While the knitted fabric itself is the main event in most garments, the details are great places to play with color as well. Cast ons, bind offs, borders, and edgings contribute more than you’d expect to the finished look of the knitting and provide an opportunity to embellish with color at the edges of the fabric. They can be plain or quite fancy. After the base fabric is completed, you can also add knitted surface ornaments, not to mention fringes, pom-poms, and tassels. You’ll find complete directions for all of the techniques discussed, either within this chapter or in the Appendix.
Joining pieces, by sewing, knitting, or crocheting them together, adding borders, coping with tails of yarn, and blocking are all part of finishing. How you handle the edges of your knitting is also crucial to faultless finishing.
Edge stitches are a key ingredient in neatly finished seams and borders. They are especially important when you’re adding a contrasting border, joining two pieces of different colors, or trying to match stripes perfectly at a seam. In knitting, there are always several ways (if not more!) to accomplish anything, so if you don’t like the way something looks, experiment to see if you can improve on it. Use these tips to make the cleanest edges possible, and your seaming and picking up will be much neater and easier.
Increasing and decreasing. Always work any increases or decreases a stitch or two away from the edge, keeping the edge stitches intact. I prefer to work an ssk decrease at the beginning of a row and a K2tog at the end of a row to follow the slant of the shaping, making it easy to follow the parallel columns of stitches along the edge when picking up or seaming. Some knitters prefer to do the opposite, placing ssk at the end of the row and K2tog at the beginning, because they feel the stitches are less noticeable this way.
Knitted pieces can be joined by sewing together, knitting together, or crocheting together. When sewing multicolor pieces together, the goal is for any pattern to match perfectly and for the seam to be almost unnoticeable. Knitting or crocheting the pieces together offers the benefit of joining and embellishing at the same time.
Mattress stitch. To join pieces of knitted fabric together, use mattress stitch. For a neat seam in stockinette, always sew a whole stitch in from the edge and take care to exactly match any design elements, like stripes. (See photo facing page, bottom.) You have several options with garter-stitch edges. For a very flat, bulk-free seam, sew through the tiny bumps at the end of each ridge. For a neater but slightly bulkier seam, sew through the “smiles” or “frowns” of the ridges closest to the edge.
Three-needle bind off. Knitting two pieces together while binding off is efficient and makes a very neat join. It’s most often used to join the shoulders of garments and is usually worked on the inside where it doesn’t show, but it can embellish the outside as well. Like the normal single-layer bind off, it has a chain along the knit side and a ridge along the purl side. Be careful to control the direction your chains travel in, and the position of the ridge, especially if they are worked in a contrasting color. (See Three-Needle Bind-Off.)
Joining the top edges. This bind off is integrated with the ridges that separate motifs in the Fair Isle patterns and is used to join as well as bind off at the tops of the two pieces of knitting. A purl ridge that falls on the opposite side of the chain from the bind off’s own purl ridge balances it nicely.
Joining a top to a side. Here, the top of one piece is joined to the side of another. To do this, pick up stitches along the side of the piece so you have live stitches to use for the three-needle bind off. In the example shown, the pattern was worked up to the final garter stitch ridge in the light color, then stitches were picked up along the edge of the other piece and the bind off was worked in that same color, forming the final ridge of the pattern. This method of joining is particularly useful for attaching sleeves to the armhole of a garment. Make sure you pick up the same number of stitches around the armhole as there are in the top of the sleeve.
A symmetrical three-needle bind off. Any two edges may be joined using the technique just described, if you pick up stitches along both of them, as demonstrated here. This also shows a symmetrical variation of the three-needle bind off. Instead of knitting every stitch, the bind-off was worked with alternating knits and purls, making a zigzag chain that lies flat on the face of the fabric.
Crocheted seams. A single-crochet seam places a chain of contrasting color along the seam line. This can look similar to the three-needle bind off. Alternately working through a stitch on one side of the seam and then on the other side of the seam creates the zigzag effect (A). Working through both layers at once (B) makes a straight chain of stitches but has a tendency to flop to one side.
If you are making a garment, or anything else, in strips, you can attach each strip to its neighbor as you knit so that seaming isn’t necessary. There are numerous ways to do this. Some require no preparation, some call for a slipped stitch at the beginning of every row to make picking up stitches easier, and others use stitches picked up all along the edge of one strip to join it to the next. Leave about a 4” (10 cm) tail at both the cast on and the bind off and use this to close the tiny gap that forms at the top and bottom between strips. You can make each strip any width you like and you can change colors within each strip to make blocks of color.
Joining garter-stitch strips. Knit the first strip and bind off. If you usually slip the first stitch or make a selvedge or edge stitch of some sort, don’t do it on these strips. For the next strip, cast on the desired number of stitches. Make sure both strips are facing the same way (the cast-on tails may hang down from either the left or the right corners, but both should be the same). Insert the right needle into the stitch (one strand from the edge) just below the first ridge on the strip and knit up a stitch. *Turn and knit across on the wrong side. Turn and knit on the right side until 2 stitches remain (A), ssk (B), knit up a stitch below the next ridge. Repeat from * until the current strip is the same length as the previous strip. Bind off. This makes a join where the two colors alternate along the seam.
Joining garter-stitch strips with a contrast ridge. Cast on for the first strip using the loop, knitted, or cable cast on. Knit until the first strip is as long as you like, then bind off. With whichever you consider the right side facing you, use a contrasting color to pick up and knit 1 stitch for each ridge on the strip. Knit 1 row (wrong side). Cut the yarn, leaving a tail to be woven in later. With the right side facing you, cast on the stitches for the next strip at the beginning of this needle, using the same cast on as for the first strip.
*Knit the new stitches until 1 remains, ssk (working the last stitch of the new strip together with the first contrasting stitch). Turn, knit on the wrong side. Turn. Repeat from * until the new strip is the same length as the previous strip. Bind off, taking care that you are working in the same direction as the bind off on the previous strip. If you worked the joining ridge in the same color as the new strip, there’s no need to cut the yarn in between. If you change colors in the course of your strip, you may want to work a garter stitch ridge between colors to match the contrasting ridge between strips.
Because you can’t use the long-tail cast on at the beginning of a row, you won’t be able to use it here. This is why several other options for casting on were recommended for the first strip, so all the stripes will match.
Joining stockinette-stitch strips. Work the first strip in stockinette, casting on 1 stitch more than the desired width. On the knit rows, keep the yarn in back, slip the first stitch purlwise, then knit the rest of the row. On the purl side, keep the yarn in front, slip the first stitch purlwise, then purl the rest of the row. Work to the desired length and bind off. Cast on for the second strip. With the right side facing you, *slip 1 purlwise, knit until 1 stitch remains, slip 1 knitwise (A), with the right side of both strips facing you, insert the right needle into the first slipped stitch on the old strip (B), pick up and knit a stitch, pass the slipped stitch over. Turn to wrong side, slip 1 purlwise, purl to the end of the row. Turn to right side. Repeat from * until new strip is the same length as the previous strip. Bind off, taking care that you are working in the same direction as the bind off on the previous strip.
NOTE: It’s important to insert the needle directly into the stitch as you pick up and knit each new stitch, to make a neat join.
