An applied edging is a separate strip of knitting (decorative or plain) that is added at a right angle to the base fabric. Applied edgings may be attached to live stitches either as a bind off or to stitches picked up for that purpose. Edgings may be applied to live stitches as described below (essentially the same procedure as Knitting On, Method 2 in chapter 6) or they may be joined to the edge of the fabric using Knitting On, Method 1.
To work an edging by attaching it to live stitches as you go, follow these basic guidelines:
Step 1. Cast on the additional stitches required for the edging. If there is a decorative pattern, you may need to cast on 1 additional stitch for joining. If the first row of the edging is a right-side row, cast the stitches onto the beginning of the needle that holds the live stitches to which you’ll be joining it. If the first row is a wrong-side row, place the cast-on stitches on an empty needle and work the first wrong-side row.
Step 2. Work across the edging stitches on the right side until 1 stitch remains. Decrease to join this stitch to the first stitch of the base fabric. Working an skp decrease will usually look best.
Step 3. Turn and work back across the wrong side of the edging stitches in pattern. The join may look neater if you slip the first stitch on wrong-side rows.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all the stitches of the base fabric have been decreased away. Bind off the edging.
A series of small stitches made by inserting the needle at the midpoint of each preceding stitch so that the stitches overlap. The overlapping stitches allow the sewing to be stretched without breaking the thread.
The tendency of flat knitted fabric to skew on the diagonal, or for a tube knit circularly to spiral instead of hanging straight. This is caused by some pattern stitches or yarn that is not “balanced,” meaning that the plies have not been twisted the proper amount to equalize the yarn so that it is inert. Yarn that is not balanced also tends to twist back on itself when not under tension.
K1, *K1, insert the left needle into the first stitch worked, pass it over the other stitch and off the needle; repeat from *. When 1 stitch remains, cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch to prevent it from unraveling. To prevent the last bound-off stitch from protruding past the edge of the fabric, stop when 2 stitches remain, slip last stitch to the working needle knitwise, cut the yarn, and pull it through the last 2 stitches.
In pattern. Continue to work the pattern already in progress while binding off. For example, if working K1, P1 ribbing, knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches while binding off.
In purl. Instead of knitting while binding off, purl all of the stitches.
A method of binding off that employs decreases rather than passing stitches over, helping to ensure that the bind off is loose and stretchy. For the proper way to pass stitches back to the left needle, see Pass.
Ssk version. K1, *slip 1 knitwise. Insert the left needle into the 2 stitches on the right needle. Knit these 2 stitches together; repeat from * until all the stitches have been bound off. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch. This produces a bind off identical to the basic bind off.
Purl version. *P2tog A, pass the stitch back to the left needle B; repeat from * until all stitches have been bound off. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch. The result is the same as binding off “in purl.”
Russian bind off. *K2tog-tbl, pass the stitch back to the left needle; repeat from * until all stitches have been bound off. Cut the yarn and pull through the last stitch. The result is the same as the basic bind off, except that if your stitches are on the needle in the standard orientation, the row of stitches immediately below the bind off will be twisted. An excellent choice, however, for those whose stitches are on the needle in the nonstandard orientation, because it will untwist them as they bind off.
This bind off can be worked with either the right or the wrong side of the fabric facing you. When working the cord in a contrasting yarn, the tops of the original stitches may peek through the cord. This problem appears on the side facing you while you bind off, so to hide it, work the bind off with the wrong side facing you. If you want both the right and wrong sides to look perfect, work 1 row in the contrasting yarn before beginning the I-cord.
Setup. At the beginning of the row, cast on 3 to 6 stitches for the cord.
Step 1. Knit until 1 stitch remains of the cord, slip 1 knitwise, K1, pass slipped stitch over (this works the last stitch of the cord together with the first stitch to be bound off).
Step 2. Pass all the stitches back to the left needle. Do not turn.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all stitches across the row have been decreased and only the cord stitches remain. Cut yarn and pull the end through all stitches.
I-cord bind off is usually most successful with 3 or 4 stitches for the I-cord. If you find working skp cumbersome, you may substitute ssk or K2tog-tbl. I prefer skp because it makes the stitch look slightly taller and maintains the orientation of the stitch parallel to the cord; ssk will result in a slightly shorter stitch, angled away from the cord a bit. The difference may be imperceptible to you, so choose whichever you like best. K2tog-tbl twists the decreased stitches, but that usually will not be noticeable in dark or textured yarns.
K3, *pass the first of the stitches just knit over the other 2, K1; repeat from * until only 2 stitches remain. Cut yarn and pull it through the last 2 stitches.
The picot bind off creates small decorative points along the edge of the fabric. You accomplish this by casting on a few extra stitches, binding them off, and then continuing to bind off a few of the original stitches, making a smooth transition between the added picot stitches and the original stitches at the edge of the fabric. You can easily make larger points by casting on more stitches in step 2, but remember that you’ll also need to bind off more stitches to compensate. You can also change the distance between picots by binding off more or fewer stitches in step 3.
Setup. Bind off 1 or 2 stitches.
Step 1. Pass the stitch on the right needle back to the left needle.
Step 2. Cast on 2 stitches using the Knitted Cast On.
Step 3. Bind off 4 or 5 stitches (beginning with the 2 you just cast on and continuing across the original stitches).
Repeat these three steps until all stitches have been bound off. Cut yarn and pull it through the last stitch. At the end of the row/round, you may need to adjust the number of stitches between picots to make the spacing look even; do this by working K2tog occasionally as you bind off. If you are placing the picots more than 2 or 3 stitches apart, plan the spacing before beginning your bind off; divide the number of stitches on the needle by the stitches between picots to see how many extra stitches there will be. Split these evenly between the beginning and end of the bind off if working flat, or work K2tog periodically while binding off to reduce the number of stitches if working in the round.
Setup. Cut the yarn about three times as long as edge to be bound off. Thread it through a yarn needle; you will use it to sew through the stitches. Hold the knitting in your left hand and sew with your right.
Step 1. Insert the yarn needle through 2 stitches as if to P2tog and pull the yarn through.
Step 2. Insert the yarn needle through the first stitch again knitwise. Pull the yarn through, and slip that stitch off the knitting needle.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have only 1 stitch left on the needle. Work once more from left to right through this last stitch.
Either side of this bind off could be the “right” side; you’ll need to decide which you prefer. If you are left-handed, just reverse the directions in order to sew with your left hand: in step 1, you’ll work through 2 stitches from left to right, and in step 2 you’ll work through 1 stitch from right to left.
This bind off is identical to the basic bind off, but the stitch passed over is suspended on the left needle until the following stitch is worked, preventing it from being tightened by accident.
K1, *K1, insert the left needle into the first stitch worked. Lift this stitch up and pass it over the stitch on the left, but leave it on the tip of the left needle. Keep it there while you work the following stitch. When this stitch slips off the needle, the suspended stitch will also slip off. Repeat from * until all stitches have been bound off.
When binding off in pattern, the yarn must be moved to the correct position for the next stitch (in front to purl and in back to knit) before lifting the stitch up to pass it over.
A method of joining the tops of two pieces of knitting while binding off. Hold the two pieces to be joined with either right sides or wrong sides together. The seam formed by binding off will appear on whatever side is facing out while you are binding off. The two needles should be parallel to each other, pointing in the same direction, with the working yarn hanging from one point.
