Invisible horizontal seam on a cowl w/o provisional cast-on?

[Laura1071426]

Hi everyone!

I recently knitted a beautiful cowl/snood thing. The pattern didn't call for a provisional cast-on and, without thinking I casted on longtail. Now I'm done and needing to join the ends in a big circle, but my seam is dreadfully visible.

The pattern is mostly a K2P2 rib. So: can anyone help me figure out how to turn my cast-on edge into something I can work in kitchener for an invisible seam? Thanks!

Laura

[Jan in CA]

Usually mattress seam is used for invisible side seams.

[salmonmac]

If it's the cast on and bound off ends that you want to seam you can unpick the cast on end in a manner similar to the one shown here. You'll just be doing it at the first or second row in order to create live sts. Create live sts on the bound off end by just unraveling the bind off and you're ready to graft the two ends together.
There's a wonderful discussion and instructions for grafting k2p2 rib by Amy on this website (the KnittingHelp site) if you search for "grafting k2p2 rib". Good luck with the cowl.

[Laura1071426]

Thank you, thank you! That link is wonderful. Now let's hope I'm clever enough to execute it

[Laura1071426]

Oh, wait, already a question... If I'm ripping forward and not ripping back (i.e. I'm ripping up from my cast-on edge) am I still picking up stitches as I normally would?

Thanks!

[Jan in CA]

Yes, you can still pick them up normally. If they are twisted you can straighten them out.