Life on the edge--stitch patterns that can take it and not curl up (shown in pictures, knitting shorthand and diagrams)

Today's post reviews different kinds of knitted fabrics--ribbing, garter stitch, seed stitch, moss stitch-- which are adapted to life on the edge. These stitch patterns won't curl up when unsupported along one or more edges.

This post contains further review of reading knitting shorthand and charts, a subject raised in the previous post. It is followed by a whole series of posts about knitting better bands.(Link takes you to blog index.)

REVIEW OF NON-CURLING FABRICS

Stockinette curls. Ribbing doesn't, and neither does seed stitch, moss stitch, garter stitch. For a full explanation of why this should be, click here.

Non-curling fabrics are traditionally used at the edges of garments. Below is a review of these different non-curling fabric which are usually used as bands (bottom bands, front bands, neck bands and cuffs, also hat bands). These stitch patterns are also used as the "frame" around a flat item, such as a scarf or afghan.

1. Garter stitch (below)

(below) To knit garter stitch flat: knit every row. You will note that on this chart, the row numbers appear on opposite sides of the chart. This indicates that you are to knit flat (back and forth) because you can see that you are to start at a different edge for every row.
(below) To knit garter stitch in the round: *knit one round, purl one round* repeat.You will note that on this chart, the row numbers all appear at the same side of the chart. This indicates that you are to knit circular because you can see that you are to start every row at the same edge--a thing only possible if you knit around and around, coming back to the starting place with each round.

2. Ribbing (1x1) (below)

(below) To rib flat: on an odd number of stitches,
row1: *k1, p1* repeat until last stitch, k1
row 2: *p1, k1* repeat until last stitch, p1
repeat rows 1 and 2.
(below) To rib (1x1) in the round: every round on an even number of stitches, *k1, p1*

3. Seed stitch (below)
(Seed stitch is sometimes called single moss stitch)

(below) To seed stitch flat: every row, on an odd number of stitches, *p1, k1* repeat until last stitch, p1. A 4-row repeat is shown to give a bigger sample of the overall pattern.
(below) To seed stitch in the round: on an odd number of stitches,
round 1: *p1, k1* end with p1
round 2: *k1, p1* end with k1
rounds 3 and 4 are simply repeats of rounds 1 and 2, and are shown only to give a bigger sample of the overall pattern.

4. Moss stitch (below)
(Moss stitch is sometimes called double moss, Irish moss and small broken rib)

(below) To moss stitch flat: on an odd number of stitches,
row 1: *p1, k1* repeat until last stitch, p1
row 2: *k1, p1* repeat until last stitch, k1
row 3: same as row 2
row 4: same as row 1
repeat these 4 rows
(below) To moss stitch in the round: on a even number of stitches,
round 1: *p1, k1*
round 2: same as round 1
round 3: *k1, p1*
round 4: same as round 3
repeat these 4 rounds.
Do you see a pattern? Each of these stitch patterns puts a nearly equal number of knit and purl stitches on each face of the fabric. With knits and purl equally distributed on each face, there is no tendency for the fabric to curl. (Again, for more information stitch distribution this, click here.)

The next post (first of a long series) turns to the very edges of all these non-curling fabrics, and find out why the edges of your cuffs and collars, bottom bands and front bands are splayed out, or tight or just so darned WONKY!

--TECHknitter

PS:  If your problem is that your bands are flipping back, here are two different posts with ideas for you:
Non-flipping (zig-zag) bands (shows how to knit non-flipping bands by the zig-zag method)
Taming garter stitch band-flip (two parts: first part about setting up to knit non-flipping bands by a different method, second part about fixing garter stitch bands, already knit, which want to flip backwards).
(You have been reading TECHknitting on "four non curling knitted fabrics--pictures, charts and diagrams")

How to read knitting shorthand and decode knitting charts

Knitting has its own language. UnFinished Objects become UFO's. A frog in a pond says "rip-it, rip-it" and so "frogging" has come to mean ripping back -- unraveling -- knitting. You can put a UFO into the frog pond, and most US knitters will know that you have unraveled a partially knitted project, although to a non-knitter this means, well, something different.

But not all of the knitter's language comes from jokes--a lot of it is shorthand. Here's how the shorthand developed:

Suppose you saw knitting directions written like this:
knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1, then purl 1, then knit 1.

You COULD plow through all that. It is written in plain English, and the earliest knitting patterns actually did look like this. However, having to count up the exact number of knits and purl gets kind of wearisome and confusing. Perhaps we should write these instructions like this:

• Knit 1, then purl 1, then repeat these two stitches 28 times more. End up by knitting 1 stitch, and then you are at the end of the row.

Even shorter is:

• *k1, p1, repeat from * 28 more times, end with k1.

In this version, stars * * are used as the signal to enclose the action to be repeated. In other words, the stars surround the action to be performed --k1, p1--and you do that action 29 times altogether. One stitch will be left, and you knit that last stitch.