Step 1. Using a third needle, knit together 1 stitch from the front needle and 1 from the back needle.
Step 2. Repeat for the next stitch on both needles.
Step 3. Pass the first stitch worked over the second to bind it off.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all stitches are bound off. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch.
Setup. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail about three times the length of the edge to be bound off, plus about 6 inches, and thread it through a yarn needle. If this is too long to work with comfortably, start with a shorter length and begin a new piece of yarn when it runs out. If you’ve been working in K1, P1 ribbing, start with a knit stitch. If the first stitch on your needle is a purl, begin working the tubular bind off with steps 3 and 4.
Step 1. Insert the tip of the yarn needle knitwise into the first stitch and slip it off the needle.
Step 2. Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the third stitch and pull the yarn through.
Step 3. Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the new first stitch and slip it off the needle.
Step 4. Bring the yarn needle to the back of the knitting, insert it knitwise into the new second stitch, and pull the yarn through. You’ve bound off 2 stitches and have worked into the first 2 stitches that remain.
Repeat steps 1 through 4 until all stitches have been bound off. As you become familiar with the process, you’ll be able to merge these steps into two smooth movements, working steps 1 and 2 together and steps 3 and 4 together.
You can also achieve the same results by slipping the stitches alternately onto two needles, so stitch #1 is on the front needle, stitch #2 on the back, and so on. If you have been working in K1, P1 ribbing, the knit stitches should be on the front needle and the purl stitches on the back. Work Kitchener Stitch to join the stitches on the two needles. You may work a few rows of tubular knitting before beginning the bind off. (See Tubular Knitting). Note that this bind off is not a good choice for textured, bumpy, or fragile yarn, any of which will make it difficult or impossible to execute.
Adding yarnovers between stitches as you bind off makes the edge twice as long as it would be otherwise, so there’s plenty of room for it to stretch. If the edge is too stretchy, adjust the amount of stretch by working the yarnovers after every second or third stitch.
Setup. K1.
Step 1. Yo.
Step 2. Pass the knit stitch over the yo.
Step 3. K1.
Step 4. Pass the yo over the knit stitch.
Repeat steps 1 through 4 until all stitches are bound off.
Also called blanket stitch, this is used around buttonholes to firm them up or provide a decorative edge.
Use a yarn needle to sew around the exposed edge of the knitting, catching the loop formed by the working yarn behind the needle with each stitch as shown.
For photographs of the finished buttonholes, see here in chapter 8.
This versatile buttonhole allows you to determine where the buttonholes will be placed after the knitting is completed, adapt it to any number of stitches, and adjust how stretchy it is by adjusting the tension of the bind off.
Step 1. Snip 1 stitch at the center of the spot where you want to add a buttonhole. Unravel just a stitch or 2 to each side. (Usually 3 or 4 stitches make a reasonable width, but how many you unravel will depend on the size of your button.)
Step 2. With a new strand of yarn, use the Sewn Bind Off to bind off the bottom, going 1 stitch beyond the opening.
Step 3. Turn upside down and bind off the top the same way, joining to the beginning of your bind off.
Weave in all the ends on the back. (For more on “afterthoughts,” see Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Without Tears.)
This buttonhole is worked over just 1 stitch and is most attractive when placed in a knit stitch when working row 1. The instructions below are for a series of these buttonholes in a K1, P1 ribbing.
Row 1 (wrong side): Work across in ribbing, but knit into the front and back of each stitch where you want a buttonhole.
Row 2 (right side): Work across in pattern until 1 stitch remains before each increased stitch, ssk A, yo twice, K2tog B.
Row 3 (wrong side): Work across in pattern. When 1 stitch remains before each double yo, P2tog (working the stitch together with the first yarnover from the previous row) A, yo, ssp (working the remaining yarnover together with the following stitch) B.
Row 4 (right side): Work across in pattern, purling into each buttonhole under both strands of yarn.
This buttonhole is worked over 2 stitches and is most attractive when placed in a 2-stitch purled rib when working row 1. The instructions below are for a series of these buttonholes in a K2, P2 ribbing.
Row 1 (right side): Work in pattern until 1 knit stitch remains before the 2 purl stitches where each buttonhole will be placed, ssk, yo twice, K2tog.
Row 2 (wrong side): Work in pattern until 1 stitch remains before each double yo, P2tog (working the stitch together with the first yarnover from the previous row), yo twice, ssp (working the remaining yarnover together with the following stitch).
Row 3 (right side): Work across in pattern, working K1, P1 into each double yo, working under both strands.
To make a smaller buttonhole, skip row 2 and work row 3 on the wrong side instead.
Make a yarnover where you want the buttonhole, then knit or purl the next 2 stitches together. You may find it looks better in your pattern stitch to reverse the two, decreasing first and then working the yarnover. When you come to these eyelets on the following row, revert to the original pattern as established.
This makes a tight buttonhole with no stretch. Note that “yarn forward” and “yarn back” mean that you move the yarn between the two needle points, either to the front or to the back. These are not yarnovers; they do not add any stitches. Slip all stitches purlwise. The instruction to “bind off 1” means to pass the second stitch on the right needle over the first one. No additional stitches are knit in order to bind off. This buttonhole looks best when worked on a wrong-side row.
Setup. Work across to the point where you want the buttonhole.
Step 1. Yarn forward, slip 1, yarn back, slip 1, bind off 1, yarn forward, slip 1, yarn back, bind off 1, slip 1, bind off 1. Pass the last stitch back to the left needle.
Step 2. Cast on 4 stitches using the Cable Cast On. Slip the last stitch cast on to the right needle.
Step 3. Bind off 1. Yarn forward, slip 1, yarn back, slip 1, yarn forward, slip 1, yarn back. The buttonhole is complete. Continue across the row.
These instructions are for a 3-stitch buttonhole, but you can bind off any number of stitches to make whatever size buttonhole you work. An odd number will work best. When you cast on in step 2, add 1 more stitch than you bound off in step 1.
This makes a looser buttonhole that can be done on any number of stitches. It looks best when row 1 is worked on the wrong side.
Setup. Work to the point where you want the buttonhole.
Row 1. Bind off the desired number of stitches for the buttonhole. Continue across the row.
Row 2. When you come to the gap created by the bound-off stitches on the previous row, cast on the same number using the Half-Hitch Cast On. Continue to the end of the row.
Row 3. Knit into the cast-on stitches so that they twist. Depending on how you twisted the stitches when you cast on, you may need to work into the front or the back to twist them now.
See here for tightening any looseness.
Setup. Cast on 2 stitches using the Knitted Cast On opposite.
*Insert the right needle between the 2 stitches A; knit up a stitch, leaving the 2 original stitches on the left needle B; insert the left needle up into the new stitch from the front and slip it off the right needle; repeat from *, knitting each new stitch between the last 2 stitches cast on.
This is a variation on the cable cast on (see above).
Setup. Using two colors of yarn held together, make a slip knot and put it on the needle. These are your first 2 stitches.
*Using the yarn that matches the 2nd stitch from the end of the needle A, knit up a stitch in this color between the last 2 stitches B and slip it onto the left needle. Twist the two yarns to change colors. Repeat from * until there are enough stitches. Be careful to always twist in the same direction when changing colors.