Joining stockinette strips with a contrast ridge. Cast on 1 stitch more than the desired width, using the loop, knitted, or cable cast on. On the right-side rows, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back and knit across. On the wrong-side rows, purl. Work until strip is desired length, then bind off. Using a contrasting color and with the right side facing you, pick up and knit 1 stitch for each slipped stitch along the right edge of the strip, inserting the needle a whole stitch (two strands) in from the edge. The slipped stitch will disappear entirely behind the new stitches. Knit 1 row. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail to be woven in later. With the right side facing you, cast on the stitches for the next strip at the beginning of this needle. *Slip 1 purlwise, with yarn in back, knit the new stitches until 1 remains, ssk (working the last stitch of the new strip together with the first contrasting stitch; see photo). Turn to wrong side. Purl across. Turn to right side. Repeat from * until the new strip is the same length as the previous strip. Bind off, taking care that you are working in the same direction as the bind off on the previous strip.
Sometimes this join is a bit uneven, with smaller and larger stitches alternating up the column. If this annoys you, be careful not to pull the yarn tightly on the first stitch of the purl rows. Another option is to slip the first purl stitch. This results in a straight column of evenly tensioned slipped stitches, twice as tall as the adjacent stitches. If you do this at the join, then for consistency you may want to slip the first stitch on the purl rows when you work the first strip.
Neatness is crucial when you make contrasting borders. Sometimes a good solution is to pick up for the border with the same color as the knitting attached to it, then switch to the border color on the next row. This is no help, however, if the edge is multicolor. For the most consistent-looking edge, always pick up stitches by knitting up a stitch using the working yarn. In stockinette stitch, always insert the needle a whole stitch from the edge. In garter stitch, work either a whole stitch or a half stitch from the edge — choose based on how it looks and how easy (or difficult) the method is in each particular piece of knitting.
If you’re dealing with stripes, you may have many loose ends to cope with along the edge. Wait to weave them in until after the border is completed. Doing so earlier can make it difficult to pick up along the edge. The width of the border is also critical: Each pattern stitch has its own proportion of stitches to rows.
GARTER-STITCH BORDER ON GARTER STITCH. Pick up one stitch for every ridge.
To add a ribbed border to stockinette, pick up about 3 stitches for every 4 rows. For other situations — when adding a fancier border, when the garment was knit in a pattern stitch, or both — make a sample of your border and measure it to determine the number of stitches per inch or centimeter. Measure the edge that the border must fit, and multiply the gauge by that length. This is the number of stitches you need to pick up, which may be modified somewhat to suit your pattern stitch.
If you prefer to test out a border rather than calculate the correct number of stitches, pick up and knit about 20 stitches along the edge where the border will go. You can see if it flares out or pulls in and can adjust accordingly.
Picking up along a concave edge. Concave borders, such as for armholes and necklines, need to be shorter than the edges they complete so they don’t flare. One way to make them shorter is to pick up fewer stitches than you would along a straight edge, but with contrasting borders it’s very noticeable if there are spaces between stitches along the picked-up edge. To make a neat transition, pick up 1 stitch in the top stitch of each column and 1 stitch at the end of every row along the edge, then decrease to the number of stitches you actually need on the first row of the border. When the border is completed, bind off firmly to prevent flaring.
Picking up along a convex edge. Convex borders, such as for a shirttail, need to be shaped, starting smaller at the beginning and getting wider as you work. Multicolor borders, whether in ribbing, garter stitch, or some other pattern, can spice up a plain project or harmonize with a complex one.
Ends, of course, should be woven in neatly on the back of the garment. Unfortunately, if you’ve used a lot of colors, you’ll end up with a huge number of ends, and weaving them in can be extraordinarily tedious. If they are concentrated at one point in the fabric (along an outer edge, or along a seam line) they can also be very bulky and affect the way the right side looks. Here are a few ideas for dealing with ends. (See also Handling All Those Ends.)
French braid. If the ends are clustered along a seam line, as with stripes and entrelac, start at one end of the seam and braid them together, picking up additional ends as you come to them. Begin at the outer edge of the fabric and work toward the center so that no ends will be left dangling beyond the edge. You may need to trim some of the ends to prevent the braid from becoming too thick.
Braids on the outside. Tails of yarn can also become decorative braids. As you’re knitting, leave tails at least 4” (10 cm) long, so you can work with them easily. Pull through to the outside of the fabric, and braid them in groups of three. If you have an extra strand and no other tails nearby, simply double up one of the strands in a three-strand braid. This technique is very effective for hiding the jog at the beginning and end of round in stripes worked circularly, and you can embellish the braids with small beads or bells. If there’s fringe nearby, you could also incorporate the tail into it.
Binding an edge combines functionality with decoration. I describe just two ways to construct a bound edge, but these are open to many variations. You can make them in solid colors, stripes, or pattern stitches, with a crisp folded edge, or in the form of a rolled cord. In a garment constructed of large modules, binding can enclose ends wherever you pick up stitches to begin a new module. Before you work any of these options, though, secure all the ends that will be encased in the binding, either by knotting them together or by hand- or machine-sewing along the edge stitches. Make sure you catch every strand of yarn so it can’t unravel. Once secured, trim the ends to a little less than the anticipated width of the binding. Leave them as long as possible, but avoid any unnecessary bulk inside the binding.
The first and simplest option is to pick up stitches along the edge as if you were adding a regular ribbing or border. Work any stitch you like. Plain stockinette or a simple ribbing are the most common, but you could use a decorative pattern stitch or colorwork. Try to avoid creating a very thick fabric, though, because it will be even thicker when the binding is doubled over with yarn ends inside.
When the border is as wide as you like, knit across on the wrong side. This will make a ridge, which forms a neat fold line for the outer edge of the binding. Work this inner section in any color or pattern you like — it doesn’t have to be the same as the outside. It’s best, however, to work in stockinette to make a thin smooth fabric. To ensure that the outer layer doesn’t bulge, switch to a smaller needle or evenly decrease a few stitches on the first row after the turning ridge so that the inner layer is smaller than the outer layer.
Sewing down a double-width binding. When you’ve worked the inner layer until it’s the same length as the outer layer, you have three options: You can bind off, then sew the border down on the inside (A). You can sew the live stitches down without binding off, sliding them off the point of the needle as you work (B). Or, as you bind off, each time you insert the needle into a stitch to knit it, pick up a loop on the back of the fabric and knit it together with the stitch (C). The first option is thickest, because it involves a bind off plus sewing down. The second is least bulky, since there’s no bound-off edge. The third falls in between. In all cases, be careful to work loosely when binding off and sewing so that the binding stretches as much as the fabric it’s attached to.
Natural rolled edge. A variation on this binding is to make a border without a turning ridge, which creates a rolled edge. Using reverse stockinette takes advantage of the fabric’s natural tendency to curl. When very narrow, it appears to be cording. In this case, if you have lots of ends, be sure to make it big enough so the ends will fit inside.
Preparing for a two-layer binding. Achieve almost the same effect without any sewing by knitting both layers of the binding at the same time. Using a circular needle and the working yarn, with the right side of the fabric facing you, pick up and knit stitches along the edge to be bound. With a second circular needle and the same working yarn still attached, turn to the wrong side and pick up and knit the same number of stitches across the back of the fabric (above). This is most neatly accomplished by picking up under the strand between each stitch on the first needle. Cast on 1 extra stitch at the end of the needle, then turn your work so that the right side is facing you. Abandon the second needle for the time being, pick up both ends of the first needle, and work across it with the same ball of yarn still attached. This will leave all the stitches for the back of the fabric on the second needle and all the stitches for the front on the original needle. At the end of this first needle, cast on 1 stitch. Continue your binding by turning and working all the back stitches onto their own needle, then turning again and working all the front stitches onto their own needle.
