Here is this weeks question From Mary in Devon, UK - I am just trying my first circular knitting pattern and it says ensure the stitches aren't twisted before joining in the round to knit. How can I tell if my stitches are twisted?
Answer: If your knitting stitches are twisted when you begin to work in the round, that twist will stay in the knit fabric, causing a twist in the knitting rather than producing a smooth, flat fabric.
This can be used as a design feature, but usually a twisted look is not what you want in your knitting projects. Often you won't notice that you've developed a twist in your knitting until you've knit several rounds, especially if you are working with a lot of stitches, because it's harder to see what's going on on just a few rounds if your stitches are all bunched up. The bad news is there's no way to fix a twist beyond ripping out your work and being more careful the next time.
A good trick for ensuring your stitches aren't twisted is to lay the work down on a table after you've cast on and make sure all the stitches are facing the same way without a twist before you join in the round or start knitting. You can also knit a few rounds back and forth before joining in the round; then it will be simple to see there's no twist. You'll have a short seam to sew at the end, but it's not a big deal compared to the unpleasantness of having to rip out your work when you discover a twist.
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