 A more modern version of this same instruction is

• * k1, p1, repeat from * 28 times more, end with a k1.  

In this notation, the star indicates the beginning of the action, and the word "repeat" indicates the end of the action, as well as telling you what to do next. 

Now, suppose that you see this:

• p1  ( *k1, p1* 2 times, *p2, k2* 2 times , p2, *p1, k1* 2 times) 2 times, p1

What in the world does THAT mean? Well, the same principles apply. The first thing to do is to p1. Next comes a set of instructions encased in parentheses ( ). The notation "2 times" after the close of the parentheses  indicates that you are to do everything within the parentheses 2 times altogether. Within the parentheses are THREE sets of instructions, each of which is encased in stars: the first is k1,p1, which you are to do 2 times; the second is p2, k2, which you are to do 2 times, then you are to do a single p2. Finally, you are to end each section with two repetitions of p1, k1. The point of the ( ) symbols is that you are to repeat everything inside the parentheses 2 times altogether.  After the two repetitions, the row ends with a single p1.

Knitters accustomed to these sorts of instruction can see this row clearly laid out in their mind's eye. This is a row of ribbing knit flat (back and forth). The row starts and ends with a p1. The rest of the row is divided into 2 sections. Within each section there is a center section of 2x2 ribbing (the middle set of stars), and this center section is flanked by 2 outer sections of 1x1 ribbing (the 2 outer sets of stars).  Further, the 1x1 ribbing backs up to the 2x2 ribbing in such a way as to create 3 p's in a row.

These sorts of instructions are perhaps not very user-friendly when you first see them. To add to the confusion, knitting is created from right to left, and from bottom to top, whereas English is written from left to right, and top to bottom. So, seeing this sentence fragment as a knitted row in the mind's eye requires not only decoding the abbreviations and symbols, but is also transposing left with right and up with down.

If you plug away at this, you will get it. But in the meantime, if you'd like a more graphic representation, perhaps you will consider charts.

Below is the same stitch pattern as above, laid out in both writing and in chart form.

(click on the chart to enlarge.)

As shown by the arrows, knitting charts are meant to be read in the same direction as knitting is created: from right to left. Many knitters find such charts easier to read because the pattern is laid out graphically.  For example, the alternating sets of ribs are now plainly displayed.

In this chart, knit and purl are shown by different colors, but other symbols also appear : a blank white square for knit and a bar - for purl is common; as is K for knit and a P for purl.  Nearly all charted patterns have a key to make all clear.

For more information on reading charts and shorthand, click here.

--TK
(You have been reading TECHknitting on "reading knitting shorthand and decoding knitting charts")

QUICKtip on conditioning knitting needles.

If your needles are being grabby, run them through your hair (along the scalp) once or twice. The "preening oil" naturally on your scalp will help the needles slide through the wool more smoothly. Conversely, if your needles are getting too slippery, put on clean rubber dishwashing gloves and massage the needles a little, then drag each needle between your pinched thumb and forefinger--no water, just drag the needles between the pinched, dry glove. This will clear oils, and restore a better "tooth." For a very slippery needle which does not respond to this treatment, a drag through a barely dampened, doubled over "Mr. Clean Eraser" will certainly restore tooth--the "eraser" is actually nothing more than micro-scale sandpaper. Be really careful before you go this route, however. Although some needles (like bamboo) respond splendidly to this treatment, other needles (like Addi lace needles) have a coating, and the "eraser" could ruin it.

--TECHknitter

COWYAK--a waste yarn method of provisional cast on

includes 4 illustrations
On a Ravelry discussion board recently, several knitters were batting around various methods of provisional casting on. A consensus developed that the very best method of provisional cast-on is to simply cast on with some waste yarn, knit a couple of rows or rounds, then switch to the garment yarn. When the time comes to remove the waste yarn, there will be the garment yarn loops, waiting to be worked in the other direction.

In the course of the conversation, one commenter called this method the "cast on with waste yarn and knit a few rows" method and the next commenter condensed this to the catchy name "COWYAK." Sounds good to me, so, with permission, I'm adopting COWYAK as the acronym for this method: the letters stand for "CAST ON (with) WASTE YARN AND KNIT."

There is nothing revolutionary about the method itself--machine knitters cast on with waste yarn all the time, as do many hand knitters. However, it is a good technique to remember, and giving it a name makes it even more useful--it's going to be handy to be able to refer to this technique by the name COWYAK, instead of launching into a full-blown description every time.

The reason (imho) why COWYAK works better than any other method of provisional casting on is that the garment loops which will ultimately be worked "down" are more protected with COWYAK than with any other method. With ordinary provisional casts on, the garment loops to be worked "down" stay right at the edge of the knitting during the entire course of the work. Being at the edge like that subjects these stitches to wear and abuse. By contrast, with COWYAK, these loops are several rows or rounds into the fabric, and so are better preserved.

