The Knitters Book of Finishing Techniques

E71w KNITTE~S

BOOK ,0/

FINISHING TECHNIQ1JES

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NANCIE

M.

WISEMAN

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CONfENT\

Woven Shou ld cr Scam s • 70 Shon-Row Shdping in Preparat ion for T h ret-Needle Bind Off • 72

One- Row Buttonhole (HonwtHal) • I 14 Yarn-Over RUHonhole • I-Cord-Loop Runo nho le

T h ree-Needle Bind Off for 'shu ulders • 75 Kirche ner Stitch Sea ms • 77 Grafting Live Stitt.hd (0 ust-On or Bou nd -Off Srirdlt"S • 80

Crochel-I..oop Bu((onho les • 122 Bu tton ho le Worked in Croche!

l

I NT RODU C TION

•

• 125

ButtOnhole Stitch to Finish Buttonholes • 126

Patch l ot..:ket Sc.m s 81 Inset Pocket $c;Ims • 8)

Double Central Docrcase (SI 1,

7

Borde r • l 24 Vertical Buttonhole

118 120

K2tog, 1'550) • 41 NANC I E'S F I N I S H ING

SEC RETS CA ST ONS

9

Long 'Ta il CaH On • Knim'd·On Ca, an ~dg(' with \\ull t"\'cn (ells'on.

•

\\'lork~

well wit h

;\\1

weiglH) uf ya m .

Can bc used tnt .,11 c.ur-on t'dgc:.: hl' Glrcflll OO{ to work (00 tighdy.

Drawbacks (:Ib[ on IS not VCt,\ d .u.w.; lends bt' d(:'~itab(t".

• •

'4

I;'..t\j" to \Iurk c.J..\1 Oil tQ';J

to ~

firm and demt:, but dur may

righdy.

FIJgt' ot C.IH on will bt' lif-ht, hlll tht' sritch(:$ o n rile n~t'dlC' will
y OUI'

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"" Afn:r the hh! rO\\ is com pkO,(Odo you l";ln rc:rnovc

chai n startin g al the e nd with the kn ot (sec

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I n C',

page I S). Yo u Will have to

pick o ut (hc chain fo r Ihen

ch,li n . U nrJ.\'d the-

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O Ut .

By t'~,~~' 1

m eaD il w ill pull our .~ Iow l y and w ill

need (0

nOI

be CUL If {he cha in docs no t rip Out

easily and you mus l cut It ro n: m ove iT, then y Oll

made

a ll

c::(ro r in makin g dIe chain or in

pi cking up the knit ~ ti tch es from bdow tht'" chain . The Colst on will nm hold togelher you have l :.IST

[0 Cut

ii

the chain somewhe re in Ih e

on ro re mo ve it. You w iU hJ ve

LO

wo rk

the cast o n again ro corr«:1 (h e error. It's better m r~;lliz.e (here is a pro blem now, before yo u've kn it rhe whole piece. Yo u wil! nOli(:e- th ar as yo u p ull [he

chain out , one of the stra nd s of the cooeL. sting ya m wi ll remAin in Ihe- middle of the "tube" of the ca~ t o n. If yo u'd Jjke

lO

put

knining ebstic thro ugh this tube. lie th ~

clastic

!O

th e cnd of the c ro(;h~t cha in that

doe~ no( have

the- kn o r and genrly pull it

through J ~ yo u H' m O\'e .he (:hain. T his is a

good ide;) if this cast on is used wirh eo li Oll yarn, as dlC rib bings in eollon ten d to stretch o ue W1lite Old,n 15 partially removed. Double strand of

red -eias\.~ a\ bottom \'llill be pu lled :nrw gh as c.hain i~

remcrveu

111

Mitch o r two, btll

should he easy to rip

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Tubular Cast On wi1h Knit One ( 1111 One Ribbing

ii

If you research th is tech n ique fur ther. yo t! w ill fin d d ireCf ions fo r wo rkIn g the tu bular c.J. ~ { on for k llir [\-\'0 , purl tw O ri b hing as well. T am

tleve-.f

~

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p leased wilh the fini shed look v",hcn I've used th t ~ techniq ue

~

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use it; the r.:fo rc ' don't recom me nd ir. Also , th e m.n ch ing bin d all 10 tb e kn ir t WO ,

t!

p url two

G tH

o n do
so I prefe r no r to

it does for k ilit o nc-,

p u rl o ne.