When the binding is the desired depth, you have two options: use the three-needle bind off to attach the two layers together and finish off the edge, or knit the two layers together without binding off and continue to make a single layer fabric.
Three-needle bind off. With the ends of the circular needles parallel, use an empty needle to knit together one stitch from the front needle and one from the back needle; repeat for the next stitch on both needles (A). Pass the first stitch on the right needle over the second to bind it off (B). Continue in this manner until all stitches are bound off.
Merging to a single layer is very helpful if you plan to make buttonholes in the band or if the binding is at the edge of a new section you are adding to the garment. For example, I made the back of a vest by working the diagonal center panel first (A). I picked up along the edge of the center panel (B) and then knit outward using the two-layer binding technique (C), so the ends are encased on both the inside and the outside. I then knit the two layers of the binding together to form a single layer, and continued working to form the side panels (D).
In much colorwork, blocking is necessary. Stranded knitting and intarsia both should be wet and stretched while drying to even out the stitches and flatten the surface. To show them to full advantage, pattern stitches such as those in chapters 3 and 4 frequently need to be blocked and stretched. Use your own judgment on how much tension to exert to make the stitches look their best. Lace, almost always, needs stern blocking to open up the eyelets.
In all of these cases, the best method of blocking is to soak or wash the finished object gently, roll it in a towel to remove excess moisture, and then stretch and pin it out to dry. Blocking wires can make the process of pinning out much easier, with more consistent results, since they hold the entire edge even with just a few pins. Sock, mitten, and glove blockers exist, but can be hard to find or may not be the right size. You can cut your own out of sturdy cardboard, stiff plastic (the sides of gallon milk jugs work well) or bend coat hangers to fit the exact shape and size of your garment.
Woolly board for blocking drop-shoulder sweaters
Casting on is sometimes a complete afterthought, but the beginning edge of whatever you’re making provides an opportunity for embellishment, either subtle or striking. For example, multicolor cast ons can be integrated with the pattern stitch — this level of detail produces a very professional, custom-made look. The crocheted cast on can easily be removed (allowing you to make decisions about the bottom border later) or worked in a contrasting yarn as an embellishment. If you’re planning to add fringe, use the knitted cast on; its loose loops make fringing easy.
Using two colors of yarn, make a slip knot with both strands and place it on the left needle. Work the cable cast on, making the first stitch between the two strands of the slip knot and then knitting each color alternately, as described below.
Two-Color Long-Tail Cast On. Using two colors of yarn, make a slip knot with both strands and place it on the needle. Work the long-tail cast on as usual, with one color for the thumb strand and the other over the index finger. Don’t include the slip knot in your stitch count. At the end of the first row, unravel the slip knot. The color on your thumb appears in a very thin line across the bottom edge of the fabric, and the color on your index finger forms the stitches on the needle (A).
Alternating Two-Color Long-Tail Cast On. A variation on the previous cast on is to alternate colors as you cast on. Between each stitch, give the two colors a half twist and swap their positions on the thumb and forefinger. Always twist the two strands in the same direction between stitches. Stitch colors alternately across the needle, creating a peppermint-stipe effect across the bottom edge on the right side of the fabric. On the wrong side (C), this cast on forms a chevron of alternating colors along the edge (B), making this the perfect way to start K1, P1 corrugated ribbing.
Long-Tail Cast On with Multiple Thumb Strands. For an easy-to-work but high-impact cast on, simply replace the single thumb strand of the long-tail cast on with multiple strands. First, make a slip knot with all the strands. Then work the cast on as usual, with one strand over the index finger and all others over the thumb. Place the stitches as close together on the needle as you can and tension the thumb strands just enough to make a neat edge. This is the cast on used for the top edge of the glass cozy (see photo).
This is a provisional cast on (sometimes called an open cast on) designed to be easy to remove, leaving live stitches that can be picked up on a needle so you can knit down from the original cast on edge. If you haven’t decided what the borders will look like, or you want to be sure you have enough yarn, use this cast on, then go back and add the borders later.
If your corrugated ribbing has a tendency to curl, this cast on allows you to add it last, working a firm bind off to subdue the curling. It also makes an excellent decorative cast on, leaving a chain of contrasting color across the bottom of the fabric, visually similar to a bind-off chain. When using the crocheted cast on as a decorative element, cast on as many stitches as you need in a contrasting color, then cut the yarn and pull it through the loop on your crochet hook to secure the end.
Just like casting on, binding off offers an opportunity for one more flourish of color.
Binding off with contrast. To make a contrasting chain on the right side, change to the contrasting color, then bind off in knitting on the right side or in purl on the wrong side. To make a finished ridge in a contrasting color at the edge of the fabric (shown above), change to the contrasting yarn, knit across on the right side, then bind off in knitting on the wrong side.
When you’re working a color pattern up to the very edge of the knitting, you may want to continue the pattern into the bound-off edge. If you knit each stitch in the color from the row below, when you pass the stitch over to bind off, the color shifts to the left. To align the color in the bind off with the color in the fabric below, switch to the new color one stitch early as you work across.
Binding off in K1, P1 corrugated ribbing. Work the opposite color of the row below throughout the bind off (A). In this way, the bound-off stitches match the ribs directly beneath them (B).
You can use I-cord to add polished, versatile edgings to many knit items. The I-cord edging on the coaster below produces a cord along the bound-off edge of a piece, and since it is not terribly stretchy, it can be used to support the fabric. See at right for how to do it.
Looped I-cord makes a more decorative finish (see photo). Although the stitches to be bound off may be on any kind of needle, it’s easier if they are on a circular needle (here, referred to as “main” needle). You will also need 2 double-pointed needles (dpn) to work the I-cord loops.
If you are working across a flat piece of knitting, repeat Steps 1–5 until 3 stitches remain to be bound off. Work the last loop 1 row shorter than the others. Use Kitchener stitch to join to the last 3 stitches. If you are working circularly, continue until no stitches remain on the main needle. Work the last loop 1 row shorter than the rest, then sew the last three stitches down behind the beginning of the first loop.
You can also work this trim using narrower or wider I-cord. Just bind off the same number of stitches from the main needle as you have in the I-cord when you join the end of each loop.
Edgings are worked (as their name implies) along the edge of the fabric and are joined to the fabric at the end of every other row, using one of the techniques described in Joining by Knitting On, page 238. They are particularly useful when worked as a bind off if you don’t want an inelastic chain across the top of the fabric. Edgings can add color, texture, and ornament. Openwork edgings are frequently worked on lace knitting, and books on knitted lace are a wonderful source of instructions. You can, of course, always work any edging in a different color (or colors) from the main body of the knitting. Try one of these basic garter stitch edgings. You can work them as narrow or as wide as you like.
First, pick up stitches along the edge. If the base fabric is stockinette, pick up 4 stitches for every 5 rows to make the edging the correct length. For garter stitch, pick up one stitch for each ridge. For other pattern stitches, knit a sample of garter stitch and measure the ridges (not rows) per inch, measure the length of the edge, then multiply the two to calculate how many stitches to pick up.