The small picots of this cast on make a very nice edge for K1, P1 ribbing, garter stitch, or stockinette, and the additional strand of yarn used to cast on creates a more substantial, durable edge. You will need two balls of yarn.
Setup. Holding both yarn strands together, pull out lengths of yarn measuring about 1 inch for each stitch you are casting on (for example, you need about 10 inches to cast on 10 stitches). The length of the tails recommended is for worsted-weight yarn. If you are using thinner yarn, you’ll need less; with bulkier yarn, you’ll need more. Make a single slip knot with both yarns at this point and place it on your needle. Cut off one of the strands that is attached to a ball.
Step 1. Hold the needle in your right hand with your index finger on the slip knot. Wrap the double strand counterclockwise twice around your left thumb and hold the single strand over your left index finger. Maintain tension on the strands in your left hand by holding them against your palm with the rest of your fingers.
Step 2. Put one wrap of the single strand around the needle by taking the needle point over the strand and behind it (making a yarnover). Insert the needle up through all the wraps on your thumb and over the strand on the index finger once again.
Step 3. Pull a new stitch out through the thumb loops using the tip of the knitting needle and let the wraps slip off your thumb. Tighten the thumb strands.
Step 4. Replace both the double and single strands on your left hand, wrapping the double strand twice counterclockwise around your left thumb as in step 1.
Repeat steps 2 through 4. Each repeat will cast on 2 stitches. If you need an even number of stitches, adjust for this on the first row by knitting the two strands of the slip knot individually. If you need an odd number of stitches, knit the double strand of the slip knot as if it were 1 stitch.
This is only one of many ways to work this cast on, which is just a series of half hitches placed on the needle: Hold a needle and the cut end of the yarn against your left palm. *Bring your thumb to the front under the yarn A, slip the needle up into the loop on your thumb B, slip your thumb out. Repeat from * until the stitches you need have been cast on C.
Leaving a short tail, make a slip knot and place it on your left needle. *Knit a stitch, leaving the original stitch on the needle A, insert the left needle into the new stitch from the front B, tighten up the stitch C. Repeat from * until the stitches you need have been cast on.
This is an open and decorative cast on, but also very stretchy.
Setup. Place a slip knot on the left needle. Hold it in place with your index finger.
Step 1. Bring the yarn forward over the left needle.
Step 2. Insert the right needle between the slip knot and the yarnover.
Step 3. Wrap the yarn around the right needle and knit a stitch.
Step 4. Slip the new stitch onto the left needle knitwise.
Repeat steps 1 through 4 until the desired number of stitches has been cast on. These instructions result in an odd number of stitches. If you need an even number, begin by knitting a stitch in the slip knot, placing it on the left needle, then working the instructions above, or cast on 1 more stitch than you need and unravel the slip knot when you reach the end of the first row.
Setup. Pull out a length of yarn for the long tail, about three times as long as the desired width of your knitting, plus about 6 inches. Make a slip knot at this point and place it on the needle. Hold the needle in your right hand with the index finger on the slip knot to prevent it from sliding off. Arrange the yarn in your left hand, with the tail over your thumb and the working yarn over your index finger A.
*Insert the needle up through the loop around your thumb B, bring it over and behind the front strand on your index finger C, then back out through the thumb loop to form a stitch D; drop the thumb loop, place your thumb behind the long tail, and use it to tighten the loop; repeat from *.
Using two colors of yarn held together, make a slip knot and put it on the needle. Work as for the long-tail cast on above, with one color on the thumb and the other on the index finger. Between each cast-on stitch, twist the two yarns and swap their positions on your finger and thumb. Be careful to always twist in the same direction. Do not include the slip knot in your stitch count; when the cast on is complete, remove the slip knot from the needle and unravel it later.
Hold the ends of both colors together and make a slip knot. Place the slip knot on your needle, put one color on your thumb and the other on your index finger, and work the usual long-tail cast on (above). Unlike the alternating-color long-tail cast on, you do not swap the yarns between each stitch. The color on your thumb will appear at the bottom edge of the knitting, and the color on your index finger will become the first row of the knitting. Do not include the slip knot in your stitch count; when the cast on is complete, remove the slip knot from the needle and unravel it later.
Provisional cast ons are worked using waste yarn so that you can easily remove the cast on and have live stitches at the beginning of your knitting. These are very useful for creating hems or when planning to add another garment section or border seamlessly.
Setup. You need waste yarn and a crochet hook the same size as your knitting needle. Make a slip knot with the waste yarn and place it on the crochet hook. The yarn, needle, and crochet hook may be held in either hand.
Step 1. Cross the crochet hook in front of the knitting needle.
Step 2. *Bring the yarn behind the knitting needle A and chain a stitch with the crochet hook B C. Repeat from * until you have the required number of stitches on the needle.
Step 3. Cut the waste yarn and pull it through the loop on the crochet hook so it won’t unravel.
Step 4. Change to the working yarn and knit 1 row, being careful to work into the stitches without twisting them.
To remove the waste yarn later, pick the ending tail back out and unravel the chain, placing the live stitches on a needle.
Setup. Use waste yarn and your working yarn to begin this cast on. Tie the waste yarn around the end of the working yarn. Arrange the waste yarn around your thumb and the working yarn over your index finger. Hold both strands taut against your palm and the point of the knitting needle under the knot; keep the knot from sliding off the needle with your index finger.
Step 1. Point your thumb up and insert the needle under the waste yarn from front to back and over the working yarn to scoop up a strand of the working yarn; 1 stitch is now on the needle.
Step 2. Point your thumb down and take the needle behind the working yarn to scoop up a second stitch.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until there are the required number of stitches.
Cut the waste yarn and tie it to the working yarn to keep it from coming undone. To remove the waste yarn later, untie both ends and pull it horizontally out of the fabric, placing the live stitches on a needle.
This is a variation on the Cable Cast On, alternating knits and purls.
Setup. Cast on 2 stitches using the Knitted Cast On.
*Purl up a stitch between the last 2 stitches on the left needle A and slip the new stitch knitwise onto the left needle. Knit up a stitch between the last 2 stitches on the left needle (exactly like the cable cast on) and slip the new stitch knitwise onto the left needle B. Repeat from * until desired number of stitches has been cast on. To work K1, P1 ribbing above this, knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Cast on two or three times as many stitches as you need with a stretchy cast on. Work until the ruffle is as wide as desired, then decrease severely down to the number of stitches you need for your project. For a ruffle that stays flat, work it in garter stitch or some other noncurling pattern. For a ruffle with rolled edges, work it in stockinette. After you decrease, work very firmly for the first few rows, compressing the stitches together to force the extra fabric at the cast on to ruffle.
Setup. Cast on half the desired number of stitches using a provisional cast on or a half-hitch cast on and waste yarn. If you need an odd number of stitches, round up (for example, for 21 stitches, cast on 11).
Step 1. With the working yarn, *K1, yo; repeat from *, ending K1.
Step 2. At this point you have two options: You may work tubular knitting for 2 or more rounds to create a tube at the edge of your knitting, or you may skip to step 3. To work tubular knitting, slip 1 purlwise wyif, *K1, slip 1 purlwise wyif; repeat from *. On opposite side, K1, *slip 1 purlwise wyif, K1; repeat from *. Repeat these 2 rows for a full round of tubular knitting. (See Tubular Knitting.)
