August 21st, 2012

Tuesday’s Knitting Tip – Keeping your Edges Neat

 

If you’ve struggled with messy edges on your knitting projects, you’re not alone. Knitting the first stitch of a row is tricky to get just right. I like to keep the edges of my project neat by slipping the first stitch of every row. This slipped stitch is then knit (or purled) when you work back on the next row.

 

Some people strive for their projects to look as perfect as possible while other choose to embrace the imperfections of hand knitting.

 

Do you have any tricks for keeping your knitting neat? Or do you let the stitches fall where they may instead?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • phyllisgl

    do you slip them knitwise or purlwise?

  • Tru

    I agree that slipping the first stitch on each row will leave a nice edge but only when that edge will show (be left un-seamed). If it will be seamed, slipping the first stitch often leads to tension problems on the second stitch, which will be the first stitch showing beyond the seam — and hence leading to sloppiness at the seams. So slipping is nice in some cases but should be used with thought and consideration; not to be used all the time.

  • Becca

    My grandma always slips her first stitch and knits her last stitch.

  • Patricia

    I always slip my first stitch as if to purl and knit my last stitch on the row. Doing this makes my edges look like the picture shows. I really like it!

  • http://www.facebook.com/lej619 Lori Enos Jones

    Do you have the yarn in front or in back??? ( I know that to do a purl stitch u put the yarn in front but am not sure when u do a slip stitch as if to purl)

  • LaMaHa

    If you pick up the bars inside the stitches when seaming you end up with an invisible seam.

  • Ellie

    I usually slip the first stitch knitwise (yarn at the back) and purl last stitch of all roes. The method of slip as to purl and knit last helps those who knit loose… The last stitch gets twisted unlike the method I use. You do slip with the yarn in front btw.