Stitches

How come my knitting "cast ons" is getting longer?

I just started to knit this weekend and I am attempting a scarf. I originally cast on 21 stitches but now I am up to 40 now that I have 5-6 rows. am I doing something wrong?

Public Comments

1. What a coincidence - I just started knitting myself after not doing it since I was a kid. I do not pretend to be an expert so my guess could be totally off base on why this is happening so I wont even try to help. I too have been counting each row to see if I have added any stitches, I am surprised to say that I started with 100 stitched and still only have 101 !!!! I did find this on the net though - not sure if this helps - it is way too late for me to read and understand what it is saying: "There are two ways that stitches are frequently added to the knitting. The first, at the beginning of the row, is often a problem for beginning knitters. Because the first stitch at the edge of the fabric is loose, people try to fix it by pulling up on the yarn to tighten the stitch. What happens is that the TWO strands of the stitch from the row below are actually pulled up over the needle. Then, when you knit both strands, you've created two stitches where only one used to be. Instead, start each new row this way: 1) Grab your knitting hanging down from the needle and pull DOWN on it gently. 2) Knit the first stitch 3) Pull on your working yarn to tighten that stitch before you work across the rest of the row. The second, which happens either at the beginning or in the middle of the row, is caused when the yarn is held in front of the needle when knitting, or behind the needle when purling. Remember, when starting a knit stitch, always make sure that the yarn is behind your needle, whether at the beginning or in the middle of the row. If it is in front of the needle, it will place an extra strand over the needle. On subsequent rows this will be worked like any other stitch. In the middle of the row, this will make holes in the fabric. At the beginning of the row, this will make an ever-widening diagonal edge. "
2. I think you are confusing exactly where to place needle when creating new stitch. Try: learntoknit.lionbrand.com, or the Knitting Answer Book
3. If you have increased that many stitches in such few rows, you are probably not completing your knit stitch and instead are creating yarn overs. It's important to make sure that when you make a stitch that the needle goes into the previous stitch correctly and you pull the yarn through. Here's a great website to guide you. I also recommend that you join a knitting group in your area. If you don't know of any groups such as Stitch 'N Bitch, or a library group, then join Ravelry.com (it's fee) and search for a group in your area. Knitter's love to help other knitters.
4. You are doing some drastically wrong!! You cannot have any more stitches than you start with, unless you deliberately need to make an increase stitch. I would need to see what you are doing to be able to see what you are doing. I'd say definitely you are inadvertently adding stitches where none exist. You should count your stitches after EVERY row to know if you have added any or not. EVERY ROW. I know it's a bother but as a beginner you need to do them correctly. Review again your notes from your beginner class on knitting to be sure you are doing the knit stitch correctly. Be certain you can recognize a stitch and are not trying to knit something that is not a stitch. If you start with 21 stitches, and knit each one, you will end up with 21 stitches. You cannot get more than that. Impossible. Sorry, can't help more than that without seeing your work. Take it in to your LYS and ask them to look at it and see where you are going wrong. Join a knitting group and you will learn much from them.
5. A new knitter is known to pull the last stitch too tight before turning the needle. This would give the legs of the stitch the appearance of being seperate stitches & knit individually. When I learned to knit, I did this regularly. The only advice I can give is to loosen up some. And please remember, knitting takes time to learn how to do right, even if you are taught the "right" way by someone. Practice it until you are happy with the way it looks & go from there. Two things to always remember during your career as a knitter: (1) There are as many ways to knit as there are people who knit (2) There is rarely a true mistake in knitting, it is a "design element"!