Stitches

why did my stitches double while knitting a scarf?

my scarf has doubled in width and i haven't added any stitches, but i started out with seventeen and now have about double that. i haven't done anything except knit with a knit stitch - nothing fancy at all. i've used the same needles the whole time and the stitches are the same in tightness. i can't figure it out - this happens on almost everything i knit. it stays the same width for awhile and then one side starts to flare outward, while the other stays straight. help!

Public Comments

1. you might be picking up stitches by accident. i do that all the time.
2. It is possible you are either picking up stitches from the gap between the stitches or you are not pulling the knitted stitch off the left hand needle and are re-knitting it again. I would suggest you go to youtube and do a search on knitting. There are hundreds of videos there and you can keep pausing and knit along with the instruction. For the time being, count the stitches at the end of every row until you have mastered it and sorry, but you are going to have to undo the stitches you've already knitted. Hope this helps. Good luck
3. you're increasing by accident. and it happens. they look like criss crosses... anyways i m not able to find any video online. i would recommend a dvd which is a must have for every knitter. it has first aid kit that shows how to correct your mistakes like accidental increases. it is Nici Mcnally's the complete beginner's guide to knitting and it can be purchased on amazon.com i recently bought it and i think it is the best!!
4. You are probably yarning over without realizing it. Watch carefully as you knit. The first time you notice you have an extra stitch, look at your knitting. You will notice the yarnovers.
5. My best guess is that you are pulling the yarn at the start of a new row over the left hand needle rather than under it. This pulls the first stitch up over the needle so it looks like you have two stitches to knit rather than one. Always bring your yarn back under the needle tip.
6. It sounds like you are picking up stitches and then you may be tightening up your yarn in some areas and having your yarn loose in other areas. Try using the same tension throughout while knitting any stitch.