Step 3. Begin working ribbing. If you want an even number of stitches, make a yo at the beginning of the row, then work *P1, K1; repeat from *, ending P1. If you chose to work tubular knitting in step 2, you may work stockinette or any other pattern stitch at this point. If you did not work tubular knitting, you must work at least 1 row alternating knits and purls before continuing.
You may remove the waste yarn now or wait until later. If you used the half-hitch cast on, snip the waste yarn every few stitches and then pull out the short sections.
A method of knitting that makes a tube, also called knitting “in the round.” Larger tubes, such as bodies of sweaters, are made on circular needles; smaller tubes, such as socks and mittens, on sets of four or five double-pointed needles, on two circular needles, or on one very long circular needle with a very flexible cable (a method known as Magic Loop).
Circular needles, working on. Cast on as usual, then spread the stitches from point to point on the needle. Make sure that the cast-on row doesn’t spiral around the needle at any point. Join the beginning and end of the round as described opposite, then work continuously around.
Double-pointed needles, working on. Cast all stitches onto one needle, then slip some of the stitches to two or three other needles. Arrange the needles to form a triangle or square (depending on the number of needles). Make sure the right side is facing you, and the cast-on row doesn’t spiral around any needle at any point. Join the beginning and end of the round using one of the methods described opposite. Using an empty needle, knit across the first cast-on needle. When you are finished, you have emptied a needle. Use this to knit across the second needle. Continue around, working each needle in succession, using the needle you just emptied as the new working needle.
Two circular needles, working on. Cast all the stitches onto one needle and then slip half to the other. Bring the needle points with the first and last cast-on stitches together, being careful not to twist or untwist the cast on where the other ends of the two needles come together, and check to make sure that the knitting doesn’t spiral around either needle at any point. Join the beginning and end of the round as described opposite. Holding both ends of the first needle, work all of those stitches onto that same needle A. Put down the first needle and pick up both ends of the second needle. Work all of the stitches on the second needle onto itself. Continue around, alternating needles B.
Step 1. Using a very long (32 inches or more) circular needle with a very flexible cable, cast on the required number of stitches. Slide the stitches to the center of the cable. Divide the stitches in half and gently pull the cable through them at the halfway point, making a loop of the cable.
Step 2. Slide the stitches up onto the two needle points and make sure the cast on doesn’t spiral around the needle. Note where the working yarn is attached to the end of the cast on; this is the end of the round, and the stitches connected to it are the second half of the round. This needle point should be in back.
Step 3. Slide the stitches on the back needle down onto the cable, leaving a loop of the cable at the halfway point and the tip of the needle free to work with.
Step 4. Knit across the first half of the round using the working yarn.
Step 5. Push the second half of the stitches up onto the point of the needle, turn the knitting.
Repeat steps 3 through 5.
There are several ways to join the beginning and end of the cast on when beginning a piece of circular knitting.
Knit 2 together. Cast on 1 more stitch than you need. Arrange your knitting so the last cast-on stitch is on the right needle. Slip this stitch to the left needle A. Knit the first 2 stitches on the left needle together, using the working yarn and the cast-on tail held together B. Drop the cast-on tail and continue with the working yarn only. On the next round, treat the double strand of the first stitch as a single stitch. When working K2, P2 ribbing, knit the second stitch using the doubled strands as well.
Swap the first and last stitch. Cast on the number of stitches needed. Slip 1 stitch from the left needle to the right needle. Insert the left needle into the 2nd stitch on the right needle and pass it over the first stitch. The 2 stitches have traded places.
Knit with both strands. Cast on the number of stitches needed. Arrange your knitting so the last cast-on stitch is on the right needle. Knit the first stitch or two using the working yarn and the cast-on tail held together. Drop the cast-on tail and continue with the working yarn only. On the next round treat the double strand of the first few stitches as a single stitch.
A group of colors selected to be used together. Handpainted or variegated yarns have more than one color on a single strand and are sometimes referred to by named colorways to distinguish them from solid-colored yarns. The term colorway is also used to refer to a selected group of solid yarns in different colors that will be used together to make a single project.
Single crochet. Begin with a slip knot on your crochet hook. *Insert the crochet hook through the fabric and hook up a new loop A, then chain another loop through the 2 now on your hook B. Repeat from *.
Slipstitch crochet. Begin with a slip knot on your crochet hook. *Insert the crochet hook through the fabric and hook up a new loop through the fabric and the loop on the crochet hook. Repeat from *.
Knit 2 together (K2tog). Insert the right needle into the first 2 stitches and knit them together. This decrease leans to the right on both the knit and the purl side of the fabric.
Purl 2 together (P2tog). Insert the right needle into the first 2 stitches and purl them together. This decrease leans to the right on both the knit and the purl side of the fabric.
Slip, slip, knit (ssk). Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip another stitch knitwise, insert the left needle into these 2 stitches and knit them together. This decrease leans to the left on both the knit and the purl side of the fabric.
Slip, slip, purl (ssp). Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip another stitch knitwise A. Pass both of the slipped stitches back to the left needle B. Purl the 2 stitches together through the back loops C. This decrease leans to the left on both the knit and the purl side of the fabric D. See Pass for instructions on maintaining the orientation of the stitches.
Knit 3 together (K3tog). Insert the right needle into the first 3 stitches knitwise, and knit them together. This decreases 2 stitches and leans to the right.
Purl 3 together (P3tog). Insert the right needle into the first 3 stitches purlwise, and purl them together. This decreases 2 stitches and leans to the right.
Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (sk2p). Slip 1 knitwise; knit 2 together A; pass slipped stitch over B. This decreases 2 stitches and leans to the left.
Slip 2, knit 1, pass 2 slipped stitches over (s2kp2). Insert the right needle knitwise into the first 2 stitches, as if to knit them together, and slip them to the right needle; knit 1 A; pass both of the slipped stitches over the knit stitch and off the needle B. This decreases 2 stitches and is centered.
Slip, slip, slip, knit (sssk). This decrease is worked exactly like the ssk, except that 3 stitches are slipped and worked together. Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip another stitch knitwise, slip a third stitch knitwise, insert the left needle into these 3 stitches and knit them together. This double decrease leans to the left on both the knit and the purl side of the fabric.
Slip, slip, slip, purl (sssp). This decrease is worked exactly like the ssp, except that 3 stitches are slipped and worked together. Slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip another stitch knitwise, slip a third stitch knitwise. Pass all 3 slipped stitches back to the left needle and purl them together through the back loops. See Pass for instructions on maintaining the orientation of the stitches. This double decrease leans to the left on both the knit and the purl side of the fabric.
Slip, slip, pass 2 left, purl 3 together. This is the wrong-side equivalent of the centered double decrease s2kp2. It is rarely needed because most double decreases are worked on the right side of the fabric. When a centered double decrease is required on a wrong-side row, however, there is no substitute for it, and it’s worth the effort. Completed correctly, it looks identical to s2kp2 worked on the right side of the fabric.
Slip 1 knitwise, slip a second stitch knitwise A, pass these 2 stitches together back to the left needle knitwise so their orientation changes B, purl 3 together C. See Pass for instructions on changing the orientation of the stitches.
