As we machine knit, our knitting is stretched across the needlebed and we also hang weights. This can distort the stitches.
Many knitters will remove the knitting from the machine, "tube" their knitting (roll the knitting lengthwise and pull to "pop" the stitches in place and set them), then let it rest.
Tubing your knitting is controversial. The one thing to remember: If you tube your swatch, tube the garment pieces.do you tube?...