Here's how to do it:
1. (below) In this illustration, the work was begun by casting on with waste yarn (green) and kitting a couple of rows. Next, the garment yarn (pink) was worked into the next row, and several additional rows were knitted.
2. (below) When the time comes to remove the waste yarn, it is removed up to the last row (easiest way is to snip one stitch at the edge of the last row of waste yarn). This last row is unpicked with a knitting needle, one-half stitch at at time, and each freed stitch is immediately caught on a needle to prevent runs, as shown.
3. (below) After all the waste yarn is removed, the tails of the garment loops are "live loops," capable of being knit "down," (i.e. in the opposite direction from the original knitting of the garment loops).
Here are some further tips for COWYAK:

• 1. Use waste yarn of the same weight as the garment yarn--this helps maintain correct tension on the first row of loops in garment yarn.
• 2. Cotton works well as waste yarn, because it will not mat or felt together with the yarn of the garment.
• 3. A further refinement is to run a life line through your first row of garment loops, so when waste yarn is removed, the garment yarn cannot run out.
• 4. A further refinement is for use patterned fabrics: You can do a repeat in the waste yarn as a "warm up" for the garment fabric.

*THANK YOU* to Ravelers Msmcknittington and Swroot for being the naming team which came up with the acronym COWYAK, for permission to use same, and for posting about refinements 3 and 4. *THANKS* also to Valerie and Kathryn who commented on this post, pointing out confusing usage accompanying the third illustration (usage which has now been corrected).

(Addendum 2013) Well!  evidently, there really IS such a thing as a cow-yak hybrid_  it is called a cak, and here is a photo. 

--TECHknitter
(You have been reading TECHknitting on: COWYAK-- a method of using waste yarn for provisional cast on.)

Fixing errors at the sides edges of your knitting

includes 12 illustrations

Have you ever had a terrifying mess like this at the side edge of your knitting?

A mess like this occurs when stitches come loose at the edge and run out. Perhaps a stitch slipped off the needle, perhaps you dropped a stitch near the edge to correct an error and things got out of control. Whichever way it happened, the mess looks scary. A run at the side edge of your knitting creates loops --giant loops--that look nothing like the ladder of an ordinary run.

Most knitters (including, for many years, me) would rather rip back a mess like this than try to fix this on the needles. However, from now on, the situation is altered. No longer do you need to rip back: you can go your way rejoicing. In the same way as you can use a crochet hook to efficiently correct an ordinary run, so you can use a crochet hook to correct a run which occurs at the edge...if you keep your wits about you.

In person, the problem looks worse than it actually is: the curl at the edge of most knitted fabrics contributes to the confusion, and the loose loops overlay one another. If you could take away all the curl in the fabric and organize the overlapping loops--if you could lay the mess out neatly--the problem would look like the illustration below. (In this illustration, the three edge stitches have become unmoored, and have run out 6 rows down.)


Below are two different ways to fix this problem, depending on how you created the very edge stitch--the selvedge stitch--when you first created the fabric. Many knitters (myself among them) always run a chain selvedge in the fabric--created by slipping the first (or last) stitch on every row. (For complete instructions on how to create a chain selvedge, click here.) One reason to run a chain selvedge is that it makes correcting errors in the side edges easier. The first set of illustrations below (numbered with pink circles) show how to correct a run when the fabric was originally knitted with such a chain selvedge.

However, not every knitter runs a chain selvedge in their work. If you are a knitter who knits every stitch on every row, it will be slightly more complicated to fix runs at the side edges--it requires you pin the the fabric to a board in order to fix it. However, although more complicated, it is by no means impossible, and the second set of illustrations (numbered with green circles) shows how.

CORRECTING EDGE ERRORS when the fabric has a CHAIN SELVEDGE

1 (below) In this illustration, three edge stitches have run down 6 rows. The 3 edge stitches of the last row NOT to run out are called the "foundation row" and are labeled by color. The very edge stitch is red, the two interior stitches are green and blue.

Due to the chain selvedge, the red stitches will be hooked up in a 1-for-2 pattern--1 edge stitch for every 2 rows. Because 6 rows raveled out, there will be a total of 3 edge stitches to be recreated. The two interior stitches, the green and the blue, will be hooked up in an ordinary 1-for-1 pattern--1 stitch per row. Because 6 rows ran out, 6 total stitches in each column need to be recreated.

2. (below) Begin by hooking up the red edge stitch as shown. Remember that for a chain selvedge, the outer edge of each loop need only be drawn through once.

3. (below) Continue hooking up the red stitches along the outside edge of the loops. As you can see, this process begins to turn the loops into something more closely resembling ordinary ladders in the area above the green and blue stitches.

4. (below) Once the red stitches have all been hooked up and deposited on the needle, begin with the green stitches. Unlike the red stitches, which are chain selvedge stitches--hooked up 1 stitch per 2 rows--the green stitches are ordinary stitches, and are hooked up one stitch per row, as shown.