Edgings may also be used to bind off. When applied to the top of garter stitch, Seed Stitch, or similar patterns, the proportion of these edgings is perfect. When applied to stockinette, however, they are just a bit too wide for the top of the fabric. You can adjust for this by using smaller needles.
Garter-stitch edging. With the wrong side facing you, cast on as many stitches as desired for the width of the edging at the beginning of the row. *Slip 1 knitwise with yarn in back, knit until 1 stitch of border remains, K2tog working the last edging stitch together with the stitch to be bound off. Turn to the right side. Knit until 1 stitch remains, purl 1. Turn to the wrong side. Repeat from * until all the stitches have been bound off. If you are working a flat piece of knitting, bind off the edging stitches. If you’re working a circular piece of knitting, sew them neatly to the cast on at the beginning of the edging.
Two-color garter-stitch edging. With the wrong side facing you, cast on as many stitches as desired for the width of edging at the beginning of the row. *Sl1 knitwise, knit until 1 stitch of border remains, K2tog, working the last edging stitch together with the stitch to be bound off. Bring the working yarn to the front, turn. Change colors (once you get started, the yarn should already be hanging there). Knit until 1 stitch remains, P1. Repeat from *.
Sometimes a project just needs a little something extra, either to balance an over-the-top design or to enhance a very plain one. Embellishments such as horizontal braids, vertical stripes, I-cord, ruffles, and woven strands, not to mention pom-poms, tassels, cords, and straps, can all fulfill this role. Some are worked while the knitting is in progress; some require preparation during knitting, but are added afterwards; and some are surface ornaments that can be applied at the very end.
Knitted braids aren’t really braided: they are actually the strands on the back of color patterns oriented to look like braids or chevrons. They can be worked from the wrong side of the fabric in knitting (so that the strands fall on the right side), or worked on the right side by purling. In either case, an entire two-color row or round is worked changing colors on every stitch and twisting the yarn in the same direction between each stitch. This twists the two strands quite a bit, but you should resist the urge to untwist them. The second step of the process is to work around alternating colors again, but twisting in the opposite direction, which serves to untwist the yarns. Make sure you knit each stitch with the same color on both rounds so the strands line up correctly to form the “braid.” The strands slant diagonally in one direction on the first round and the opposite direction on the second round, forming a chevron. Work just 2 rows or rounds to make a single row of chevrons, or work more rows, alternating the direction of the twist to make a herringbone or zigzag pattern.
Horizontal stripes are easy to make in knitting, but vertical stripes involve working slipped stitches, intarsia, or stranded knitting. You can, however, add vertical stripes after the knitting is completed. If you just want vertical stripes, work a piece of knitting that’s mostly stockinette, with a column of purled stitches wherever you will add a stripe. If you work horizontal stripes on the base fabric, you’ll end up with plaid.
Crocheting a vertical stripe. After the base fabric is completed, use a crochet hook to crochet a chain of the contrasting color in the purled channels. To begin, make a slip knot and hold the yarn behind the fabric. Insert the crochet hook through the bottom purl stitch and into the slip knot. Pull the slip knot through to the front of the fabric. Insert the hook into the next stitch, hook up a loop of the yarn (still behind the fabric) and pull it through the loop already on the hook. Repeat this until you get to the top of the column. Cut the yarn and pull the end through the fabric and through the top loop to secure it. The contrasting chain nestles into the column of purled stitches and is even with the surface of the stockinette stitch on either side.
I-cord is such a versatile little tube. Not only can it be used when binding off (see Binding Off with I-Cord), it can also stand on its own as a cord and be used as a surface embellishment on the knitted fabric, as shown on this swatch. Used this way it’s called applied I-cord. There are various techniques for attaching the I-cord, including knitting, sewing, and lacing it on.
I-cord applied by knitting, sewing, and lacing.
I-cord on the edge. Using a double-pointed needle, cast on 3 to 6 stitches. With the right side of the fabric facing you and the needle in your right hand, pick up and knit a stitch through the edge of the fabric. *Do not turn. Slip the stitches to the other end of the needle and shift it to your left hand. Pull the yarn across the back of these stitches and knit until two stitches remain, skp (this works the last stitch of the cord together with the picked up stitch). Knit up a stitch through the edge of the fabric. Repeat from * until you’ve applied I-cord all along the edge. Cut the yarn and pull the end through all the stitches.
Multiple rows of I-cord. You can apply row after row of I-cord along the edge of any piece of knitting (A), and if you need a buttonhole, it’s easy to work I-cord for a few rows without knitting up any stitches (B). When the cord for the buttonhole is long enough, start attaching it again, leaving a slit for the button to pass through.
I-cord for button loops. If you’d prefer decorative button loops, they too are easily achieved in I-cord. Mark the positions of your buttonholes with safety pins or split markers. When you reach these points, work plain I-cord until it’s long enough to go around your button (A). Pick up and knit the next stitch in the same place you knitted up the stitch at the beginning of the loop — this prevents a gap (B).
I-cord can either be knitted onto the surface of the fabric or sewn on. For free-form shapes, tight curves, or acute angles, it’s best to knit the I-cord, arrange it on the fabric the way you want it, and sew it on.
Horizontal applications. You can knit straight lines and slight curves of I-cord directly onto the fabric by planning ahead and working purls in the base fabric where you want the I-cord to be. For horizontal lines, purl a row where you want the I-cord. When you’re ready to add the embellishment, fold the knitting so the purl stitches make an edge, and apply your I-cord in the convenient purled bumps. Pick either the “smile” or the “frown” of the purl stitch, but be consistent.
Vertical applications. A column of purled stitches makes it easy to accurately place the I-cord. First, pick up and knit stitches through the fabric, holding the working yarn behind your knitting (A). Next, work an I-cord bind off (B). (For instructions, see Binding Off with I-Cord.)
Zigzags and curves. As you knit the base fabric, work purls where you want the I-cord to be (as outlined in photo below). You can pick up all the stitches before you start, or knit the I-cord onto the purl bumps as you go. Keep in mind that diagonal lines are longer than straight lines across the same number of stitches. If your I-cord is too tight, pick up additional stitches, use a larger needle, or work some plain rows of I-cord between pickups to compensate.
I-cord can also be laced through holes in the fabric either through eyelets or cables.
I-cord through eyelets. Work eyelets wherever you like by making a yo, then K2tog. Use an even number of eye-lets (after all, what goes in must come out!), and secure the I-cord at both ends, either by sewing or knotting it to something. I-cord woven through eyelets can be used to lash pieces of knitting together rather than sewing.
I-cord through cables. Cables create natural gaps wherever they cross: lace I-cord through these to give the impression of a two-color cable.
Ruffles, although they can take considerable time to knit, are simple constructions. Three factors affect their appearance: fullness, depth, and pattern stitch. Ruffles can be made when casting on or binding off, and they can be applied to the surface of the fabric.
How full a ruffle is depends on the proportion between the width of the ruffle and the fabric it’s attached to. Ruffles need to be at least twice as wide as the fabric, but frequently three or four times as wide looks better. Compare the ruffles on the swatches at the left. The ruffles at the edges of each swatch are twice as wide as the base fabric. Look at the pairs of narrow ruffles at the centers of each swatch: The bottom ones are also twice as wide as the base fabric. The top ones are four times as wide, so they ruffle twice as much.
