criss-crossed yarn?

[Chelsea]

I'm knitting my first actual project, and am running into this weird thing.  (I'm sorry I'm not using the right terminology, I'll just describe what I'm seeing).  When I go to do another stitch, the yarn that is looped over the left needle is criss crossed over the next loop.   What is causing this and how do I fix it?  Are they twisted stitches?   

I'm not completely comfortable with things yet, like an example of dropping a stitch - I know you can pick it back up, but I can't tell which piece of thread to pick up...lol.   My instinct is to take them off of the needle and see if they come apart and fall back to where they're supposed to be....but I don't want to do that if it's just going to make an even bigger problem.

[shara]

yup, it sounds like you twisted your stitches somehow.  I have found that if you encounter slight resistance when you insert the needle in your loop then you probably somehow twisted your stitch.  this can happen if you say dropped stitches or backed up a row or two.
I don't know if any of that really makes any sense written down but i hope it helps!

[PlayItGeorge]

Can't you also twist your stitches if you're putting your right needle in the back of the stitch (for the knit stitch) rather than the front? 

If I were you I'd go to one of those learn to knit websites and watch a video or something, make sure you're putting your needle into the next stitch correctly.

[ookpik]

It doesn't sound like twisted stitches to me. All a "twisted stitch" means is that the leading leg of the stitch is behind the needle instead of in front. It isn't a very obvious difference. The instructions in Stitch'n'Bitch have a great illustration of normal and twisted stitches (little guys standing astride the needle).

If you've got criss-crossing loops, count your stitches. I bet you've got extras, because I think one of two things has happened (both easy to fix):

1. You had the yarn on the wrong side of the needle when you worked a stitch, or accidentally wrapped the yarn around the needle in between stitches. This makes a yarn-over, which can look like a criss-crossing loop, especially if it is tight. You can either drop the yarn-over or knit it together with the next stitch (just put the right needle through both loops at once, aka k2tog).

- or -

2. You didn't completely drop the old stitch when you knitted a new one (this would have happened on the previous row). You can end up with both loops on the needle-- the usual stitch and its mama from the row below, crossed over each other. Have a close look at where the crossy loops are coming from. If one connects to stitches in the row below, you can slip it off the needle since it belongs in the row below (just make sure it catches on the other stitch).

Easiest solution: if you have extra stitches, knit the two criss-crossy stitches together. This is NOT a really pro solution and it will make a bit of a bump in your knitting, but it will prevent any big holes or runs.

Best of luck! Sorting out these weird bits gets a lot easier as you get used to how the loops work together and what the rows of fabric should look like.

[starlight1221]

I agree with ookpik, her #2 reason.  I used to do that ALL the time.  If you notice it happen right away, you can just slip the extra loop off, just make sure you're slipping off the old stitch, not the new one you just made (if you do that you'll have to slip that stitch back onto the left needle and knit it again).

[Chelsea]

Thanks! That helps a lot.  It's so obvious but I never thought to count the stitches

I did however, when I ran into one, stitched them together.  I'm using a bumpy yarn, so it'll hopefully be camoflaged.  I had to ask though, when I started running into a few more of them.