5. (below) Once the green stitches have been hooked up and deposited on the right knitting needle, hook up the blue stitches in the same manner, as shown.

6. (below) The finished product. Of course, it will not look all neat like this--it will be wonky because the tension has been much disturbed. However, some careful picking at the stitch arms with your knitting needle will adjust the tension better. Wearing and blocking will smooth things out further until, over time, you won't be able to tell there was ever a problem.

CORRECTING EDGE ERRORS when the fabric has an ORDINARY SELVEDGE

1. (below) When you are running an ordinary selvedge, the work of correcting an error at the edge is a little more complex. The trouble arises because the outer edge of each loop must be turned into two stitches--one above the other, to match the fact that every stitch of every row was knitted. Stated otherwise, because the edge stitch was not slipped, you must have the same number of stitches along the edge of the work as in the interior columns. This takes a little hocus-pocus to create, but, with the help of pins and a board, a run on this sort of edge can also be corrected. Begin by pinning out the loops, as shown. Next, draw the "bottom" part of the outermost portion of the loop into the foundation stitch (red) with a crochet hook as shown.

2. (below) Once you have drawn up the part of the loop below the pin, you next draw up the outermost part of the loop above the pin. In other words, the red stitches are hooked up once below the pin and then again another time above the pin. This creates 2 stitches at the outer edge of every red loop.

3 (below) Once the edge stitches have been created, the pins can come out, and the two interior columns (green and blue) are hooked up in the same manner as shown in illustrations 4 and 5 of first series (with pink circles, above). (However, if you find it easier, you need not remove the pins until you have hooked up all the columns.)

4. (below) The finished work. As stated above, the tension will be wonky when the error is first fixed. However, judicious tension readjustment of the stitch arms with a knitting needle, coupled with blocking and wear, will all act together to smooth out the area until no trace of the correction shows.

One last thing: The run-out loops in these illustrations are not to scale. A loop resulting from 5 or 6 raveled out stitches is relatively longer than the illustrations. Paradoxically, once you start hooking up, the ladders are relatively shorter than they appear in these illustrations. If you need to use a very small hook indeed for the interior (green and blue) stitches, no fears--you're not doing it wrong.


--TECHknitter
((You have been reading TECHknitting on: "Correcting errors at the side edges of your knitting")

QUICKtip: improve long-tail cast on with a KNOT

The long tail is the method I most use for casting on. (For the reasons I like it best, and for a tutorial on how to do long tail cast on, click here.) However, although it is my fave, the fact is that the larger the number of stitches to be cast on, the less accurate the estimation will be for the length of the tail.

I was pondering this for the nth time a couple of nights ago when a BIG idea jumped into my head--what if the tail were actually a separate piece of yarn? That would make long tail casting on far more feasible where LOTS of stitches are needed -- a man's sweater, the edge of a poncho, a shawl started along the long edge, a blanket. (Above) The easiest way to work this caper is to simply knot both ends of the skein of yarn together. On the upside, you could cast on eleventy-seven stitches and you'd never run out of yarn by allowing a too-short tail. On the downside, you'd have extra ends to work in, but the weaving-in method or the held together tail method from the 3-in-in TECHjoin should take care of the extra loose ends without too much trouble (and in flat garment knitting, you can use at least one of these tails, left long at each side, to seam the garment).

(Above) The "knotted stitch" does NOT figure into your stitch count--before knitting the second round, drop the "knotted stitch" right off the needle. The first true stitch now presents as the first stitch of the row.

Ordinarily, both strands of the long-tail cast on would be in the same color--the 2 colors are for illustration purposes only.

Addendum 10-13-07: A sharp-eyed reader, Talvi, wrote in the comments that I seem to have unvented provisional long tail cast on. And so I have--Talvi provided this link, and sure enough, there it is: a long tail cast on with a knot! Summarizing briefly, the idea of using long tail casting on with a knot as a provisional cast on would be to really and truly use two different colors of yarn, as in the illustration, and then pick out the bottom loops (red in the illustrations). This would leave the top loops (white) on the needles, and the tails of those white stitches could then be treated as stitches to be worked in the opposite direction.

However ... as cool as long tail casting-on with a knot is, I personally would use it only where LOTS of stitches were wanted--I would not use it as a provisional cast on. Years ago I messed around with pulling out the bottom thread of conventional long tail cast on as a method of provisional cast on, and rejected it for these reasons:

• 1. The bottom yarn is on the needle pretty tightly in long tail casting on (and this is equally true regardless of whether you cast on over one needle or two). It takes some determined picking (or cutting) to get it loose--as you can see from the diagram, the bottom yarn actually forms loops that double back on themselves.
• 2. All that picking, plucking, snipping and pulling compromises the tension of first actual row of stitches, if not the actual integrity of the stitches themselves.
• 3. There are better ways to provisionally cast on--methods that unzip more readily.
• 4. Even if an actual method of provisionally casting on seems too much trouble, or too complicated to wrap one's mind around, a couple of rows or rounds in waste yarn is the easiest and best method of provisional cast on ever invented--the appearance of the first actual row or round of stitches is the VERY BEST with the waste yarn method because these stitches came from "inside" the fabric and have no tension issues at all.
  