Depth depends on how many rows you knit. A narrow ruffle takes much less time and yarn to knit than a deeper one. In both these swatches, the cast-on (bottom) ruffles are 1½” (3.75 cm) wide, the bind-off (top) ruffles are 1” (2.5 cm). The narrow ruffles in the center are only three rows deep (about ½” [1.25 cm]).
Curling depends on the pattern stitch. Ruffles knit in stockinette curl at the edges because of stockinette stitch’s natural tendency to curl. Ruffles knit in garter stitch, or any other noncurling pattern, remain flat. The two sets of ruffles in the photos are identical, except ruffle swatch A was worked in stockinette stitch and ruffle swatch B in garter stitch. The wider stockinette stitch ruffles curl noticeably, while the garter stitch ruffles exhibit a very restrained ripple. The difference is not as apparent in the narrow ruffles.
Working a cast-on ruffle. Cast on two to four times as many stitches as you need. A loose cast on works better than a tight one. The knitted cast on and the long-tail cast on are both good choices. Work in stockinette for a curly ruffle or in garter for a ripple until the ruffle is as deep as you want it. Decrease quickly down to the correct number of stitches; for example, if you cast on twice as many as you needed, K2tog all the way across. If you cast on more stitches, you may need to work the decreases over 2 rows. No matter how many stitches you are working with, squeeze them tightly together on your needle and work firmly for a few rows so they ruffle properly.
Working a bind-off ruffle. On the last row, increase to two to four times the number of stitches on your needle. Depending on the type of increase, you may not be able to add that many stitches in one row, so you can spread them out over two rows if necessary. Yarn overs worked between every stitch or working K1, yo, K1 in every stitch may produce the best results with the least amount of effort. Yarn overs make the ruffle lacy. If you want a solid ruffle, it may be best to use the make 1 (M1) increase using the working yarn. Working a yarn over and then working into the back of it on the next row to twist it produces exactly the same increase as an M1 and is much easier to knit into. Bind off when the ruffle is as deep as you want it. The standard bind off is stiff and unyielding and prevents the fabric from ruffling to its full potential. To allow your ruffle full freedom of expression, work a yarn over between every stitch while binding off. To do this, knit the first stitch, *yo, pass the knitted stitch off over the yarn over, K1, pass the yarn over off over the knitted stitch. Repeat from * until all the stitches have been bound off.
Adding a ruffle to completed fabric. Work a purl ridge wherever you want to add the ruffle. Fold the fabric at the ridge, pick up and knit one stitch in each purl stitch. Work into either the “smiles” or the “frowns,” but be consistent. In the above photo, the knitter slips the left needle into the stitch, picking it up, then knits it with the right needle. Once the stitches are on your needle, work exactly as described for a bind-off ruffle.
Some of the pattern stitches included in chapter 3 imitate woven fabric, using strands of the working yarn carried across the face of the fabric. True weaving is worked with at least one other yarn passed in and out of knitted stitches in the background yarn. Horizontal weaving is most efficiently done while you knit. Vertical weaving is best done after the background fabric has been completed. Only the most basic weaving is shown here. You can vary the woven pattern by using doubled strands of yarn or by working the woven pattern so it makes diagonals or herringbones.
In this example, the background stitches (C1-light pink) are knitted or purled on every row, but the contrasting yarn (C2-dark pink) is just woven in and out between these stitches. For a garter-stitch fabric, knit the background stitches on Row 2 rather than purling. Begin by casting on an odd number of stitches using C1 and purl 1 row (WS).
ROW 1: K1 with C1, holding C2 in front of work, *move C2 to back between needle points (A), K1 with C1, move C2 to front again, K1 with C1 (B); repeat from *.
ROW 2: Bring C2 around edge of fabric to front, P1 with C1, *move C2 to back between needle points, P1 with C1, move C2 to front between needle points, P1 with C1; repeat from *.
Repeat Rows 1–2.
Adjusting the tension. At the end of each row, adjust the tension of the woven yarn. You may hold the contrast color so that it falls either above or below the main color as you work, but be consistent because changing position in the middle of the piece will be quite noticeable. If you can hold the woven yarn in your left hand and knit with your right hand, this weaving goes almost as quickly as plain knitting.
Vertical weaving. Knit the base fabric in garter stitch, Seed Stitch, ribbing, or with horizontal weaving as described above. If the base fabric has knitted stripes or yarn woven in horizontally, vertical weaving creates a plaid fabric. After you’ve bound off the fabric, block it to its final dimensions. This not only makes weaving easier by preventing curling, but it ensures that your woven strands are the correct length, because it is impossible to stretch the fabric after the weaving is completed. Thread a yarn or tapestry needle with contrasting yarn and sew it in and out through the fabric.
You can incorporate fringe into your work as you knit, or you can apply it afterwards. Here are a few methods I particularly like to use.
Choose a noncurling pattern stitch like garter stitch, Seed Stitch, or ribbing, because you won’t be able to add borders at the sides. Plan for a tail at the cast on that’s at least as long as you want your fringe to be, then cast on enough stitches for the width of what you’re making (a placemat or coaster, for example) or for the length (a scarf; see Reversible Scarves). Cut the working yarn, and knot a new strand of yarn onto this tail (A). Be sure to leave enough yarn on both the old and new working yarns to make the fringe as long as you want it. Continue to work each row, leaving tails at both ends for fringe and knotting them onto the tail from the previous row. Change colors every row, either following a pattern or at random, or make wider stripes of one color by using it on repeated rows and cutting the yarn at the end of every row. When your project is finished, bind off loosely, neaten up any knots that need it, and trim the ends neatly (B).
Plan ahead for fringe by using a loose cast on, like the knitted cast on. To work a bind off specifically for fringe, either work very loosely on large needles or work a yarn over between each stitch as you bind off. I-cord makes a very neat, unfraying fringe. If you like, you can make longer I-cords, braid them together, and tie the braids with a separate piece of yarn.
Fringe variations. In swatch A, single strands of variegated yarn are knotted (1), twisted (2), braided (3), and left plain (4). In swatch B, double strands of the same variegated yarn are attached alternately with solid colors ranging from burgundy to light pink. In swatch C, the edge is embellished with multicolor fringes spaced 3 stitches apart, each with five different strands of yarn.
Cutting the fringe. Cut each strand of yarn twice as long as you want the finished fringe, because it will be folded in half when it’s attached. Cutting numerous strands of yarn the same length can be a tedious process, so use a book or a piece of cardboard the right width to make it easier. Wrap the yarn around and around, then cut all the strands along one side.
Attaching the fringe. Pull the folded lengths of yarn through the edge of the fabric using your fingers or a crochet hook (A). Tuck the ends through the folded loop and tighten (B).
Knotted fringe. Divide each fringe in half and knot it together with its neighbor, then knot it back together with its original partner. This can be done loosely, creating a net of fringe, or tightly.
Twisted fringe. Untwist two or more strands of the fringe until their plies are parallel (A), then twist both strands together in the opposite direction (B). Knot the end (C). If you are working with single-ply yarn, twist each strand more tightly, then twist two or more of the strands together in the opposite direction and knot the end.
Braided fringe. Knots are usually too bulky when all strands of a braid are used, so just tie one strand around the braid to secure it.