Stockinette stitch. Turn the fabric so that the knit side is facing you. Insert a crochet hook into the stitch from the front and hook the lowest unraveled strand through to the front; don’t remove the crochet hook. Instead, continue to work your way up from the lowest strand to the highest, hooking each one out to the front to reknit another stitch. At the top, put the stitch back on the needle.
Ribbing. Turn your knitting so that the knit side of the stitch to be corrected is facing you and hook the strands back up just as described for stockinette stitch.
Garter stitch or other pattern stitches. Where there is a combination of knits and purls facing you, you will need to hook up the knit stitches from the front and the purled stitches from the back. If you find it difficult to insert the crochet hook from the back, simply turn your knitting over and hook up the stitch from the other side, then return to the front to capture the next knit stitch. Take care to work the strands in the correct order from bottom to top.
A method of embroidering with yarn on the surface of the knitting, following the structure of the knitted stitch.
In pattern. To work duplicate stitch in fabric that combines knits, purls, and other stitch manipulations, you will sometimes be duplicating knit stitches (see Knit Side, below) and sometimes duplicating purl stitches (see Purl Side, below). If there are yarnovers, increases, decreases, slipped stitches, twisted stitches cables, or other stitch manipulations, you will simply follow the strand you are duplicating. There are too many possible variations on stitch patterns to give specific guidelines here, but an excellent way of educating yourself in this is to work a pattern stitch and substitute a contrasting yarn for just one row; this will allow you to see exactly the path it follows for that row of the pattern.
Knit side. Bring the point of the yarn needle up through the bottom of the stitch. *Insert the yarn needle behind two strands along the top of the stitch A; insert the yarn needle back through the bottom of the stitch and under two strands to the bottom of the next stitch B; repeat from *. You may work from either right to left or left to right.
Purl side. The yarn should not show on the knit side of the fabric. This technique is used on the wrong side of the fabric for working in ends invisibly or to adjust the tension and alignment of stitches to improve the appearance on the right side. *Insert the yarn needle under 2 purl bumps diagonally from bottom to top A; insert the yarn needle under the next 2 purl bumps diagonally from top to bottom B; repeat from *. Work right to left or left to right.
A small hole in the knitted fabric made with a yarnover. For instructions and illustration, see Eyelet Buttonhole.
The act of making a matted fabric from unspun wool or other animal fibers using moisture, heat, and abrasion. Unspun fibers can also be needle felted by punching barbed needles through them repeatedly. See also Fulling
Section of a purled stitch that looks like a frown.
The act of making a matted fabric from a loosely knitted or woven fabric by applying moisture, heat, and abrasion. Fulling is an important finishing step in most woven wool fabrics. It is commonly referred to as “felting” in the knitting community. When a knitted fabric is fulled, it results in a thicker, less stretchy fabric, useful for mittens, hats, bags, and jackets. Unintentional fulling can occur if a knitted garment is washed improperly, in the washing machine or by hand with too much agitation. See also Felting
Gauge describes the tightness (or looseness) of your knitting. In U.S. knitting instructions, it refers to the number of stitches and rows per inch in your pattern stitch. Patterns from the United Kingdom, as well as from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, use the term tension. Gauge is usually given in stitches per 4 inches but may be per 1 inch, or any other measurement. In the United States, the term tension is used more generally when discussing how a knitter holds the working yarn or when referring to uneven tension on the working yarn that has resulted in an uneven fabric.
In this book, helix knitting is suggested as a way of working stripes and garter stitch without a jog at the beginning/end of round and as a way of blending yarns together if there is a variation between dye lots. The instructions here are limited to two-strand helix knitting, but you can introduce more colors by using more balls of yarn.
Starting helix knitting at the cast on. Use the two-color long-tail cast on. When the cast on is completed, begin working circularly using the strand that was on your thumb (it’s the strand that runs across the bottom of the cast on).
Starting helix knitting in the middle of your work. Leave the original yarn attached and begin working with the new yarn at the beginning of the round.
Changing colors. When you reach the end of the round, drop the yarn you used on the last round and pick up the yarn that’s waiting there from the previous round. Be sure to drop the yarn you just finished to the right of the one you are picking up so they don’t get twisted around each other. Be careful not to pull firmly on the strand you are now using — it will make the stitch at the beginning of round too tight. Instead, gently draw up any slack so that all the stitches are the same size. When you reach the end of the round, change yarns again exactly the same way. There should be a smooth spiral of the two colors with no jog at the beginning/end of round.
Binding off. Change yarns at the beginning of the round as usual and bind off with the one now in use or bind off a section with each yarn.
Disguising the corner at the bind off and cast on. Use the tails of yarn at the cast on and bind off to tighten the stitches and smooth out the edge at the cast on and bind off when you weave in the ends.
Jogless garter stitch. To work garter stitch in the round without a jog, work helix knitting using two balls of the same color. Knit around with one of them and purl around with the other.
Hems can be worked at the cast on or at the bind off. Because of their double thickness, they will sometimes bulge. This can be avoided by working the inner layer on a smaller needle, with thinner yarn, or on fewer stitches than the outer layer.
When the garment is the desired length, work one of the Edge Treatments for Hems (Folded, Picot, or Rolled). Following this, work in stockinette for the desired depth of the hem. Fold to the wrong side and join the live stitches to the back of the fabric using one of the methods of joining described below.
Bound off. Knit the live stitches together with a row of stitches on the back of the fabric while working three-needle bind off. *Slip 1 knitwise from the left needle, insert the tip of the right needle under a “smile” in the same column as the stitch you are binding off, then knit the smile and the stitch together. Repeat from * so that there are 2 stitches on the right needle, then pass one over the other to bind it off as usual. You will need to work loosely to avoid creating a noticeably tight row at the top of the hem.
Sewn. Use a whipstitch to sew through one of the bumps on the back of the fabric and through the live stitch opposite it on the needle. Be careful to align the columns of stitches so your hem isn’t skewed, and to work loosely so it will stretch when the fabric stretches. If your stitches are on a circular needle, you can leave all the stitches on the cable while sewing the hem. On a rigid needle, slip each stitch off as you finish working with it.
Woven. Combine Kitchener stitch and duplicate stitch to sew the live stitches down while creating a new row of stitches. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail about three times the width of your knitting, and thread it on a yarn needle. *Insert the yarn needle knitwise into the first stitch on the knitting needle and slide it off A. Insert the yarn needle purlwise into the next stitch B, leaving it on the needle, and pull the yarn through C. Duplicate stitch the top of the stitch on the back of the fabric where you want to join the hem, inserting the yarn needle up through a smile and then down through the next smile to form the curved top of the stitch D. Repeat from * until all live stitches have been attached to the back of the fabric E.
Folded. Work 1 or 2 rows in reverse stockinette (2 rows will make a squarer edge).
Picot. Work *yo, K2tog; repeat from *. If a single stitch remains at the end of the row, K1. This makes a picot edge when folded.
Rolled. Don’t do anything special to delineate the fold at the bottom edge, just continue working in stockinette.
