed out and will not let me enter in my information and when I click choose files, and my file from my desktop – it will not post. I guess I am just a mess :(
Name* Deb Campbell
Email* [email protected]
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Hi Deb,
Thank you for posting here. I’m sorry for the trouble with your cast-on and then with posting the comment. I have fixed the issue with the name and email for the comments so now you will not have a problem.
I’m looking at your cast-on and, so far, it looks good to me. You have 8 stitches on both halves of both needles. It seems to me you’ve knitted across the first half of the yellow sock. Now you need to knit across the first half of the pink sock. You can make a twist with the pink tail and working yarn so that the first stitch doesn’t slide off the needle. Here is a video showing how to do that:
https://www.knitfreedom.com/my-classes/toe-up-socks/cast-on-for-socks-and-knit-toe/#tips-for-knitting-first-round
Can you let me know here in the comments if that has helped? Thank you!
You are NOT a mess, I know you will get this. You may already be there. Don’t give up.