I-cord fringe at the cast on. Cast on 3 stitches on double-pointed needles and work the first I-cord until it’s the proper length for your fringe. (See I-cord Plain and Fancy.) Cut the yarn and slip the I-cord onto the needle you plan to use for your project. Make one cord for every 2 stitches you need to cast on and accumulate them on the extra needle. These cords can all be different colors. Slip the last onto the needle with the others, but don’t cut the yarn unless you need to change to a different color. Make sure all of the cords are facing the same way. On the right side, work across all the cords as follows: K2, *K2tog, K1, repeat from *, end K1. The decreases join each cord to its neighbors and create a neat, even beginning for the knitting. Count your stitches and adjust to the correct number, if necessary, by increasing or decreasing a stitch on the following row.
I-cord fringe at the bind off. On the last row, increase evenly spaced across the row so you have 50 percent more stitches than when you started. Make sure you have a multiple of 3 stitches. Knit the first 3 stitches onto a double-pointed needle and work I-cord on them with another double-pointed needle until it’s the correct length. Cut the yarn and pull through all 3 stitches to secure. Repeat on the next 3 stitches until all have been used. Change colors whenever you like. You can also add I-cord fringe anywhere you like by picking up 3 stitches at that point and working the cord. The photo above shows an I-cord fringe in progress, with more stitches to be bound off on the left needle, but the ends have all been neatly hidden inside the I-cords.
Pom-poms and tassels can accent finished knit items with an attractive flourish. You can make multicolor pompoms by changing colors as you wrap. Wrapping colors side by side results in a pom-pom with solid areas of each color. Wrapping the colors in several thin layers results in blended stripes of the colors throughout. Holding multiple strands of different colors and wrapping them together results in even further blending of the colors.
Making a pom-pom. Buy a pom-pom–making tool or use a piece of cardboard as a base. Cut a square of stiff cardboard a little larger in dimension than the diameter of the pom-pom you want to make. You may want to double the cardboard to make it stronger. Cut a slit down the center of the cardboard, stopping just past the center point. Cut a length of yarn and drape it through the slit (A). Wrap yarn around the cardboard, changing colors. Use more wraps for a larger pom-pom, fewer for a smaller one. Cut the yarn. Tie the piece of yarn hanging in the slit tightly around the wrapped yarn (B). Cut the wrapped yarn along both edges of the cardboard. Remove the cardboard, shake out the pom-pom, and trim any uneven ends.
Making a tassel. Cut a stiff piece of cardboard into a rectangle a little longer than you want the tassel and about 4” (10cm) wide. Wrap yarn lengthwise around the cardboard about 50 times, changing colors as desired. Cut the yarn even with the edge of the cardboard. Pull a doubled piece of yarn between the cardboard and the wrapped yarn, slide it up to one edge of the cardboard, and tie tightly around the wrapped yarn (A). Cut the wrapped yarn at the opposite end (B). Wrap another piece of yarn tightly around the tassel two or three times near the top and tie tightly. (See photo of tassel below.) Use a yarn needle to pull the ends of this tie through to the inside of the tassel. Shake out the tassel and trim evenly. Note: For a tassel with the center in one color and the outer layer in another, wrap about 20 times in the center of the card, then cover this completely (on top and on both sides) with the outer yarn.
Attaching pom-poms and tassels to surfaces. To fasten a pom-pom or tassel to the surface of the fabric, like the center of a hat, pull the two ties through to the back of the fabric 1 or 2 stitches apart.
Attaching pom-poms and tassels to corners. For an attachment to the edge or a corner of the fabric, pull one of the ties through from the front to the back, at least one row or stitch in from the edge.
When you are happy with the location, tie the two ends securely to each other on the wrong side, weave in on the back of the fabric, and trim.
Cords or straps worked in more than one color can be striking embellishments. All of the knitted cords described below are best worked firmly on smaller needles to reduce stretching.
Twisted cord. Twisted cords are quick to make. Decide how long the cord will be, add one-third to this measurement, then double the result. Cut at least two pieces of yarn in different colors to this length. Knot the yarns together at both ends. Have a friend hold the end, or hook it over a doorknob. Keeping the yarns stretched and taut, twist them very tightly. Pinch the twisted yarn at the center, then fold it in half, keeping it stretched out. Slowly release a few inches at a time, starting from the folded end, allowing the cord to twist back on itself. Knot both ends to prevent untwisting.
Braided cord. Cut three strands of yarn about 50 percent longer than the desired cord. For a thicker braid, double or triple the yarn. Knot all the strands together at one end and attach them to something (like a hook or a doorknob) so that you can pull gently on the braid while you work. Arrange your colors neatly with one on the right, one in the middle, and one on the left. Bring the right strand over the middle, then the left strand over the middle, and so on. Tie a single strand around the braid to secure it.
Cast on–bind off cord. Cast on enough stitches for the length of your cord, then change colors and bind off immediately on the next row. Be careful to bind off with your tension the same as it was for your cast on, or your cord will curve. Using the cable cast on results in a twisted cord because this cast on forms a spiral. The long-tail cast on makes a nice flat cord with no twist. Avoid cast ons that are naturally loose, like the loop or knitted cast ons, because they produce a loose, messy cord.
Cast on–bind off strap. Knitted straps always stretch, but if you work them sideways, you can control the stretch somewhat with a firm cast on and bind off. For example, firmly cast on enough stitches for the length of your strap using the long-tail cast on. Change colors and knit one row (right side), then work in ribbing or any other noncurling pattern until the strap is almost the desired width. On the next right-side row, change back to the original color and knit across. Bind off on the wrong side in knitting (shown here). Adjust the tension of your bind off as you work to match the tension of your cast on. The right side of the strap has a ridge of contrast color along both edges.
Knit-weave strap. This lovely, flat little strap is a recent invention of my own. It looks woven, but is made with two colors in a technique that combines I-cord and slipped stitches. It does have a tendency to twist slightly when not under tension. Use regular, not double-pointed, needles to prevent confusion over which direction to knit.
Using both colors, one over the thumb and the other over the index finger, cast on 3 stitches with the long-tail cast on. Using the thumb color, slip 1 knitwise, K2. Turn the knitting clockwise to begin the next row. *Using the other color, pull the yarn across the back, slip 1 knitwise, K2. Turn clockwise to begin the next row; repeat from *. The two yarns will become twisted around each other so you’ll need to stop periodically and unwind them. When the strap is long enough, bind off with the same color you worked on the last row.
I-cord is a narrow knitted cord, so versatile it can be put to many uses. Making I-cord in several colors is no more difficult than working it in one color and produces a gratifyingly interesting candy-stripe cord. If your I-cord normally has a gap across the back because you’re a loose knitter, this won’t be a problem when you’re working with more colors. Three I-cords can be braided together to make a wider strap. To work basic I-cord, using two double-pointed needles, cast on a few stitches, usually 3 or 4. *Knit across. Slide stitches to other end of needle without turning. Shift the needle to your left hand. Pull yarn firmly across back. Repeat from * until cord measures desired length. To finish, cut yarn and pull through all stitches.
Two-color I-cord. Using two double-pointed needles, cast on as many stitches as you like (3–8 work best) in first color. Slide the stitches to the other end of the needle, as shown by arrow above, and knit all the stitches with second color. Do not turn. Slide the stitches to the right end of the needle and switch the needle to your left hand. Pull first color across the back, keeping it below the other strand of yarn. Be careful not to pull it too tight. Knit all the stitches. Repeat this, alternating colors until the cord is as long as you like. Cut both yarns and pull both through all the stitches to secure.