Use a provisional cast on, then work in stockinette for the depth of the hem. Work a folded, picot, or rolled edge treatment as described above. Work in stockinette until length above the fold equals the length below the fold. Remove the provisional cast on and place stitches on an empty needle. Use a third needle to knit the stitches on the two needles together to join the hem to the body. (See Enclosing an Edge with Binding in chapter 8 for an illustration of how to join layers by knitting together .)
Using two double-pointed needles, cast on 3 or 4 stitches. *Knit across. Slide the stitches to the other end of the needle without turning. Put the needle with the stitches in your left hand. Pull the yarn firmly across the back, and repeat from * until cord is desired length. Cut yarn and pull through all the stitches to secure.
An alternative method of working I-cord, which doesn’t require double-pointed needles, is to pass the stitches back to the left needle after completing each row, rather than sliding the stitches to the other end of the needle. Some knitters find this much quicker to work. See Pass for instructions on maintaining the orientation of the stitch.
I-cord, applied. Using two double-pointed needles, cast on 3 to 6 stitches. With the right side of the fabric facing you and the needle with the stitches on it in your right hand, pick up and knit a stitch through the edge of the fabric. *Do not turn. Slide the stitches to the other end of the needle and shift it to your left hand. Pull the yarn across the back and knit until 2 stitches remain, skp (working the last stitch of the cord together with the picked-up stitch). Pick up and knit a stitch through the edge of the fabric. Repeat from *.
Knit into the stitch, leaving it on the left needle. Bring the right needle to the back of the work, knit into the back loop of the stitch and slip it off the needle. Pfb is the purled equivalent of Kfb (see Purl-Front-and-Back, opposite).
There are many ways to work the M1 increase. Lifted M1s steal yarn from the stitches on either side, so they are tighter than M1s made using the working yarn. The M1 made with a yarnover is a happy medium, looser than a lifted M1 and tighter than an M1 with the working yarn.
Left slanting, lifted (M1L). Insert the nonworking needle from the front under the top strand between the two needles A, then knit into the back of the stitch to twist it B.
Left slanting, working yarn (M1L). Make a small loop of the working yarn close to the needle, twist it clockwise, and place it on the needle.
Right slanting, lifted (M1R). Insert the nonworking needle from the back under the top strand between the two needles A, then knit into the front of the stitch to twist it B.
Right slanting, working yarn (M1R). Make a small loop of the working yarn close to the needle, twist it counterclockwise, and place it on the needle.
Yarnover make 1. Work a yarnover on the increase row, then knit into the back of this stitch on the following row to twist it. This makes a left-slanting M1 and is useful when the other methods are too tight to work easily. To make a right-slanting version of the M1 using a yo, wrap the yo the opposite of the normal way (from back to front over the right needle), then work into the front of it on the following round.
Purl into the stitch, leaving it on the left needle. Bring the right needle to the back of the work, purl into the back loop of the stitch, and slip it off the needle.
Knit the stitch normally. Then, from the back, insert the left needle into the left half of the stitch 2 rows below. Knit into this stitch A. To reverse the slant of this increase, reverse the order: lift up the stitch from 1 row below and knit it, then knit the stitch normally B. You may find it easier to lift with the right needle and slip to the left needle before knitting.
This increase can be worked by knitting into the back of the lifted loop to twist it, or into the front to leave it untwisted. Decide for yourself which looks best in your knitted fabric.
Standard. A stitch worked between two existing stitches that produces an eyelet. Note that the yarn always travels over the top of the right needle. If the next stitch will be a knit, the yarnover must end with the yarn in back. If the following stitch will be a purl, the yarn must continue under the needle from back to front in preparation for purling. With yarn in your left hand, either wrap counterclockwise around the needle with your index finger, or take the right needle around the back and under the yarn A. With yarn in the right hand, wrap counterclockwise once around the right needle B.
At the beginning of a row. An increase worked before the first stitch of the row forming a loop. To work a yarnover at the beginning of a row, place the yarn in front of the right needle if the first stitch will be a knit A, which will make a sloppy loop over the needle; work this loop as usual on the following row to prevent it from becoming twisted. Keep the yarn in the back of the right needle if the first stitch will be a purl B. This will also make a loop over the needle, but it will be oriented in the nonstandard direction. Work into the back of this loop on the following row to untwist it.
To make a larger yarnover in the standard direction before a purl, you may also wrap the yarn counterclockwise all the way around the right needle before working the purled stitch.
Knit-purl-knit (K-P-K). Knit into the stitch as usual, but leave it on the left needle. Bring the yarn to the front, purl into the stitch, yarn back, knit into the stitch, and slip it off the needle.
Knit-yarnover-knit (K-yo-K). Knit into the stitch as usual, but leave it on the left needle, yarnover A, knit into the stitch again B, and slip it off the needle.
Intarsia knitting features multiple colors, with a separate yarn supply for each occurrence of each color. The yarn is never carried across the back of the fabric to be used elsewhere in the row. Intarsia is particularly suited to a colored design where there is no repeating pattern, or to large-scale patterns like argyle, where carrying the yarn across the back of the fabric is impractical.
Setup. Hold the two pieces of knitting with wrong sides together. If you are right-handed, point the needles to the right; if you are left-handed, reverse them. Use a yarn needle threaded with matching yarn; if the working yarn is hanging at the edge, cut it to a comfortable length and use it.
Step 1. Insert the yarn needle knitwise into the first stitch on the front knitting needle and slip it off.
Step 2. Insert the yarn needle into the next stitch on the front knitting needle purlwise, leave it on the knitting needle, and gently pull up the slack in the yarn.
Step 3. Insert the yarn needle into the first stitch on the back knitting needle purlwise and slip the stitch off.
Step 4. Insert the yarn needle into the next stitch on the back knitting needle knitwise, leave it on the knitting needle, and pull up the slack in the yarn.
Repeat steps 1 through 4. As you work, adjust the tension of the sewn stitches to match the rows above and below.
For those who are mirror knitters (knitting across their stitches from left to right, rather than right to left) and who prefer to work Kitchener stitch in the same direction, simply follow the instructions above.
For those who work in the standard direction, but prefer to sew with their left hand, the terms knitwise and purlwise can be confusing when working across in the opposite direction. Think of knitwise as meaning “insert the needle into the stitch from the right side of the fabric,” and purlwise as meaning “insert the needle into the stitch from the wrong side of the fabric.” Assuming you are working in stockinette stitch, purlwise is inserting from the purl side, and knitwise is inserting from the knit side, which makes it easy to remember.
These instructions are for stockinette stitch. For garter stitch when working from right to left with the yarn in your right hand, work steps 1 and 2 on the front needle, then repeat them on the back needle. If you are working from left to right with the yarn in your left hand, work steps 3 and 4 on both needles.
This is a method of knitting where right-side rows are worked using the standard method, and wrong-side rows are worked in the opposite direction with the right side of the fabric facing you. This allows you to work flat knitting without turning, with the right side facing you at all times. It is very convenient for working short rows, bobbles, and entrelac, which otherwise require you to turn your knitting very frequently. To knit to and fro, you must learn to knit backward, working in the opposite direction from standard knitting on what would be the wrong-side rows. Directions for knitting backward follow.
