Does this ever happen to you?

Posted on May 12, 2010 in knit, knitting, knitting pattern, lace knitting

I have noticed that when I make scarves, my cast on edge (on the right) is usually a lot tighter than my cast off edge (on the left). Does anyone else have this problem? This is not the first time it’s happened. I try to cast on really loose, often using both needles for the cast on (long tail cast one here) but invariably, I always seem to get the same, uneven results.

Solutions? Anyone?

I did manage to finish a long standing project, the Liesel scarf recently, a scarf which Ravelry records show I started on January 26, 2009. The scarf was pattern intensive and not something that I could easily pick up and mindlessy knit away at. This project required my full attention but the results were worth the effort.

I gave the scarf to Nell as a graduation gift and although I wasn’t sure if the color was right for her, I am very pleased with the results.

Results. How many times can I say results in one blog post? Many times it would seem.

7 Comment(s)

All the freakin’ time, this used to happen. I’ve started to use a cable cast on for most projects at this point (instead of quick wrap or long-tail), since it seems to solve it for me.

Knitty has an article that includes it.

CraftyGryphon | May 13, 2010 | Reply

I always use 2 needles now, or go up to a really big single needle, for my cast-ons. I also started playing with different varieties of cast-on, most recently Twisted German (Old Norwegian), and that seems to help.

alwayserin | May 13, 2010 | Reply

I always cast on on much bigger needles, and prefer a cabled cast on. But for a lace scarf like this, I have a better alternative:

use a provisional cast on, knit half (then you can do a bit of fancy work at the end before you bind off; maybe include some beads, etc.,) and then pick the stitches up from the provisional cast on and knit the other half, repeating the fancy work at the other bind off end. This way, both ends are the same, and the lace work switches direction in the middle of the scarf.

Rebecca Z. | May 13, 2010 | Reply

I *have* thought of doing it the way you suggest and I think it might be the best way to knit a lace scarf. But the part about the leaf pattern switching directions didn’t even occur to me. Brilliant!

admin | May 14, 2010 | Reply

Thanks for knitting Liesel! It looks lovely in that color.

The elm leaf pattern is a wavy pattern, which is why you have positive curves at the beginning/cast on and negative curves at the end/bind off. Rebecca Z’s suggestion of knitting Liesel from the center outward is a good idea if you want symmetry.

Feel like knitting another one?