Hi Beverly,
Those twists on the wrong side are challenging at first. Go to this website: http://www.jessica-tromp.nl/breisteken_knitting_stitches/breisteken_basic_knitting_stitches.htm and scroll down to the flying fish symbols. Read the illustrations from RIGHT to LEFT. For further help, if you have it, check out Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles--in it are directions for Bavarian Twisted socks--explains the Bavarian twist pretty well--on the pattern page, as well as in the back of the book.

I really hope your translation is correct! ;-) If so, that means I won't have to change the pattern at all! Thank you so much.

Darn! I forgot I was adding meters and not yards, and I only got 1600 yards!!!! Now I will have to re-think my yarn choice. Better now than later!

OH! I am so glad that the stitches are posted in "Socks Soar." I have that book! Heading off to snatch it up and check it out!

In the meantime, a twist on the wrong side means purl in the back loop and a twist on the right means knit in the back...

The flying fishes (as we've come to describe them) are very much like a Front and/or Back Purl Cross (or Knit Cross), with a twist apparently, and really easy to do. The problem with the pattern as written is that the border twists are all done on the wrong side, so you can't see what you're doing....but they are Back Purl Crosses over three stitches...drop 2 stitches to cable needle in the back, purl in the back of the next stitch, purl in the front of the first stitch from the cable needle and purl in the back of the last stitch on the cable needle.

It's a little "tough" on that first purl in the back, but it can be done.

Don't forget that you need to subtract for the overlap (8st = 1") on the front band, as well as the edge stitches (4st=3/4"), so the finished dimension should be roughly 39 1/4", which jives with the 99.5cm stated in the pattern. Also, I may be wrong, but I don't think it calls for 23 balls. In the top paragraph, the pattern for the sweater calls for 865g and the cap calls for 120g. The Hamanka website lists the Men's Clubmaster as having 85m per 50g ball, so I think the 75m listed on the yarn page is a misprint. Maybe Ruth can chime in here and set us straight?

Actually, the border twist stitch is done on a R row. If you look at the chart, the first twist stitch is on Row 1. The row below row 1 is the set-up row done on the wrong side immediately after the tubular cast on. The tubular cast-on schematic on pg 83 is great. The symbols on the left and right immediately under the back and right front chart show how the cast-on should be set up so that when seamed, the knit/purls will be in the correct order. So for the back, use illustration #2, and for the fronts, use #1.

I think I need some help! My knitting and therefore swatches are not interpreting the "flying fish" with the twist very well. I studied the pictures on the symbol site but I seem to do better with a written explanation. Do you twist both the 2nd and 1st stitch? So if the 1st stitch is K and the 2nd is P do you twist the purl and then twist the knit and take them both off the needle? Is there some other name given to these stitches that I could check for a written explanation?

Also, on the ribbing it looks like the three stitches that make up the "fish" are kpk (right side row) so do you put the k and p on a cable needle at the back; twist the k stitch on the left needle and then twist the k stitch on the cable needle and purl through the front of the purl stitch that is left on the cable needle?

I am sorry for these silly questions, I am normally not this dense.

Susan

It's not a silly question at all. I don't use a cable needle to manipulate my stitches, but whether you use a cable needle or not, the order you work the stitches remains the same. I hope the following explanation makes sense.

To make it easier to explain, I'll number the stitches on the left-hand needle #1, #2 and #3, from right to left, so the first stitch on your left needle is #1, etc. Slip stitches #1 and #2 to the cable needle and hold in back of work. Knit through the back loop (tbl) stitch #3. Slip stitch #2 and then #1 on cable needle back onto left needle, in that order. Slip stitch #1 onto cable needle and hold to the front. Purl stitch #2 (not tbl, just regular purl stitch), then knit tbl from the cable needle stitch #1.

I find it easier, and quicker, to manipulate the stitch order without a cable needle, but use whatever method works for you!

Sally, thank you so much for the detailed explanation!! I finally understand how to knit the fish in the ribbing.

How about the twists (fish) over 2 stitches in the body of the sweater? Do I always twist both stitches? It may be easier for me to put one stitch on the cable needle until I understand it.

Thanks again - Susan

On right side rows, do not twist the purl stitches. When crossing a twisted K stitch to the right over a P stitch, after placing the P stitch on cable needle, K tbl and then use a regular P stitch. When crossing to the left, P then K tbl. When crossing a twisted K over a twisted K, K tbl both stiches.

Remember, on wrong side rows, a K tbl becomes a P tbl. When first getting the hang of it, look at the right side of your knitting and the chart to see what should be happening, i.e. which way should the stitches cross as seen from the right side, which stitch should be K tbl or P as seen from the right side, etc., then do what you need to do to make it look right. A twisted stitch crossed to the right on the right side rows will cross to the left on the wrong side rows. The way I keep it straight is, if the cross as seen from the right side row should cross to the right, on wrong side rows I know that the first stitch on the left needle (the right stitch) crosses behind the second stitch (the left stitch) on the left needle and it's a P tbl. For a left cross as seen from the right side, on wrong side rows the left stitch (second stitch on left needle) crosses behind the right (first) stitch and becomes a P tbl. The remaining stitch is either a P tbl or a K, depending on the symbol, or it could be 2 P tbl's. Clear as mud? It's so much easier to show then explain in words.

Just remember, in twisted stitch patterns there are no plain knitted stitches, just K tbl and P stitches on right side rows, or P tbl and K stitches on wrong side row.

I hope I haven't completely confused you. Good luck!

Sally, Thank you again!!! With your explanation and explanations from another post my swatches look like the patterns in the sweater pictured, yea!! Now I need to figure out yarn and sizing. I wear a small so I think I may have to test a few weights.

Susan