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PROV ISI ONA L CAST ON

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To W,rk W ilh ne«:dlc ~ i 1'0 not invl)ivc lUlother stitch . bm mu". Ix- made bct"\vt':C1l two stitches. l"wu versio ns of t hi ~ innc.Hc, one rhat slants to the right an J o Hf {h,}( ~I an h to

tbe leoft.

,11"('

.m Irror i nugc ~ of each other.

Left c ross make a ile: U~cd .n tht e nd o f rhe' row. On the k nit (Ot pu rl) side: Locate rlie' running threa d that m nnccts 1111;' stitch

I!! I'!.

Knit into hon l of stit(itch where

de used at m·ck or armhole edges, but leaves the se;J.m allowance thick

•

BC"'Jt not TO use \\1\h bulky yarns if sea ms will be sewn. If u~t"d on J. piece. if m U .~r be used consi~l ... ntly, as the sclvase wher~ it i~ mnl will be shoner than rhe sd vag... where Ir IS n O I used. Lasy to forget. Place m arkers befo re a nd ,.fler selvdge s( i tchc~ iO hdp \'ou remt"lllbe(.

To Work For seamed edges: Knir rh e every row.

t'

10

Helps rht" kuining lie Aat. \X"ork. well with pattern slirche,s that h:lve a knit and purl pattern .

•

~ G.aner Stitch Selvages

Benefits

first

one or rwo and Ll.t' worked with cit her [wo or th ree stitch("~; [wo-s(itch version lcaves ;1 " ny ~m all e'dging: t hree-~[irc.h version leave, a larger edge wim more Ixxly.

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Three-StItch I-Cord

Transfer three stitche~ bac.k to leh needle as if to purl.

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PI COT BIND

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OFF

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wdl on b.. hy dothe> wh~ce lors of stretch is ncrded for neckb.lnds or ctillS. it's a good idea to \"ork tnt: bind off wi th a size 2 or 3 need le \0 kttp th e picots .c:;

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$"fT\~~ 1l('\I~nd Or- \\"" C"st On One hetwC'.c: n picou an d siz.c of picou easy 10 cha nge. \'"r.\1 ch~rlc. good for n(.'ck edges. ~'ork l wt'll wi th rihbin~. One .mtch III the' pkot leil\'cs :I. rlluderate amount of elaSticiry; more sort'he) in tht' piCOt 1ll.lke the c:dgc more d astk and rhe picot more

\bibk MAkes a decorative edge on all garment bordc r~ when matched with picot t.~:.t on (sec pag" 16).

0 r .. 5

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small as po~~ ibl e.

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Cdst on oot' ~t jtch u~m8 ....... ..,.;: "

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:t& '.",'0(,. I... 4~'~ ii ~;'-"'1", .i''v':.t.;;' ""'" I.: 'c' I;;' .I'/q; .... ~ ..,:j!.t •.; ~ ,..;; ~ ",,' ,

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-?"", •••.. ,.':+-.••~,,)o. ' 1'c,,~ ' ; '.~ .. ~~:.~ ~ '_t "'-?"

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under Iht' t'ast-ofT .lo lilch o n lJulh sid ~s :lIld wc""avt"' in the ('nd. If you 6nd 11\:11 the rows 3re nor m atching a nd one piece is longer Ih:a ll Ihe o rhel piece, you can wOlk under rv,.·u of tht" hurizuntal y:un Stunds on the SIde (hu is 100 lo ng. Don't do [his too ofren or (00 dose- a~ it will pucker the krllwng.

will need

to {wo rk

Sleeve or. Right Sev.Tl to SWeal{'1' Body 'O. On the nght side, kil n tv.'o . (purl one. kn it olle) to the end . Thi s will give a u!lt'-stiu.h Se":.Irn allowance at both end s of (he rib bing. \'(!eolve th e s.:-;un o ne- stitch in at bmh

~

ends fo r a perfec t seaJU and no interru prion in (he: rib pan ern .