With yarn in your left hand. With the knit side facing you, the stitches to be worked on the right needle, and the yarn in back, insert the left needle knitwise into the first stitch on the right needle (that is, through the front of the stitch to the back of the right needle) A. Bring the yarn over the left (back) needle tip to the front, then under it to the back B. You may need to let go of the left needle in order to wrap the yarn. Lift the loop of the old stitch over the tip of the left needle with the right needle, or pull it through with the left needle. Slide the right needle out of the loop.
With yarn in your right hand. With the knit side facing you and the yarn in back, insert the left needle knitwise (through the front of the stitch to the back of the right needle) A. Bring the yarn around the left (back) needle tip from back to front B. Lift the loop of the old stitch over the tip of the left needle with the right needle, or pull it through with the left needle. Slide the right needle out of the loop.
Designates the way the working right needle is inserted into the stitch on the nonworking needle. Knitwise is from the front of the fabric to the back under the needle, the same way you insert the needle when you knit a stitch. Note that if your stitches are on the needle in the nonstandard orientation, then to slip knitwise you’ll need to insert the working needle from back to front instead.
A thin strand of yarn or cord that is run through all the stitches on a row, as insurance in the event that you have to rip out sections. This is very useful when the yarn is difficult to work with or the pattern stitch is complex. The lifeline is pulled through all the stitches while they are on the needle and then left in place. If a section must be removed, the knitting is unraveled down to the row with the lifeline, and a needle is reinserted through the row. The lifeline prevents any stitches from being dropped during this process. (See photo, here.)
A method of knitting in the opposite direction from standard knitting.
The needle holding the stitches about to be worked. In standard knitting, this is the left needle. In mirror knitting, this is the right needle. If you are “Knitting To and Fro,” then this will be the left needle when working from right to left and the right needle when working from left to right.
Move a stitch from the working needle back to the nonworking needle. This can be done two ways. The usual method is to insert the nonworking needle into the stitch from the front of the fabric so that it ends up on the needle in its original orientation. If your stitches are on the needle in the nonstandard position, then you would need to insert the nonworking needle into the back of the stitch to maintain its orientation. Whenever the instruction is given in this book to pass a stitch back to the other needle, without any further instructions about orientation, you should maintain the orientation as explained here.
In just a few instances (when working decreases), you will need to change the orientation of the stitch as you pass it back. If you insert the nonworking needle into the stitch from the back of the fabric, it will be rotated by 180 degrees. If your stitches are on the needle in the nonstandard position, then accomplish the same thing by inserting the needle from the front. In this book if it’s necessary to change the orientation while passing back, it will say so explicitly.
“Pass” is also used in the instruction, “Pass slipped stitch over.” This action is normally worked on the stitches closest to the end of the working needle, lifting the stitch one or two away from the tip over the other stitch(es) and off the needle. It’s used to decrease and in binding off.
Throughout this book, the phrases pick up and pick up and knit are used interchangeably. See also Pick Up and Purl.
Along garter stitch edges. Insert your needle through the tiny bumps at the end of each garter stitch ridge. Wrap the yarn around the needle and knit the stitch out to the front. This works best on straight edges. For curved edges, like armholes and neck openings, pick up 1 stitch in from the edge for a smoother finish, as described for stockinette (below). If the knitting is very firm and it’s difficult to work through the bumps, work instead through the loose stitches between the bumps. (See also here.)
Along stockinette stitch edges. Insert the tip of your needle through the fabric to the back, 1 stitch in from the edge. Wrap the yarn around it and knit the stitch out to the front.
Along the cast on or bind off. Insert the needle directly into a stitch A, wrap the yarn, and knit up a stitch B. If your knitting is upside down, this is actually the space between 2 stitches, but it looks just like a stitch.
With the yarn in front, insert the tip of your needle through the fabric from back to front, a whole stitch in from the edge. Wrap the yarn and purl the stitch out to the back.
Designates the way the working needle is inserted into a stitch. Purlwise is from the back of the fabric to the front under the needle, the same way you insert the needle when you purl a stitch. Note that if your stitches are on the needle in the nonstandard orientation, then to slip purlwise you’ll need to insert the working needle from front to back instead.
The side of the fabric that’s intended to show when the garment is finished, also called the public side.
The Russian join is used to attach a new ball of yarn or change colors, especially when you want to create a reversible fabric or don’t want the ends to show. It does create a thick section in the yarn and the twist will be different, which may be noticeable in some yarns and fabrics.
Use a yarn needle threaded with one of the yarns to pull a short section of the yarn back through its own plies A, leaving a small loop at the point where it doubles back B. Thread the second piece of yarn through the yarn needle, pull it through the loop in the first yarn C, then double it back on itself, pulling a short section of the yarn through its own plies D. Smooth out the areas of doubled yarns and trim off any loose ends E.
Mattress stitch is used to join the sides of two pieces of knitting worked in stockinette stitch. With the right side of the fabric facing you, work a full stitch in from the edge. To make a firm, strong seam, sew under just one strand on each side with every stitch A.To make a slightly less bulky seam, and one that takes half the time to work, sew under two strands on each side with every stitch B.
Work alternately on one side of the seam and then the other. As you sew, pull the yarn tight enough so that the yarn you are using disappears into the seam and the two edges draw together, but keep it loose enough that the seam still stretches a little.
For a significantly less bulky seam, assuming the edge is neat and the stitches firm enough, mattress stitch can be worked a half stitch from the edge, instead of a whole stitch. Insert the yarn needle into the center of a stitch and then out again through the center of the stitch 1 or 2 rows higher C. You will be sewing under the tops of the stitches rather than under the strands between 2 stitches.
Weaving is used to join the top or bottom edges of knitted pieces to each other by sewing a new row of stitches to join them. While it’s obvious that there is a seam, this makes a neat finish with some stretch. The path the yarn follows is the same as for Kitchener stitch, except that Kitchener is worked on two sets of live stitches.
Setup. Lay out the pieces as shown, right side up, with the edges to be joined next to each other.
Step 1. Find the place in the first row where a stitch comes together to form a V pointing toward the edge of the fabric and insert your needle under those two strands.
Step 2. On the opposite side of the seam, find the first stitch where two strands come together to form a V pointing at the edge of the fabric, and insert the needle under those two strands.
Step 3. Go back to the first side, and insert the needle under the V of the next stitch. Hint: Go back into the same spot you last came out of in step 1. Alternate from side to side until the seam is finished.
You may use weaving when one set of stitches has not been bound off. For instructions on weaving Live Stitches to Dead Stitches, see chapter 7.
Use a combination of mattress stitch (see here) and weaving (see here) to join the top of one piece to the side of another, such as when joining the top of a sleeve to the body of a sweater. Use mattress stitch to sew under a strand between 2 stitches along the side of the knitting A and weaving to sew under the V formed by two strands at the top or bottom of the knitting B. Because knit stitches are wider than they are tall, you will sometimes need to sew under two strands/rows along the side edge to make the seam come out even. Adjust the tension of your sewing yarn so that the size of the stitches in the new row you create is the same as those in the top row.
See also Three-Needle Bind Off.
A knit-purl pattern where single knits and purls are alternated on every row or round to make a checkerboard.
Short rows are a way of shaping knitting that involves working partway across a row and then turning back before finishing the row. Working a series of short rows makes it possible to shape sloped shoulders or neck edges without binding off, to add darts without cutting the fabric, and to shape sleeve caps while knitting the sleeve onto the armhole.