However, as in all things knitting, your mileage may vary--using long tail casting on with a knot as a provisional cast on might work well for you despite the fact that it doesn't work well for me.
In any event, a REALLY BIG *THANK YOU* to Talvi for bringing up this information!

--TECHknitter
(You have been reading TECHknitting on: "use a knot to improve your long tail cast on.")

Left leaning decreases: the runners up--an uber-geek techno-weenie presentation

includes 17 illustrations
Ok, I gotta say it: those were a lot of comments to the last post--the one about the possibility of including some sewing techniques. Many thanks to all who responded, and to all who will respond. The drawing for the prize--the $20 gift certificate to Knitpicks--will be on TECHknitting's blogiversery post (Nov 5, 2007). In the mean time, it's back to mundane nuts and bolts stuff about knitting--today's post is about MORE left leaning decreases.

The current series on left-leaning decreases is the result of a lot of experimentation over a lot of (pre-internet) years. At different times, different left leaning decreases were my favorites, but now I have settled on two: the SYTK and the Crochet Hook Method (CHM), each of which previously starred in a post of its own. However, that doesn't mean that some of the other left-leaning decreases with which I flirted weren't handsome creatures, too. I've picked the runners up below. One of these, runner up #2, is a specialty decrease you might want to remember for those situations where you HAVE to make a left leaning (as seen from the front) decrease by working from the back (purl) side of the knitted fabric.

Before we plunge in, I must warn you: this is one of the geekiest (and longest) TECHknitting posts yet. If deep-seated geekishness is not in your nature, you might want to flee read a different blog for today...

If you're still game, here we go with 5 more left leaning deceases. Each one of these, IMHO, is an improvement on ssk and psso, but some are better than others. I've arranged these in reverse order according to my own scale of desirability (yours may vary). Runners up number 5 and 4 I find to be barely an improvement over ssk, while runner number 1, discussed last, is the one I'd go with if SYTK and the CHM suddenly fell off the face of the earth.

* * *

RUNNER UP DECREASE #5: Slip, Knit (sk) In this variation on slip, slip, knit, only the first stitch is slipped knitwise to the right needle and then returned to the left needle (illustration 1, below) The second stitch in sk remains on the left needle and is knitted together with the slipped and re-slipped stitch from its original position (illustration 2, below).The finished sk adds a half-twist to the second (green) stitch, and so removes some of the slack from the top (red) stitch. It is also faster than ssk, as it takes fewer movements. This makes it something of an improvement over ssk, but, at least in my hands, sk remains far from a perfect match for k2tog. Further, even if you liked sk, it'd be easier to do runner up decrease #2, the 1-step sk.

* * *

RUNNER UP DECREASE #4: One-step sk. This is an improvement over runner up #5, regular (two-step) sk, because, as you can see, the finished product for 2-step sk and 1-step sk are identical, but the one step variation is quicker. One-step sk is so nifty and time-saving that it was my steady date for a long time, we went through many great times together. Yet ultimately, I had to move on. Sadly, over time, I was forced to acknowledge that the result of sk (one- or two-step) is pretty much the same as ssk--too much stretching of the top (red) stitch leaves it loose and sloppy on the fabric surface.

* * *

RUNNER UP DECREASE #3: Changing the orientation of the stitches in the row below at the time those stitches are created. In this variation, the stitches to be worked together in the decrease column (the green stitch and the red stitch) are knitted so as to change their orientation on the face of the work--in other words, they are knitted so that AT THE TIME OF CREATION, they lay LEFT arm forward, not right arm forward, and makes them already oriented for ssk. Stated yet otherwise, creating the green stitch and the red stitch to lie left-arm forward means there is no reason to do the slip knitwise, slip knitwise part of ssk--the green and red stitches are CREATED to lay the "slipped" way, ready for the final knit with no further steps to be taken at the time of decrease.

As to how the change in orientation is made at the time of creation, this depends on whether the work is circular or flat. If circular, the stitches to be decreased (the green and the red) are oriented left arm forward when knitting on the face of the fabric. This is done by means of wrapping the standing yarn "over the top," when knitting these two stitches, a mode of yarn wrapping usually labeled "wrong." For flat knitting, the change of orientation is made on the back while purling by means of wrapping the yarn "around the bottom," again, a mode of yarn wrapping usually labeled "wrong." The stitch which does the joining--the blue stitch--may also be oriented left arm forward; this is done by wrapping the standing yarn as shown, before knitting this stitch (i.e. wrapping "over the top")
Thinking logically, orienting the stitches to be knit together so they lay left arm forward at the time of their creation would mean there is *NO MANIPULATION* necessary, no "slip, slip." This is a potentially wonderful boon. And, for some knitters, this solution does work--a good and pleasant outcome. My knitting philosophy is: "Do what works for you." There are various successful ways to knit and we are not martinets. I will share with you, however, that I have never been notably successful with this technique--for me, the creation of stitches which cause a couple of changes of orientation within the row ruffles the fabric face in a distracting manner. If you are interested further, there is a great deal more about why I believe this is so here. (I have put this discussion on a "click through" page instead of in the main blog because experience shows that an eager minority of knitters--you know who you are!--can be passionate about change-of-orientation issues. For these readers--a whole separate page awaits.)

