Chain selvedge a.k.a. "slipped selvedge"
includes a how-to
If you slip the first stitch of every row (or every last stitch--makes no difference) you will get a lovely chained selvedge--a big improvement over the lumpy bumpy edges much knitting exhibits. When the time comes for picking up stitches (for a neck edge or a front band, or around the heel tab of a sock) you will be glad you have lovely, even chains to pick up through.
Here is chain selvedge by the "slip the first stitch" method, in four illustrated steps.
1. (Below) Knit the last stitch of the row through the back loop (tbl), as illustrated.
2. (Below) Draw the new stitch (green) up onto the right needle (brown) with the right "arm" of the new stitch forward, as illustrated. Withdraw the left needle (blue), leaving all the stitches on the right needle.
3. (Below) Switch the needles in your hands. The needle which used to be the right needle (brown) has become the left needle with all the stitches on it, the needle which used to be the left needle (blue) has become the empty needle held in the right hand. With the right hand holding the empty needle (blue), DO NOT KNIT the first stitch (green), but merely slip it PURLWISE from the left needle to the right needle. Knit the rest of the stitches as you normally would, until you come to the last stitch. Repeat from step 1 through 3 for the length of the knitted piece.
4. (Below) If you have followed the above instructions, the slipped stitch should lie "open" as illustrated on the left.
--TECHknitter
If you slip the first stitch of every row (or every last stitch--makes no difference) you will get a lovely chained selvedge--a big improvement over the lumpy bumpy edges much knitting exhibits. When the time comes for picking up stitches (for a neck edge or a front band, or around the heel tab of a sock) you will be glad you have lovely, even chains to pick up through.
Here is chain selvedge by the "slip the first stitch" method, in four illustrated steps.
1. (Below) Knit the last stitch of the row through the back loop (tbl), as illustrated.
click picture
2. (Below) Draw the new stitch (green) up onto the right needle (brown) with the right "arm" of the new stitch forward, as illustrated. Withdraw the left needle (blue), leaving all the stitches on the right needle.
click picture
3. (Below) Switch the needles in your hands. The needle which used to be the right needle (brown) has become the left needle with all the stitches on it, the needle which used to be the left needle (blue) has become the empty needle held in the right hand. With the right hand holding the empty needle (blue), DO NOT KNIT the first stitch (green), but merely slip it PURLWISE from the left needle to the right needle. Knit the rest of the stitches as you normally would, until you come to the last stitch. Repeat from step 1 through 3 for the length of the knitted piece.
click picture
4. (Below) If you have followed the above instructions, the slipped stitch should lie "open" as illustrated on the left.
click picture
--TECHknitter
contents © 2006-2009 by techknitting@hotmail.com
17 Comments:
I am so happy I found your blog! Your diagrams are fantastic and I'm learning so much. Sometimes it's stuff I kinda knew, but now i know WHY it happens that way - always a good thing. So thanks!
--You're very welcome. And thanks for the comment--it's nice to know I'm hitting the mark...
I much prefer the bump edge, particularly for garter stitch. When doing garter based lace work, the bump edge retains more elasticity and is less apparent when one has to pick up stitches along that edge. I also find that some people make the stitch too tight along the edge and have problems with the resulting slipped edge being somewhat shorter than the rest of the piece. AS with most aspects of knitting, there is no right or wrong, only different. Love the blog.
For some obscure reason, I tend to find that I have forgotten to slip the stitch properly some rows back. Is there an easy way to fix this without going all the way back. I seem to lose things when trying to fix things at the beginning or ends or rows. Or does one just ignore it and fudge it...I'm really not the fudgy type ;o)
Thanks again for all your exceptional work.
Hi hrsd415, hi Willi.
1.As to bumps: I agree, hrsd415: many knitters DO prefer a bump edge (created by knitting the last and first stitch every time on every row--ie. not slipping anything). It certainly makes it easy to match seams when sewing, row for row. There are two things to be careful about with bumps, however.
The first problem with the bump edge arises from how you supply the yarn for the first stitch of the new row. If you sometimes carry the yarn for the new row "around" the back of the old row (which twists the last stitch of the old row one way) and sometimes "through" the front of the old row (which twists the last stitch of the old row the other way) you will get a very messy edge. So, it you are inclined to "bump-ify" your edges, be careful to carry the yarn the same way around for the first stitch of every row (ie: be careful to impart the same twist to the last stitch of the old row, every time). It doesn't actually matter much which way you end up choosing-- consistency is the key here.
The second problem with a bump edge arises when you are picking up stitches through that edge, instead of sewing seams. Picking up stitches through a bump edge is harder than picking up stitches through a slipped edge--a slipped edge makes it very easy to be consistent because its easier to see what you're doing, whereas a bump edge has the tendency to be obscured, especially in dark or hairy yarn.