Each time you turn in the middle of a row, you leave a hole. In lace these holes may integrate well with the lace pattern; in other fabrics, the holes will look like mistakes. The most common way to close the holes is to work a “wrap and turn” at each turning point, which is described here. In garter stitch, the wrap, which appears to be a little horizontal bar, will disappear into the ridged fabric. In other patterns, it will be necessary to take steps to hide the wrap by picking it up and working it together with the stitch it wraps. Instructions for both wrapping and picking up the wraps follow.
Other methods of preventing holes include the “Japanese” and “German,” which involve using yarnovers or the running thread between stitches, rather than wrap-and-turn.
Work across until you are ready to turn, slip the next stitch purlwise, change the position of the yarn (from front to back or from back to front), slip the stitch purlwise back to the left needle, and turn. Position the yarn wherever you need it to work the next stitch and continue back across the row.
How you pick up the wrap will depend on whether you are knitting or purling and whether the right or the wrong side of the fabric is facing you. What you want to accomplish is to pick up the wrap and to work it together with its stitch in such a way that the wrap falls to the wrong side of the fabric and is hidden. The four possible situations are covered below.
Knitting on the right side. When the wrapped stitch is a knit and the right side of the fabric is facing you, insert the right needle tip up into the wrap on the front of the fabric, then through the stitch on the needle, and knit the 2 together. The wrap should fall to the back of the fabric.
Purling on the right side. When the wrapped stitch is a purl and the right side of the fabric is facing you, insert the right needle tip into the stitch purlwise, and then underneath the wrap on the front of the fabric. You may need to lift the wrap up with your fingers to accomplish this. Purl the 2 together; the wrap should fall to the back of the fabric.
Knitting on the wrong side. When the wrapped stitch is a knit and the wrong side of the fabric is facing you, insert the right needle tip into the back part of the wrap, lift it up and put it on the left needle. Knit it together with the stitch; the wrap should fall to the side of the fabric facing you, which is the wrong side.
Purling on the wrong side. When the wrapped stitch is a purl and the wrong side of the fabric is facing you, insert the tip of the right needle into the back part of the wrap, lift it up and put it on the left needle. Purl it together with the stitch; the wrap should fall to the side of the fabric facing you, which is the wrong side.
A yarn made of just one strand of twisted fiber, in contrast with a plied yarn, which is constructed from more than one strand, twisted around each other. Also called single-ply yarn.
Holding the cut end of the yarn against your palm, wrap it around two fingers, and then a little farther to end in back, forming a loop A; pull a loop of the working yarn through the loop around your fingers B; slip your fingers out and tighten the knot by pulling the cut end and the loop C.
A slipped stitch is one that is simply moved from the nonworking needle to the working needle without working a knit or a purl. If you knit in the standard direction, the stitch will shift from the left to the right needle. If you are a mirror knitter, the stitch will move in the opposite direction.
Stitches can be slipped knitwise (as if you were knitting a stitch) or purlwise (as if you were purling a stitch). They can also be slipped with the yarn in front of the needle (wyif) or in back of the needle (wyib). If you need to change the position of the yarn to the location specified, do this before you slip the stitch. See also Knitwise and Purlwise.
In pattern stitches, where the slipped stitches are not worked again until the following row, they are generally slipped purlwise to prevent the stitches from twisting and tightening the fabric. In decreases and other stitch manipulations where slipping is just one of a series of actions, the stitches are usually slipped knitwise. If no guidance is provided, then decide which way to slip based on what the results look like.
Section of a purl stitch that looks like a smile.
A method of joining when starting a new ball of yarn. When working with a plied yarn, untwist the plies and pull them apart for 3 to 4 inches, then break off half of them. If you’re working with a single-ply yarn, untwist it and pull out about half of the fiber. Do the same with the end you are joining it to. Overlap the two ends of yarn and wrap them around each other in the direction of the original twist. Wet these, give them a bit of a rub, and then carefully knit past the join. If any ends pop out, trim them neatly.
Splicing is most effective in wool yarns or other fuzzy animal fibers. For slippery yarns, such as cotton, rayon, and silk, you can still splice, but it’s a good idea to overlap the yarns for 5 to 6 inches. If the yarn has a smooth finish, the splice will still hold together, but the spliced area will probably look noticeably different than the rest of the yarn.
Steeks allow you to make the entire garment circularly, so that you can work colored and textured patterns from the right side throughout the construction process. They consist of extra stitches added at armholes, neck openings, and cardigan fronts that serve as seam allowances when the openings are cut open later. For instructions on constructing steeks see chapter 3 (here). For cutting and finishing, see chapter 6, here.
Sometimes called “double knitting,” this is a method of working a knitted tube on straight needles. Both the front and the back of the tube are on a single needle, with stitches from each alternating across the needle. To work the tube, work across the needle knitting the stitches in the front layer and slipping the stitches in the back layer purlwise with the yarn in front. Working across the needle twice in this manner completes a full round of the tube A.
Tubular knitting may also be worked with the purl side out B. In this case, purl the stitches in the front layer and slip the stitches in the back layer on each row. This is much quicker than the knitted version because the yarn is held in front throughout.
A few rounds of tubular knitting make an excellent transition between K1, P1 ribbing and the tubular cast on or bind off. It can also be used to form a hem or casing.
Yarn used temporarily to hold stitches or when casting on. Waste yarn should be smooth, nonfuzzy, the same weight as the working yarn, and a different color from the working yarn, so that it knits up at the same gauge as the working yarn and can easily be removed later without leaving any residue.
The instructions below assume you are working a knit row in stockinette stitch. In other pattern stitches, it may not be practical to weave in the ends as you go. Note that this same technique of weaving in ends as you knit can be used to secure long floats between motifs when working stranded knitting.
If you don’t weave in the yarn ends as you go, you can always sew them in later. For methods of sewing in ends after the knitting is completed, see chapter 7, here.
Think ahead and begin weaving in the new yarn about 10 stitches before you first begin using it as the working yarn (see directions for the appropriate hand, below). If you are knitting circularly and forget, you can always sew in the tail of the new yarn later using a yarn needle. If you are knitting back and forth in stockinette, you can weave in the tail of the new yarn on the following row. You’ll then be working on the purl side, so hold the tail in front of your work to do this.
After you’ve knit 2 stitches with the new ball of yarn, begin weaving in the end of the old ball according to the directions below.
Working yarn in right hand. Hold the tail in your left hand and behind your knitting. Simply insert your right needle under it while knitting the next stitch, as shown in the illustration. Alternate knitting normally and knitting under the tail until you’ve worked about 10 stitches.
Working yarn in left hand. Hold the tail in your right hand and work these two steps.
Step 1. Insert the right needle into the next stitch and wrap the tail around the point of it counterclockwise. Wrap the working yarn around the right needle as usual (counterclockwise).
Step 2. Unwrap the tail. Knit the new stitch out through the old one.
Alternately knit a stitch normally and then knit a stitch catching the tail (following steps 1 and 2) until you’ve worked about 10 stitches.
A method of sewing where stitches pass over an edge, used in joining and finishing.
The needle where newly formed stitches are placed. In standard knitting, this is the right needle; in mirror knitting, this is the left needle.
The side of the fabric that will be on the inside of the garment when completed, also called the private side.