FAQ....Is your STOCKINETTE CURLING? Here's the solution! - Page 20

KnitandPurl · 12-28-2009, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by mimtess

There are times when you cannot do a border of garter or seed stitches. Such is what it is with what I'm making, which is an afghan made up of squares. Each square has a pattern that would not accommodate a border. So.... I bought a package of book binder clips at the $ store (4 in a pack) and when it begins to curl around the 10th row, I attach the clips to the the bottom which weighs it down perfectly. Then merrily continue knitting. Hope this idea helps others.

That sounds curious. One of my first knitting books was a collection of afghan square patterns and almost everyone of them started and ended with two rows of garter stitch and on every row in between started and ended with one garter stitch. It was very confusing to a beginner but I later realized that the garter stitch was there to keep the stockinette from curling.

cfwdwnut · 02-12-2010, 06:37 PM

I hope someone sees this since it has been a year since anyone posted.

I have read the entire thread and most of it is talking about preventing the curling while you are knitting it. There are a few mentions of fixing it afterwards but I am still a bit confused.

I made a "scarf"--not really intending it to be a scarf it was just for me to practice knit and purl and get a rhythm and start to build the muscle memory so I know what I am doing! It was great practice and now my daughter really wants the scarf-- I used cheap tacky acrylic yarn so of course she loves it! I would like to fix the curl along the sides though. I don't mind the curl on the ends, it is actually kind of cute.

So I see my options appear to be to knit or crochet a border. I don't know how to crochet (that is on my bucket list though!) and am not convinced a knit border is going to work? I would like to make a seed stitch edge, I need to practice alternating k and p anyway!

It would seem that since the yarn isn't actually attached to the stockinette yarn it won't have enough "pull" to work. Also I am not completely clear how I am supposed to add this border? Do treat each row going up as separate and start new for each one? If it makes any difference I slipped the first stitch of each row.

Is there anyway to make a border that goes vertically (along the long sides) that might work?

Jan in CA · 02-12-2010, 07:24 PM

You'll need to have a long cable to pick up stitches along the vertical side of the knitting. If you make the border wide enough it should help prevent curling. That's why some people crochet..because they don't have to use a long cable and have all those stitches on the needle.

It's best to add the border as you go though.

cfwdwnut · 02-12-2010, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Jan in CA

You'll need to have a long cable to pick up stitches along the vertical side of the knitting. If you make the border wide enough it should help prevent curling. That's why some people crochet..because they don't have to use a long cable and have all those stitches on the needle.

It's best to add the border as you go though.

Thanks. By cable do you mean that I need to use Circular Needles? Cause I did just buy some that should be long enough.

So I would use that to put a border along the long sides of the scarf going from cast on to cast off ends and that can help? As opposed to adding 5 or more stitches at both ends of each rows (as I should have as I was making it!) I need to practice with the circular needles anyway since I have never used them so this would add to my use of it to practice things. I want to try the seed stitch.

I now know how to do it in the future and I am not concerned with making it gift quality, it was great practice piece and is already full of holes and one are that I somehow ended up with a bunch of extra stitches for a few rows in the middle so it is wonky. But my 9 year old thinks that it is amazing and wonderful-- she is a great kid

!

I am going to call it my Swiss Cheese Scarf!

Jan in CA · 02-12-2010, 07:54 PM

Yes, a circular needle. I'm not sure how you'd do it any other way. Even this method isn't perfect though because I think it can still want to fold back where you picked up the stitches.

suzeeq · 02-12-2010, 08:01 PM

Yes, you need a circ unless you just pick up sts along one side, knit back and forth and BO, then pick up on the other long side, knit a few rows and BO. But if you've got more than about 30", even a 14" straight needle won't hold them all. A 32" circular will, because the sts will squish up closer on the much smaller cord. And you can knit flat with it too.

cfwdwnut · 02-12-2010, 08:08 PM

Thanks! I will give it a try. I bought some circulars with 36in cord because I want to try some easy blankets I found.

MarciT · 02-18-2010, 03:10 AM

Originally Posted by suzeeq

At least 3.

I would definitely agree with at least 3st but most likely more. I just finished a scarf using 2st and it was certainly not enough. But for my first project I am happy and still got compliments on it. I was also using relatively small size needles too. (7) Thank you for all the help here. Ya'll have been amazing!

junkinsk1 · 03-09-2010, 04:33 PM

Sorry if this was posted earlier, I haven't gone through all the responses.

I was working on a baby sweater and a very experienced knitter told me to slip the first stitch on each row. The stitch will get worked at the end of the next row. This keeps the edge straight and doesn't curl. For a bottom curl I have no idea.

suzeeq · 03-09-2010, 04:42 PM

That only works for the edge stitch, it doesn't keep the entire edge from curling. However, if you're going to seam up that edge, that will stop it, though slipping the first stitch on that edge may make it harder to sew up.