Many-color I-cord. Using a pair of double-pointed needles, cast on as many stitches as you like (3–8 work best) in the first color and knit across the right side repeatedly, making 1 row of each color. Knot the tails of all the yarns together loosely to keep the yarn organized. Pull the color you need (the first time, this will be the cast-on color) gently across the back of the cord under the other working yarns and knit across. Make sure the knotted ends are in front of the working yarn before you begin knitting with it. This will be easier when the cord is a little longer. Continue to work each color in succession until the cord is the desired length. Cut all the yarns and pull the one that would be used next through all the stitches to secure them. Because of the spiral effect of using so many colors, the ends of this cord are diagonal.
I-cord started with a straight end. This I-cord can have as many stitches as you have balls of yarn. Make a slip knot with the first color and place it on a double-pointed needle. *Make a slip knot with the next color and place it on an empty double-pointed needle, then, using the same needle and the same color, knit across the first needle. The first time you do this, there will only be one stitch. Slide these stitches to the other end of the needle and switch it to the left hand. Repeat from * until you’ve used all your colors. You will have as many stitches as your have colors. Knot the cut ends together to keep them tidy and begin working circularly as described above for Many-Color I-cord.
I-cord finished with a straight end. Knit using the next color in your sequence until 1 stitch remains, then slip the last stitch. Slide the stitches to the other end of the needle and switch it to the left hand. The slipped stitch will be a different color from the rest. On the next row, using the next color in your sequence, knit 1 stitch less and slip the remaining stitches. Repeat, working one stitch less on each row until you have worked the last color, knitting just 1 stitch and slipping all the rest. Cut all the yarns. Find the end attached to the last full row you knitted, pull it across the back under all the other loose ends, and pull it through the stitches.
Ruffles adorn these cozy socks for big and little girls.
ROUND 1 *P1, slip 1 purlwise wyif; repeat from * around.
ROUND 2 Knit.
ROUND 3 *Slip 1 purlwise wyif, P1; repeat from * around.
ROUND 4 Knit.
SETUP ROW: Cast on 40 sts.
Arrange stitches as follows:
Join beginning and end of round, being careful not to twist knitting.
ROUNDS 1-10: Work cicularly in Chinese Waves Pattern Stitch
ROUNDS 11-13: Knit.
ROUNDS 14: Purl.
ROUNDS 21: Purl.
ROUNDS 22-27: Knit.
ROUNDS 28: Purl.
NEXT ROUNDS: Work in stockinette until measurement from cast on is 4" (10 cm).
Using Needle 3, continue knitting across Needle 1 until 1 stitch remains, P1. Stitches are now evenly divided between two needles. Turn and begin working back across the needle you just finished, as follows:
Repeat these two rows until there are 10 garter ridges along edge of heel flap.
End with a wrong-side row.
ROW 1 (RS): K12 sts, ssk, K1, turn.
ROW 2 (WS): Slip 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn.
ROW 3: Slip 1 purlwise, knit until 1 stitch remains before the gap formed by the last turning, ssk, K1, turn.
ROW 4: Slip 1 purlwise, purl until 1 stitch remains before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until all the stitches of the heel flap have been worked. On the last two rows, you will be unable to work the final K1 or P1. Simply turn and work back on the other side. On this needle, you now have 12 sts.
This is the Bottom Needle; the needle you have not been using is the Top Needle. Knit across the Bottom Needle on the right side.
Using an empty needle, knit up 1 stitch in each of the slipped-edge stitches along the right edge of the heel flap. (You are already at a corner of the heel flap, just keep on going around the corner to the left.) For a neat cabled edge, knit through just the outer half of the stitch. On this needle (now called First Side Needle), you now have 10 sts.
Using another empty needle, knit across the Top Needle.
Using another empty needle, knit up 1 stitch in each of the slipped-edge stitches along the left edge of the heel flap. On this needle (now called Second Side Needle), you now have 10 sts.
Knit half of the stitches from the Bottom Needle onto the Second Side Needle and slip the remaining stitches to the First Side Needle. Your sock is now on three needles again. The beginning of the round is now the center bottom of the foot.
Begin working circularly again.
ROUND 1: Knit.
ROUND 2:
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until you have 40 sts.
Work even in stockinette stitch (knit each round) until the foot of the sock measures 1" (2.5 cm) less than the desired length.
Change to contrast color, if desired.
Note: The beginning of round is at the center bottom of foot (between the two Side Needles).
ROUND 1:
ROUND 2: Knit.
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 five times. You now have 20 sts.
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Round 1 two times. You now have 12 sts.
Using the Second Side Needle, knit all the stitches from the First Side Needle. Your stitches should now be evenly divided, with the bottom stitches on one needle, and the remaining stitches on the Top Needle. Cut yarn, leaving an 8” (20 cm) tail. Use a tapestry or yarn needle to weave toe of sock together (see Kitchener Stitch for instructions).
Make a ruffle in each purl round at the top of the sock, as follows.
SETUP ROUND: Fold top of sock to inside along purl round. Beginning at center back of sock, using an empty double-pointed needle, and working along folded edge of sock, knit up one stitch in each purl stitch, until the needle holds 10 sts.
Repeat for 3 more needles, which should take you all the way around the sock.
ROUNDS 1 and 2: *K1, yo; repeat from * around.
BIND-OFF ROUND: K1 *yo, pass stitch over, K1, pass stitch over; repeat from * around until all stitches have been bound off.
Cut yarn, leaving an 8" (20 cm) end. Using a yarn needle, join last bound-off stitch to first bound-off stitch, then weave end down through ruffle to the sock. Pull ends of yarn to inside. Weave in ends on inside.
SETUP ROW: Cast on 48 sts.
Arrange stitches as follows:
Join beginning and end of round, being careful not to twist knitting.
ROUNDS 1-10: Work cicularly in Chinese Waves Pattern Stitch
ROUNDS 11-13: Knit.
ROUNDS 14: Purl.
ROUNDS 15-20: Knit.
ROUNDS 21: Purl.
ROUNDS 22-27: Knit.
ROUNDS 28: Purl.
NEXT ROUNDS: Work in stockinette until measurement from cast on is 41⁄2" (11 cm).
Using Needle 3, continue knitting across Needle 1 until 1 stitch remains, P1. Stitches are now evenly divided between two needles. Turn and begin working back across the needle you just finished, as follows:
Repeat these two rows until there are 12 garter ridges along edge of heel flap.
End with a wrong-side row.
ROW 1 (RS): K14 sts, ssk, K1, turn.
ROW 2 (WS): Slip 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn.
ROW 3: Slip 1 purlwise, knit until 1 stitch remains before the gap formed by the last turning, ssk, K1, turn.
ROW 4: Slip 1 purlwise, purl until 1 stitch remains before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until all the stitches of the heel flap have been worked. On the last two rows, you will be unable to work the final K1 or P1. Simply turn and work back on the other side. On this needle, you now have 14 sts.
This is the Bottom Needle; the needle you have not been using is the Top Needle. Knit across the Bottom Needle on the right side.
Using an empty needle, knit up 1 stitch in each of the slipped-edge stitches along the right edge of the heel flap. (You are already at a corner of the heel flap, just keep on going around the corner to the left.) For a neat cabled edge, knit through just the outer half of the stitch. On this needle (now called First Side Needle), you now have 12 sts.
Using another empty needle, knit across the Top Needle.