* * *

RUNNER UP DECREASE #2: Re-arranging the order of the stitches on the back.
Step 1, below: Slip the first purl (red) stitch to a stitch holder (here, a bobby pin) and hold it on the side of the fabric towards you Step 2, below: Slip the next purl stitch to the right needle purlwise (right arm forward). Replace the first stitch onto the left needle, right arm forward, then return the second stitch to the left needle by slipping it back from the right needle. This re-arranges the stitches--puts then in different order than they started off. As you can see, the green stitch, which will lie on the fabric surface, crosses in front of the red stitch.

Step 3, below: Give the red stitch (the one which will stay on the back of the fabric) a mighty yank. This draws the slack away from the top stitch (green) on the fabric face. insert the right needle into these two stitches in the usual manner for purling. Next, insert the right needle in the usual manner for purling. Step 4 (below): Purl the red and green stitches together for the finished product.
I think this method of re-arranging the stitches from the back is an improvement over ssk. The manipulation mainly takes place with the red stitch which will wind up behind. This draws slack yarn away from the face of the fabric for a tidier top (green) stitch, especially once you add the "mighty yank" step to the red stitch.

However, it two disadvantages which I find offputting. First, it must be worked from the wrong side--the purl side. In stockinette, at least, this means a stitch holder, for it is far more difficult to be sure of one's place in the wilderness of purl bumps on the back than on the smooth front where decreases show. Yet, even the thinnest stitch marker leaves a trace, for at least some extra yarn must be used to "bridge over" the marker. Adding extra slack where too much slack already accumulates doesn't strike me as a good idea. Second, working with a stitch holder slows down the work. I do admit that in practice, the holder is probably not necessary unless the yarn is ultra-slippery. After all, a single stitch temporarily taken off the needles will not go far. Yet, re-capturing a loose stitch is annoying in its own right, and the more so in splitty yarn (superwash, silk, cotton, alpaca...).

Despite these disadvantages, however, you might want to put this one in your memory bank for the rare occasion when you are to make a leftward decrease on EVERY row, and you are working a flat piece of knitting. The reason? This from-the-back method is a perfect match (when viewed from the front) for ssk and a pretty good match for SYTK. Stated otherwise, there will be little noticeable variation between decreases done from the front by ssk or SYTK, and decreases made from the back by this method.

* * *

RUNNER UP #1: Re-arranging the order of the stitches on the front of the fabric at the time of making the decrease (they don't stay disordered--they end up just like ssk, only tidier). This solution to the ssk problem works for the same reason re-arranging from the back works: the second stitch (the one behind--the green one) is manipulated more than the one in front (red) which pulls slack yarn away so the top (red) stitch lies neater and tidier than an ordinary ssk. Just as in the method of re-arranging from the back, in this method, too, it is best to give the stitch behind (green) a big yank, to transfer even more excess yarn to the back of the fabric.

Despite the real improvement this method displays over an ordinary ssk, this still isn't my fave--it involves a holder (or it involves re-capturing a loose stitch) and (to me--your mileage may vary) doesn't look as good as SYTK. The sequence is identical to that for re-arranging from the back side, the only difference being you do it from the front (and likely do not need a marker to show where the line of decrease is).

As you scan over these pictures, it will, of course, occur to you that you could easily twist the green stitch, thus conferring some of the advantages of SYTK on this method too, but if you're going to do that, why not just go with SYTK in the first place?

* * *

This list of alternate left-leaning decreases is by no means exhaustive. My fellow-blogger Nona (she of the side-to-side socks) offers a beautifully photographed series in which she experiments with 7 types of left leaning decreases. (Nona's been MIA since late August--say you're coming back, Nona!) And even MORE decreases exist: some even appear in the comments to previous posts in this very series--and many THANKS are due those who posted their own personal faves.

If you've gotten to the bottom of this post--if you're still standing after all this verbiage about left-leaning decreases, then you deserve an award. (The knitting-needle cluster is bonus for those who also went to the click-through page about change of orientation.) Congratulations! You are one of the few...the proud--the uber geek techno-weenies of knitting!

And, hey, while we're speaking of uber-geek -techno-weenies, a BIG thank-you goes out to Persnickety Knitter who sent an e-mail correcting a typo in runner up number 2 (the typo has been now been fixed). *Thanks* Persnickety!