When all is said and done, whether to choose a slipped edge vs. a bump edge is a matter of judgment and opinion. Probably for a start, a slipped edge will give a beginner a better edge with more control over the finished product, but as is evident from hrsd415's comment, nothing is foolproof: for a good result, it IS important to pay attention to the tension of the slipped stitch.
2. Fixing stitches at the beginning and end of rows. My experience accords with yours, Willi: it IS very hard to fix stitches at the beginning and end of rows. The best I can suggest is to stabilize the second column of stitches in from the edge with a temporary line of sewn or crocheted stitches (a technique derived from that used to preparing a steek before cutting) before you drop down the edge stitches to fix them. Hope this helps (and thanks for your kind words about the TECHknitting blog.)
--TECHknitter
Comment added 10-17-07
For information about how to correct ERRORS at a side edge, see the TUTORIAL of 10-17-07 (use indexes in side column or navigate through archives)
I'm so glad to have found this site! I have a question about the number of stitches you would cast on in order to create this selvedge. Do you cast on two extra stitches?
Can a person mattress stitch to join the seams with this selvage, and where would they do that, one stitch in?
So, in summary, i would:
Slip the first stitch knitwise, K to send of row, knit the last stitch twisted, turn the work.
On the purl row I would slip the first stitch purlwise, P to end, P the last stitch twisted, turn the work.
How would we achieve this in 1x1 ribbing?
Thanks for your blog. I was slipping the first stitch on my baby afghan, but it still didn't look right. Thanks to your blog, I learned that I should be slipping purlwise instead! Thanks again, Jean M.
The second picture doesn't look right. The green yarn should be going through the loop on the blue needle twice (in and out). I'm also just having difficulty making these instructions work, although I know what it's trying to do.
Also, what then do you do on a purl-row? Or when the previous row ends in purl? And do you add two stitches to a patterned work for the selvage row? How do you keep it from being too tight (I'm not generally a tight knitter, but my selvages are always tighter than the body of the work)?
Thank you.
Some answers to questions here in the comments:
1. Regarding adding stitches:-the slipped selvedge doesn't ADD any stitches in and of itself, it is simply a different METHOD of working selvedge stitches. Therefore if your pattern has already figured in selvedge stitches (and nearly all patterns do) then you need not add any stitches to work the selvedges in this method. BUT, see answer #2
2. For the mattress stitch, yes, it would have to be done one stitch in. IN THIS CASE, you WOULD have to add two extra stitches for the selvedge stitches. However, if, instead of using the mattress stitch, you slip stitch your seams (using a crochet or knitting needle) then you work right through the slipped selvedge stitches. If you do choose to slip stitch the garment pieces together through a slipped selvedge stitch, you can choose to work the connecting slip stitch through BOTH legs or through only ONE leg of each selvedge stitch--try and see which you like better. Also, if you are slip stitching your garment together, you need not add any selvedge stitches to your stitch count.
3. As far as 1x1 ribbing, there is no reason not to simply work the edge stitch as a slipped selvedge stitch, just as if the fabric were stockinette.
4. The second picture shows what happens when you've changed the work and are now holding it in opposite hands to the first picture. Also, as far as the tightness, the selvedge stitch has to be worked loosely because each selvedge stitch has to stretch up TWO rows.
Thanks to you all for writing. --TK
PS: If you want a more timely response, you can e-mail me: TECHknitting-AT-hotmail.com (re-edit to replace the "-AT-" with the symbol "@")
First off, thank you for your blog. I love reading it and it has helped me a lot. I have a question. I am knitting a bottom up triangle kerchief in garter stitch. If I slip purlwise, I get bumps. If I don't slip I get bumps. If I slip knitwise I get bumps. I know it must have something to do with the kfb I am doing at the end of every row, but I haven't been able to figure out how to get a chain edge. Any ideas?
Hi Anonymous. I think the bumps you are getting may have to do with the way you are wrapping the yarn AFTER you do the slipping. As shown in the third illustration, after slipping, the yarn running to the ball should run from the front arm of the slipped stitch. If it runs from the back arm, you will get a bump. If you try this and you are still getting a bump, write back.
--TK
Love the blog! Thank you for all of your hard work. I just found the site a couple of days ago and am making my through reading all of the posts.
I have a question regarding this method: I have made this "slipped selvedge" by knitting the final stitch of the first row (not tbl), turning my work, then slipping the first stitch with my working yarn in front, and then bringing the working yarn in between the needles to the back of my work where I am ready to start knitting again. My selvedge seems to turn out the same way as your's does (without the twisted loops). Am I just doing the same thing you are, but in a different way? Or is your method better? Thanks, Ve
Hi Ve--glad you like the blog. I believe you are getting the same result by a different method--a very usual thing in knitting! Thanks for writing. --TK
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