The Knitters Bible8

OTHER GARMENT DETAILS

It is the finishing details which can make all the difference to the look of a garment - picking up stitches evenly, sewing up invisibly and making the correct size buttonholes all give the finał Professional touch.

Picking up stitches

When you add a neckband. button band or any type of border to another knitted piece, you pick up the stitches for it evenly along the edge using one needle. With the nght side of the work facing, the needle is held in the right hand and inserted through the edge stitches. the left hand holding the work. A new bali of yam is joined and is wrapped around the needle and a loop is pulled through. One stitch has been knitted on to the needle. Use a size smaller needle than that used for the main piece.

Knit Perfect

Knitting pattems will usually tell you how many stitches to pick up.You must pick up the stitches evenly; begin and end at the edges and space the remaining stitches equally along the edge.

Using a tape measure and wrth the work laid out fiat place a marker (length of yam or a safety pin) in the centre of the edge, divide each half in half again and place a marker, and then halve each quarter and place a marker. dividing the edge into eight equal sections. Divide the number of stitches to be picked up by eight Courrt the number of rows or stitches in each section and work the picked up stitches evenly between them.

For example. each section has ten rows and you have to pick up eight stitches. Pick up a stitch in each of the first four rows. miss a row then pick up a stitch in each of the next four rows. miss a row. then go on to the next section.

Work the stitches in the last section so that there is a stitch picked up in each of the last four rows. for example. one stitch in each of first two rows. miss a row, one stitch in each of next two rows. miss a row. one stitch in each of last four rows.

On a horizontal bound (cast) off edge

Hołd the work in your left hand. With a needle and the yam in your right hand. insert the needle mto the centre of the first stitch in the row below the bound (cast) off edge.Wrap the yam knitwise around the needle and draw through a loop. Continue in this way. mserting the needle through the centre of the stitch.

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On a vertical edge

(for example. the front of a cordigon)

Hołd the work in your left hand. With a needle and the yam in your right hand. insert the needle between the first and second stitches at the beginning of the first row. wrap the yam around knitwise and puli through a stitch. Continue up the edge. inserting the needle between the stitches on each row. taking in one stitch. If you are using a thick yam. where one stitch may measure Am (1.5cm) or morę. insert the needle through the centre of the edge stitch. taking in only half a stitch to reduce bulk

On a shaped edge

(for exomple. neck shapmg)

Use the above methods for picking up stitches along the straight edges of the neck On the shaped part. insert the needle into the centre of the stitches one row below the decreasing. Do not pick up along the edge as this will result in holes. If you have to pick up extra stitches to cover a gap. for example. between the bind (cast) off stitches and the shaping. decrease these stitches on the next row.