.

Ir you arc CU{" lg o n usi ng ant' or Ihe (',ISI ·on methods th ar yid d an odd number of sti rch~. weave Ihe sea m using half of the knit stitch a l each edge .

Iii

When tht" edgt's arc pu lled !Oge(her (here will be o nt" kni l sl ilch, and no ime rruplion in the rib j>' \"
M,l kt'!o :l

'(';lIn firm cno ll ~h 10 suppor! the weight o f ,he sleevdIiw !1 tn a( hi e\·e a )moOth scam line:.

•

IS

chosen

Will desl ro}' a garment if pocket is anached incorrecdy. Rcqui rel> ~ki ll and patience.

I ~ 8.

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on tht' ho lder on , he approprialC'osiud M ill ing ne«tle and wo rk rhe de.\ircd borde'r. Be Stl fe 10 leav~ a o ne·sl ilch St':am al lowd iKe 5, end with knit onc. O r for odd nu m ber of stitches: (Knit twO toge ther, yarn ovc r) across, end k nit one. Finish as above.

93

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FOLDED OR HEMMED NECKBANDS U~ING

THlS lechl1lque will re.mlt in a neckband that is easy (0 pull ov('[ the head. I[ aha kave~ a more professional looking finish. W'orking 111 rhe round on circular needles means no seam, whICh will make the band smoother. This technique mirrors a hemmed border at the bottom of the garment.

" " "- " '. R'

Pick up tht' required numbe-.f of stitches around thc neck. If you are working in rhc round, be sure to plCk up the corren multiple of stitchcs for the panern you h,we chosen. For example, pick lip an even number of sritches for knit one, purl one, or a multiple of four sutches for knit two, PUrilWO, If working with a seam, leave a ~dvage stitch at each end. Work the ribbing or pattern stitch as directed. When band is wide enough, change to smaller needle:~ and work a fold lille of your choice, or one [hat matches the hem at bottom edge of (he knitting (sec page 92). Continue partern s(l(ch for same Humber of rows as for the front of the band. Do not hind off. Cur yam approximately duee til11 e~ the- diameter of the neck opening, and whipstitch each stitch down loosely, covering the selvage remall1ing from picking up the stitche'i; nilish otT Pull all( on (he neckband as you work the whips[itching to be sure It is suetchy and you arc nor sewing too tightly.

V ~ ~

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l"' 10£ On wrong side, note that band covers edge wh ere stitches were picked up.

A'irrh u) d/arg"T l1udk aJ jfJU W()rir fhl blUk oflhe co/lor. Tht wrgn- nudlt' (an be Ill' 10 rhru or [oM .,iU$ IArg" than Ilu origiM! needlt. 102

other end of need le. "Knit tWO st itchn, pu ll il'g yarn tightly across Ihe back to make a rube. slip Ihe third .~ ritc h , and pick Il l' on e sti tch illw rhe k.nill~d edge :lnd pas.~ the slipped Sl iH:h over. Slip I h ~ rhru srit c.h es jusl kn n ooc.k to the left needle and repeat from · umil edgc: is covered with I-cord . B~ c:n~.ful nOt 10 pick up st itch es 10 0 do)e togclhe r or too (:lr ap,U( . (Sec ~ Pi cking Up St itches··, page 86.)

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SLlI' STIT C H C ROC HET y O L"

CAN

use :.Iip stitch c rochC:t alo ne-

Of

as (he fo und:uion fo r orher crocher

stitches. \XTh cn used ~ I one on the etlgc ofkniu ing, it will

nOl

keep :.rock inem:

~ [it ch from roll ing. It it a very useful rechni,-!wt for kttping shou lders and Hcck from sagging with tbe wci~h{ of the sleeves or froll! loose.- kn ining.

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REVERSE SINGLE CRO C HET

Benefits

OR CRAB STITCH

Used a.~ nnil l fini~h [0,\ row of not·het OT kni tt ing. Cre,Hes rha rming border lor necks and from edges. Simple to work nn allY knit or nocher edgeo \'{rorks wdl with ,Ill weights of yarn.

