*%$@ing Buttonholes!

[Kilgore_Trout]

So i just tried my wristwarmer pattern for the 5th time, and once I again I've screwed the whole darn thing up right at the end! Does anyone know an easy buttonhole pattern thats VERY sturdy and doesn't require the stinking twisted purl cast on method? I'm about to throw my knitting into the coal burning oven. Hopefully AMy's "fixing mistakes" section can help me. Is "insterting the needle to destination before ripping out" as hard as it seems?

[Mer]

Did you try Amy's buttonhole instructions? I found those much easier than the ones I've seen in patterns. It's here towards the middle of the page.

[Kilgore_Trout]

Thanks!

So I keep running into trouble when its time to cast on. I end up with a bit of yarn connecting the slip not to the rest of the work creating a hole. Is there a trick to getting the slip knot closer to the work?

[amy]

Hi Kilgore,

Are you using basic backward loop cast-on? Try learning the Long Tail cast-on (video in basic techniques), it's neater looking, easier to knit from, and it's faster in the end because it creates an already-knitted row within the cast-on.

Good luck on the buttonholes as well.

[Kilgore_Trout]

Thanks for the reply!
Well I'm using the "twisted purl cast on" for the button hole, but even so, its the slip knot thats screwing me up. Theres always a little space, can't get it right up against the needle to avoid a hole, ya know what I mean?

[amy]

You're using a slip knot in making a buttonhole? There's a slip stitch (ie. slipping a stitch) but no slip knot called for. Am I missing something? I thought you were referring to another problem just with your average cast-on situation. I'm not able to picture where you'd use a slip knot in a buttonhole.

[Kilgore_Trout]

Well in making the buttonhole I first bind off the stitches, then begin casting on again. Maybe I should be leaving the slip knot part of the cast on out. But then where do I start casting on from? Just use the next stitch for the backwards loop dealy?

[amy]

Check out the buttonhole method I outline in Advanced Techniques. Several simple steps give you one heck of an awesome buttonhole. It will solve your problem.

[Kilgore_Trout]

Woo hoo, what a great buttonhole! A lot better than that craziness I was trying to knit before. But still a couple questions about it....
1. My stitches above the button hole seem extra loose, and just outside one of the "corners" is a small hole, is that normal?
2. In your written buttonhole instructions, can it be that there is a step missing? In particular:
Step 4 -- Turn work (so RS is facing). Bring yarn to back; slip first st of left needle onto right needle and pass last CO st over it. ....You're done! Work to end of the row, or to the next buttonhole!
After the "pass last CO st over it" don't you then bring the last stich on the right needle back to the left needle? I ended up with my yarn coming from the second stich on the right needle, so just passed that extra one back like I've seen in other buttonhole patterns.
Hope that was worded ok, thanks again for all the help!