Using another empty needle, knit up 1 stitch in each of the slipped-edge stitches along the left edge of the heel flap. On this needle (now called Second Side Needle), you now have 12 sts.
Knit half of the stitches from the Bottom Needle onto the Second Side Needle and slip the remaining stitches to the First Side Needle. Your sock is now on three needles again. The beginning of the round is now the center bottom of the foot.
Begin working circularly again.
ROUND 1: Knit.
ROUND 2:
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until you have 48 sts.
Work even in stockinette stitch (knit each round) until the foot of the sock measures 13⁄8" (3.5 cm) less than the desired length.
Change to contrast color, if desired.
Note: The beginning of round is at the center bottom of foot (between the two Side Needles).
ROUND 1:
ROUND 2: Knit.
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 six times. You now have 24 sts.
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Round 1 three times. You now have 12 sts.
Using the Second Side Needle, knit all the stitches from the First Side Needle. Your stitches should now be evenly divided, with the bottom stitches on one needle, and the remaining stitches on the Top Needle. Cut yarn, leaving an 8” (20 cm) tail. Use a tapestry or yarn needle to weave toe of sock together (see Kitchener Stitch for instructions).
Make a ruffle in each purl round at the top of the sock, as follows.
SETUP ROUND: Fold top of sock to inside along purl round. Beginning at center back of sock, using an empty double-pointed needle, and working along folded edge of sock, knit up one stitch in each purl stitch, until the needle holds 12 sts.
Repeat for 3 more needles, which should take you all the way around the sock.
ROUNDS 1 and 2: *K1, yo; repeat from * around.
BIND-OFF ROUND: K1 *yo, pass stitch over, K1, pass stitch over; repeat from * around until all stitches have been bound off.
Cut yarn, leaving an 8" (20 cm) end. Using a yarn needle, join last bound-off stitch to first bound-off stitch, then weave end down through ruffle to the sock. Pull ends of yarn to inside. Weave in ends on inside.
SETUP ROW: Cast on 56 sts.
Arrange stitches as follows:
Join beginning and end of round, being careful not to twist knitting.
ROUNDS 1-10: Work cicularly in Chinese Waves Pattern Stitch
ROUNDS 11-13: Knit.
ROUNDS 14: Purl.
ROUNDS 15-20: Knit.
ROUNDS 21: Purl.
ROUNDS 22-27: Knit.
ROUNDS 28: Purl.
NEXT ROUNDS: Work in stockinette until measurement from cast on is 43⁄4" (12 cm).
Using Needle 3, continue knitting across Needle 1 until 1 stitch remains, P1. Stitches are now evenly divided between two needles. Turn and begin working back across the needle you just finished, as follows:
Repeat these two rows until there are 14 garter ridges along edge of heel flap.
End with a wrong-side row.
ROW 1 (RS): K16 sts, ssk, K1, turn.
ROW 2 (WS): Slip 1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn.
ROW 3: Slip 1 purlwise, knit until 1 stitch remains before the gap formed by the last turning, ssk, K1, turn.
ROW 4: Slip 1 purlwise, purl until 1 stitch remains before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn.
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until all the stitches of the heel flap have been worked. On the last two rows, you will be unable to work the final K1 or P1. Simply turn and work back on the other side. On this needle, you now have 16 sts.
This is the Bottom Needle; the needle you have not been using is the Top Needle. Knit across the Bottom Needle on the right side.
Using an empty needle, knit up 1 stitch in each of the slipped-edge stitches along the right edge of the heel flap. (You are already at a corner of the heel flap, just keep on going around the corner to the left.) For a neat cabled edge, knit through just the outer half of the stitch. On this needle (now called First Side Needle), you now have 14 sts.
Using another empty needle, knit across the Top Needle.
Using another empty needle, knit up 1 stitch in each of the slipped-edge stitches along the left edge of the heel flap. On this needle (now called Second Side Needle), you now have 14 sts.
Knit half of the stitches from the Bottom Needle onto the Second Side Needle and slip the remaining stitches to the First Side Needle. Your sock is now on three needles again. The beginning of the round is now the center bottom of the foot.
Begin working circularly again.
ROUND 1: Knit.
ROUND 2:
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until you have 56 sts.
Work even in stockinette stitch (knit each round) until the foot of the sock measures 15⁄8" (4 cm) less than the desired length.
Change to contrast color, if desired.
Note: The beginning of round is at the center bottom of foot (between the two Side Needles).
ROUND 1:
ROUND 2: Knit.
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 seven times. You now have 28 sts.
NEXT ROUNDS: Repeat Round 1 four times. You now have 12 sts.
Using the Second Side Needle, knit all the stitches from the First Side Needle. Your stitches should now be evenly divided, with the bottom stitches on one needle, and the remaining stitches on the Top Needle. Cut yarn, leaving an 8” (20 cm) tail. Use a tapestry or yarn needle to weave toe of sock together (see Kitchener Stitch for instructions).
Make a ruffle in each purl round at the top of the sock, as follows.
SETUP ROUND: Fold top of sock to inside along purl round. Beginning at center back of sock, using an empty double-pointed needle, and working along folded edge of sock, knit up one stitch in each purl stitch, until the needle holds 14 sts.
Repeat for 3 more needles, which should take you all the way around the sock.
ROUNDS 1 and 2: *K1, yo; repeat from * around.
BIND-OFF ROUND: K1 *yo, pass stitch over, K1, pass stitch over; repeat from * around until all stitches have been bound off.
Cut yarn, leaving an 8" (20 cm) end. Using a yarn needle, join last bound-off stitch to first bound-off stitch, then weave end down through ruffle to the sock. Pull ends of yarn to inside. Weave in ends on inside.
Mix and match colors and use your choice of I-cord embellishment on these quick-to-knit coasters.
SETUP ROUND: Using MC, cast on 8 stitches and divide among 3 needles. Join beginning and end of round, being careful not to twist.
ROUND 1: *K1, M1; repeat from * around (16 stitches).
ROUND 2: Purl.
ROUND 3: *K2, M1; repeat from * around (24 stitches).
ROUND 4: Purl.
ROUND 5: *K3, M1; repeat from * around (32 stitches).
ROUND 6: Purl.
ROUND 7: *K4, M1; repeat from * around (40 stitches).
ROUND 8: Purl.
ROUND 9: *K5, M1; repeat from * around (48 stitches).
ROUND 10: Purl.
Cut yarn. Select one of the trim options below.
Tie C1 to end of MC. Turn to wrong side. Using C1, cast on 3 stitches at beginning of needle. Work I-cord Bind Off (see Binding Off with I-Cord for instructions) until all stitches have been bound off.
Cut yarn, leaving a 6" (15 cm) tail. Sew end of I-cord to beginning of I-cord, then bury the end inside the cord.
Tie C2 to end of main color. Work Decorative Overlapping Loops, making each 10 rows long (see here for instructions). If you find all the double-pointed needles unwieldy, slip the coaster onto a circular needle.
Using C1, work I-cord Bind-off (see Binding Off with I-Cord for instructions), then, using C3, work a second row of Applied I-cord (see Binding Off with I-Cord for instructions). As you work the second row of I-cord, work into the same stitch again every fourth row, to insure that the new I-cord is long enough to go around the outer edge.
Pull any ends near the I-cord inside it to hide them. Weave the tail at the cast on around the small hole at the center and tighten to close up the hole. Weave in any remaining ends on the wrong side.