THIS STITC H is wo rked for only one row and is a fin al edging. It adds a finishing rouch ro any piece of knitting. No furrher cro(;het (;an be- added afrer

this row. To finish off, join first and last stitcll widl a sli p stitch if don e in rhe round , or finish ofT and weave in end~ if done on straighr edges. This sritc,h by irself will no t ad d a lot of width to the border and will not keep srocki nenc stiu.;h fro m ro lling.

Drawbacks ,

Ced lc back to the left needle. Tu rn th e \VQrk. Using the c.. ble caS( on (see page 14). ~~Casl o n o nc more SlilCh than you bound off. Turn , he work. Slip the first .stitch on rhe Idl needle over

£0

rh e right need le and pass (he extra

Cl:Sf -Ofl.

stit ch o n the righr needle over to dose rhe buttonhole. Co ntinue kn itting.

holc.

•

Move )"drn forwill d. slip stitch puriwiS('.

Purl

twO

together

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retum rc"'~

a\ begll1nW,g 01 butlonhDk>

II

Pass second stitch over f,rst sutch

Cast 0!'1 one emd stitth.

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Slip, slip. purl at end of buttonhole.

... !111

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YARN - OVER BU TTONH O LE

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THI S BUTTUNHOU; is almost invIsible, and can be m ed virmaUy any'\vhere as long as rhe dw~(: n hutton will go (hrough. If worked in knir ..m e, purl one ribbing, the rt'quired dec rease C:l. n be hiddell under the knir stitch before o r after

If

the ya rn over, making th e butlOnhole even mOre in v i~ ibl c. Set' "S mall V~rsion"

weight of t h~ y.un will d etcrmine ,he size o f rhe hu rw n holc and ,he hun on used. -, his buuonhole lakes one row 10 work: that me;,l n.~ you m USI CO Ull[ one row for every butto nhole wh~ n cakulanng (he" placeme n t of rhe hU Hon hoies.

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Sm,, 11 Version

Larger VerSion lop to Bottom . Ribbing. Stockinette Stitch, and Garter SI,(cl'

work.

not \\caf

well; [his buuonbok ha.s no 6nishing or bound-otT

or buttonhole J.nd pussib lr te;\f or fray [h e yarn.

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E,I~Y co (',lIch bUlIOns WI [h sharp edge~ or poinrs on th e loop at top

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Very simple

~dlche~.

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\'\!orks with ~ny stitch panern.

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I t, JI ~ I I I' , ~ E

\X.'ork~ with all w5 i-

tion of bunonhole, knit twO IOge_ther, ya m

over need le. In ribbi ng, work to positio n of buttonho le. If ,he re' is a kni l Ihm a purl st itc_h

befo re Ihe yS fSTl.U

to write

to

Shodders Type of seam _ __ _ __ _ Short rO'NS on shoulders? _ _ _ _ _ __ fll)[\:

bdnds. if dny, k.nit on Of sewn on Illter? _ _ _ _ _ _ •_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

3;:ttonhOI€"'il, whdt r.-pe? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ '''.(NoJ

rrw'y .~t:tches to pick. up 01 rows

\J ef.k~nd.

10

knit _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ __

what type?

dt')ign . I WOllt remember how 1 did a "s~ci t! ,

AND

SI

Pl AClMI::l>lT

J

decr('a.~C5 ,

how

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they have [he

ca.lcu la[e hu ({onhole placcmen r. T he method is

~3mt'

laring jncrea.s~ and decreast'S.

111e l(,

rhe fo llowing PJrdgrJ.phs will hel p

rill:

same for

herween rhe hU Honh ole~ to make ;111 b UHonholes occur every 16 rows. Do n't

SI

C.1!cU -

SI

is a workshC::CI [0 sim plify Iht" m;uh, bUi

yO ll

undcr5t,m d wh~ t yo u arc do ing.

