Knit v. Purl

[Arwyn]

Why are my purl rows ever-so-slightly looser than my knit rows? (Ok, maybe ever-so-slightly more than only ever-so-slightly looser. :oops: ) I was reading a yarn review site, and the reviewer kept mentioning something about some yarns having this tendency. So is this something all knitters have to contend with? Any tips on getting around (over/through) this?

Thanks!

[pmcgary]

From everything I have read it is pretty normal to purl more loosely than one knits. That is part of why gauge may be different on an item you knit the swatch flat for and then knit the item in the round in stockinette stitch (flat you are purling every other row- in the round there is just the knit)

I seem to recall reading that there was actually a knitter who sized down a needle size for the purl rows.

About all I can say is keep practicing and knit stuff in the round and avoid the problem- that is what I do. (Purl is also typically SLOWER than knit.)

[pamelamama]

soon we'll have a feud on the site... the knitties vs. the purlies

:t

[nym]

:lol:

[CraftyMommaOf2]

My purl rows are usually a little tighter than my knit rows :?

[ravingcutie]

I am a hopeless "knity" couldn't purl to save my soul when I first started knitting. Now I'm better - just very sloooooooooooow!

[Arwyn]

Thanks all! It's good to know I'm not the only one. :) I'm pretty slow with purl, but I'm also pretty slow with knit, and the difference between the two is reportedly mostly in my head (or my hands, 'cause that's where I actually notice it!), so I guess I must be doing ok! :D

[ravingcutie]

I have improved, but using circs is so much easier. Too bad I haven't invented a way to do soaker crotches in the round! :crud:

[amyrobynne]

I used to be somewhat slower purling and painfully slow doing ribbing. Then I found a wonderful sweater pattern in moss stitch--after doing an entire project knit-purl-knit-purl every stitch, I got a lot faster. I was cursing the pattern for awhile though!