--TECHknitter
You have been reading TECHknitting on "5 alternative left leaning decreases"

A POLL with a chance at a PRIZE!

We interrupt the series on left-leaning decreases to ask a question...

Dear Readers: Right from the beginning, the sole point of this blog has been to infect YOUR mind with the knitting tricks which are desperate to ESCAPE mine. Two insistent tricks which have recently been knocking to be be let out involve sewing. So, here's the BIG QUESTION:

Would YOU be interested in posts which include
sewing techniques?

The specific ideas that really want out are these:

First, a series about how to line a sweater-jacket. A reader wrote a long time ago asking for such a series, but I've waffled shamefully because I wasn't sure that this belongs in a knitting technique blog.

This series would include everything, from start to finish: what materials to use for lining, how to use the jacket to create the pattern for the lining, how to add an underarm gusset, how to sew the lining itself together, and how to stitch the lining into the jacket.

Also included would be a couple of posts on putting a zipper closure into a garment. While handy for all genders and ages, experience shows zippers are especially attractive to kids and men. Kids are often too impatient or unskilled to operate buttons, and (taking a risk with stereotyping here) men who "don't like sweaters" will sometimes wear zippered ones when they might not wear buttoned or pull-over ones...

The second idea which keeps knocking to get out of my head is a series on a wonderful storage and transport system for WIP's--a sewn cover-bag with replaceable liner baskets. The WIP's live in the interchangeable baskets with all their parts--the pattern, the yarn, the needles (and depending on your age, your extra pair of reading glasses). The cover-bag fits over the baskets. When you leave the house, you throw whichever WIP suits the situation into the cover-bag--a simple scarf for noisy and distracting places, a lace shawl to keep you company while you sip coffee, a sweater with miles of plain knitting for the airport. The cover bag has handles and makes it easy to carry around the basket of work without spilling or losing anything, the interchangeable baskets mean you won't accidentally leave part of your project home..

You'll be able to follow these two series if you can do the following three things:
1) sew straight stitches on a sewing machine
2) sew zig-zag on a sewing machine
3) overcast (whip stitch) by hand
Any sewing technique harder than these (and there are very few) will be explained and illustrated just like knitting posts are: with line drawings and illustrations.

So... would you find these two subjects interesting, or does this sound like too much sewing?

To encourage response from readers who don't often comment (you lurkers know who you are!) and to reward those who do, there will be a

PRIZE DRAWING!!

All readers responding before November 5, 2007 will be entered in a random drawing for one $20.00 KNITPICKS gift certificate. (Knitpicks is one on-line store where $20.00 can actually buy you something!--HOWEVER, if you are responding from outside the USA and your name is drawn--we'll figure out an equivalent prize that you can use--never fear...) The winning name will be drawn and posted on November 5, 2007 (TECHknitting's one-year Blogiversary!!) so if you've reading this in the archives, and it's before H-Hour... go for it.

With a big thank you for your feedback--

--TECHknitter

The crochet hook method of left-leaning decreases--part 4 of right and left decreases

includes 6 illustrations
A long time ago TECHknitting promised you TWO new ways of making left-leaning decreases. In September 28th's post, the first part of the promise was kept with a little number called SYTK (slip, yank, twist, knit). (BTW: The last 3 drawings in that post were corrected on 10-2.)

Today's post fulfills the other half of the promise by presenting the second method--the CROCHET HOOK METHOD (CHM).

To be honest, of the two, the SYTK is the more versatile. SYTK can be used anywhere a left-leaning decrease is wanted--in a paired decrease situation, or for spiraling decrease. By contrast, the CHM is more limited--it works best on a spiraling garment where there are ONLY left leaning decreases, such as hats, or spiral-knit socks or mittens. This is because, while the CHM makes an insanely beautiful left-leaning decrease, it creates tension issues if you try to pair it with a right leaning decrease. Specifically, the CHM "overtightens" the fabric, creating a distinctive (and very beautiful) "welt." As beautiful as this welt is (see photo below) it is difficult (although not impossible--see the small print at the end of this post) to pair with a right leaning decrease such as k2tog.

One more thing before we start: this method evolved during my search for methods to tighten up ssk. It still serves the function of improving ssk, but I've added a couple of additional wrinkles. An argument could be made that the CHM is merely a method of improvement for ssk, or an argument could be made that this is a whole new method. However, regardless of whichever it is, here's how to do it:

CROCHET HOOK METHOD for making (improving?)
LEFT LEANING DECREASES.

Step 1 (below). To begin the crochet hook method (abbreviated CHM) you place onto a holder, the stitch to the RIGHT of the FIRST left leaning decrease--the purple stitch. In the illustration below, a safety pin is used as a stitch holder. Next, make the left leaning decrease as a slip, slip, knit (the ssk is shown as the red, green and blue stitches). (Click HERE for complete directions for ssk.) Contrary to the usual instructions for good-looking decreases, with the CHM, you are supposed to make the ssk as LOOSE and SLOPPY as you POSSIBLY CAN (really!)

