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Page 6:
Back Stitch Seam In some cases a seam allowance is preferred, such as for a very loosely knitted fabric. 1. Pin, then baste pieces to be joined together with edges even, right sides together with the wrong sides out. 2. Thread a tapestry needle with the same yarn used in the knitting. (If you have left a length of yarn on either piece long enough for your seam, use it.) 3. Sew seam with a back stitch about ¼ inch from edge.
4. To make a back stitch, bring the needle out on the right side, insert it back to end of last stitch, then from wrong side bring needle out on right side in front of yarn. Repeat until you have the desired length of seam.
5. Do not pull stitches too tightly as your finished seam should have elasticity. 6. It is wise to check the right side of your work from time to time to insure neatness. 7. Steam seams open and flat. Crocheted Seam Use the same yarn used to knit the garment and a crochet hook large enough not to split yarn, yet small enough to go through the stitches easily. 1. Hold the two pieces to be joined with right sides together, wrong side out, holding work in left hand. 2. Attach yarn on bottom piece; with crochet hook pull yarn through to top side with a slip loop. 3. Insert hook through first stitch of top piece (one stitch in from edge) and then through the corresponding stitch in the other piece. In other words, work into corresponding rows of knitting on either side. Catch yarn with hook, draw through both sides of work, and straight through slip loop on hook. Do the same thing in the next row of knitting, and repeat this procedure along the entire seam.
This method of crocheting a seam gives slightly more elasticity and strength than a sewn seam. Grafting When joining two bound-off edges together, such as the shoulders of a sweater, grafting gives a neater-looking seam than sewing or crocheting them together. Thread a tapestry needle with the same yarn used to knit the garment. Place the two edges together with right sides facing you. If you look carefully at the two pieces, you will see that the stitches on the piece farthest away from you are going away from you and on the piece nearest you the stitches are coming toward you. Secure your thread at the edge of work and insert needle under the first stitch coming toward you on the near side, just inside the bound-off edge. Insert the needle horizontally. Draw the needle through and insert it under the matching stitch going away from you on the far side. Draw the needle through. On succeeding stitches, insert the needle into the same point where the thread came out the stitch before. Grafting is always done from right to left, and the needle is always inserted under the stitches horizontally.
Grafting makes a smooth, flat seam. If the tension is even, it is very neat.
When grafting the shoulders of a garment, it is best to start at the armhole or sleeve edge. Set In Sleeves It takes a great deal of care and patience to set a sleeve into the body of a sweater so that it fits properly and looks neat. To set sleeves into a sweater: 1. Place the sleeve into the armscye of the sweater with right sides together. 2. With the sleeve side facing you, pin sleeve in armscye matching underarm seams and center top of sleeve with shoulder seam. Now, with sleeve side still facing you, pin from underarm seam toward the shoulder seam, easing in any fullness two inches each side of top of sleeve. 3. Turn work and with body side of sweater facing you, attach yarn and with crochet hook, work seam in a slip stitch or with a back stitch seam. If you follow the rows of knitting as a guide, your seam should be smooth, straight, and even. Blocking When you finish knitting a garment, you should always block it before you join the seams. Blocking gives your knitted garment that smooth, finished look, and also makes it easier to join the seams. The most common method of blocking is by using steam. With some yarns, such as mohair and "fur blends," you should never use heat. You will learn two methods of blocking in this project. Blocking by Steam 1. Place your garment on a flat padded surface with the right sides of garment together. Pin the edges to the measurements given in the directions; use rust-proof pins, about ½ inch apart. Note: If your garment is made in separate pieces such as back, front, and sleeves, two identical pieces should be blocked at the same time. 2. Place a damp cloth over the pieces already pinned; then steam with a hot iron by holding the iron just barely above the damp cloth. 3. Leave the garment pinned until thoroughly dry. 4. Remove pins and sew up seams by the desired method. 5. Steam seams on the wrong side. Note: It is best never to block the ribbing of a garment. Blocking With Damp Towels This is the method found best for mohair, etc. When using this method you sew your seams before blocking. 1. Lay a damp towel on a flat surface. Shape the garment on the towel, using a tape measure and the measurements in your directions, to insure proper fit. 2. Avoid that "creased-in" look at seams and in sleeves by using lots of tissue paper, rolled and slightly crushed. Put it down the side seams, in the sleeves, and at the shoulder seams. 3. Cover with a damp towel and leave until all pieces are dry. Try to avoid covering ribbing. Continue Below
This is page 6 of 6: Return To Previous Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Source: This article is re-published by Eastman Publishing. The information contained in this article is from a Cooperative Extension Service, Oregon publication titled Knitting - Creative Use of Leisure Time - 1966.
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