31

'10 cakul3[c burronhole place mellt, coun! rhe number of rows or sti tches to be u~cd for (he {'m ire b uno n ho lt" lu nd. LeI's say {he (ront bands will require'

31

120 rows ofkni u ing. At ,his point yo u must choose whit:h bUHl>nho te you ~ rC'

31

going to use. I'll usc rhe 2· row bu({onhole fo r (his clIillmplc. There will he 7 bU lronholes. If wc" arc pla c.ing 7 bUHonholcs and they eat:h take 2 rows, 2 rows

31

rimes 7 hu ttunholes ~u;'lls 14 row~ . SHbf(:lct ( h~ 14 cows fro m rhe total rows

of 120

equal 106 rows. Now cakul3{c" h l)W ma ny rows or scitt.hcs lh ere will be betwcc:n (he blUto

ro nboles. The' IJU rtonholes should not be IOGlted (uo eros!!' to th e bottom or the

..

31 31 31

=

31

£Op. L('r's say we WJ. nt the fir~( bu((on ho le co be 6 rows fro m lht: hOllom ;111(..1 fhe I.u t b uttonhole 6 rows fro m the ra p. Suhtract these l2 rows from (he 106

rows

£0

equal 94 row.~ Id l to di vid e evenly berw-~e n the bu rconholes. If we are

plat~i ng 7 bUffonhoics, [here .He 6 spaces bccwecn th em. Divide 94 rows by 6 spacc.~ ro equal 15 rows berween huu o n hole.s. pl u, a (r"ctio n , wh ich muns

there a re extra ro\',rs. To dcte!'l1\ine how m any extra rows then: .lre, m ul tiply 15

'40

extra ro\Y'S to 4 of the spaces berween the b UHonholes. blll lha[ leaves 2 spaces

!i!I

SI

number oC Slitch e; or rows "btlwce n (hem . T he followi ng exa mple will :"how you );0

even n um ber of rows hcrwcen {he b unon ho les. So we co uld add o ne of the 4

rake 1 row fro m cJ.en end, hecause rhat w ill place Ih ... bUI(Onho l... on a ~(Ong­

side: row, which is what we arc trying Use the following wo r~hcet sti lCh es)

math is requi red to figure out where ro plat.t' in-

and bunonhol

.md 2 in the rop, but it would be ben er if llll b u nonho les arc made on rhe righ t-side row so they look (he same, For rhultatll

for • Knitting 10 1," all anid t' in Martlm Srtwarr Livifl,t,. N,(O d,,'~

lin t book, u /u fWffI the /l rrir,

St~ncd

her on

a p;lth of h islOfil..J rexardl into all Iypes ofiact , in.:luding tm ing, crochet, and bohbin lJ,t·e. H l'T .<e(:oLld book was K~Jjmd Sht,W!.·, S/uln, {HId $cd,,1t'S (Mani ngale & Company. 200 1). KniTtld SIl.'f!Iltm fo r bx? Stll..tm (Martingale & C"mp.my, 200 2), Nancie"S third hook, ....':IS b:J...ed on Inc techniques in the stu wi book. Nanci" li\'e'~ in Coupeville. W:uhinglOn, with her husband. UjU AU\Vlrer, .uK! tncir 1....1:) dog\, C hristina ;lnd Am ber.

'43

INDEX h~nd~ ,

91

JOllllllg new run, 129 knlltlllg In the ruund. 133 incrc'l)(':S. 26 knit in front and b~{k of a

buul ofTs. -19 grafring, 54-;5 I-cord. 56-57 kllch~ncr ~!ltch.

q

itch or b.n,

1.7-29

54-S5

knit IWO IOgclhcr. 52-5 ~ picOi . 58-59 IhrC"C'· nl"t'dlc for ~hollldt'n. -2--6

makc one, 30-31 r.1I~ ,

31.-U

mOlh_~.

(r,ldltionaL ')0-51

blo...kmg. Hi- I 'K) bordrr~, 91 bUlTon b.lIab, 96-1)9 bunonholn . 1\1 uocht'{· !oop. 122- 1B dllt'rmining pl;lCemrnl ur. 140-141

136-13Ileckbands, ,)4-,)S n('\\ p .rn, Jommg, 129 Ilnlcbuoks, kl>.:pmg. 138 OI'(' mQrkt'd yarn, 'hrmklllg, 8 picking up ~Ii[ch('