Continue as directed by the pattern, making ssk's where they ought to be, but remembering that, when you count your stitches, there will be ONE LESS STITCH than there ought to be, so do. not. panic. when counting!

* * *

Step 2 (below) When all the decreases are done, you perform the next step. Begin by knitting around to the ladder above the stitch put on the holder. Take that first stitch off the holder. Next, thread a crochet hook through the front of the stitch, as shown. Then, hook up the first rung of the ladder to create a stitch. (This "hooking up" maneuver is the same move as if you had dropped a stitch, and were correcting with a crochet hook.) Continue hooking up the ladder rungs until you've gotten to the top of the decrease line. Pull the working yarn through at the top, place the newly created stitch on your right needle, and you will see that you again have the correct number of stitches which your pattern calls for.
Two more things:

• the decreases in the illustration are done every other row, but this method works regardless of how many "plain rows" lie between the decrease rows.
• although the temptation is nearly overwhelming to try the hooking step after only a couple of decreases, it'll look better if you save the hooking until the end. Hooking up all the ladder rungs at once gives a more even tension. If curiosity is killing you, go ahead and try it, but don't say I didn't warn you!

* * *

Step 3 (below) The finished CHM fabric.

* * *

Of course, the three drawn illustrations above make it all look clear and easy. But, when you come to do this trick, the ladder rungs won't be showing as they do in the illustration--they will be hidden next to the decrease. Also unlike the illustration, the small purple ladder rungs don't turn into regular sized stitches. The process of turning ladder rungs into stitches overtightens the neighboring stitches so much that the effect reaches well beyond the ladder, and that's how the "welt" illustrated in the opening photo was formed. In other words, hooking up the little ladder rungs means that the new stitches formed from them are cramped and tight, the ssk's next door are yanked up tight, and so are the stitches two and even three columns in--it is this ridge of overtightened stitches which creates the welt.

The drawn illustrations above also doesn't show how very loose the ssk's really are before they're tightened, so I've added a photo illustration below which does. These photos show a "before" and "after" shot of a hat knit purposely knit with very loose ssk's, which were then tightened by the CHM. As you can see, those are VERY loose ssk's, indeed.
A note about fabrics: The gray fabric in the above illustration was knit loosely with a thickish yarn on large needles, (Plymouth Encore on size 5 needles). (Ok, yes, for me size 5's are large, because I knit loosely--3 sizes less than what standard pattern instructions call for.) The purple hat in the first photo illustration was knit tightly with thin yarn on small needles (Dale of Norway Baby Ull on size 0 needles). The CHM works for both kinds of knitting, although I will share with you that it was considerably easier to work the crochet hook through the the thicker, looser fabric of the second (gray) hat.

I'll close this post with an analysis of using the crochet hook method in a paired decrease situation with right leaning decreases, for a raglan decrease, say, or a V-neck knit from the bottom up.

The advantage of the CHM is that it makes a really, really lovely decrease, as nice as (or even nicer than) the SYTK. It is hard to overstate how lovely the welts look in person. But those lovely welts make it hard to match the CHM left leaning decreases with k2tog right leaning decreases. And, those welts in the CHM are nearly unavoidable: even when you think you are knitting your ssk's so loose that no welts will form, the CHM tightens the left leaning decreases beyond the tightest you could possibly knit the right leaning decreases, and there are those welts again!

In other words, the welts are the beautiful side effect of cramming in a whole extra stitch row, but the welts also have the disadvantage of making it hard to match these left-leaning decreases with right leaning non-welt decreases.
See for yourself: Both parts of the photo above were knit at the same gauge, on the same needles, of the same yarn (Brown Sheep Bulky). The line of decrease of CHM (green) is much tighter and smaller, and the stitches are much smaller than the k2tog line of decreases (blue) despite the fact that the ssk's in the CHM method were knit VERY loosely.

HOWEVER ... however. If you are still determined to use CHM in a paired decrease situation, it IS theoretically possible to also tighten up k2tog by the CHM. In other words, if you really want to use the CHM to make those distinctive welts in a paired decrease situation, you can knit the k2tog's AND the ssk's LOOSELY, then tighten up both the k2tog's AND the ssk's with the crochet hook method. This would create welts along BOTH lines of decrease, and would look very well on a garment in plain stockinette. If you tightened up both lines of decrease with the CHM, the lovely welts created would serve to reinforce the design element laid down by the garment decreases, both left leaning AND right leaning.

Bottom line: the crochet hook method makes lovely left-leaning decreases along the edge of welt. It is best reserved for spiraling garments--those featuring only left leaning decreases without any corresponding right leaning increases, such as hats. However, (see the fine print above) you CAN use the CHM in a paired decrease situation if you're willing to mess around.

Have fun with this! --TECHknitter.
(You have been reading TECHknitting on: the crochet hook method for left-leaning decreases.)