Best Border for Stockinette

Lighting57 · 09-09-2007, 05:50 PM

Because I rarely have a chance to get here and read, let alone do a search, I'm asking this question again. I know it has probably been answered several times in the past.

When working back and forth in the stockinette pattern (for a cardigan) what is the best border technique to prevent curling to which you can later pick up from and add the buttonhole strip?

Thanks,
Sandra

Ingrid · 09-09-2007, 11:06 PM

It's ok if the front of a sweater curls. When you add the button band, that will stop the curling.

Brandy Wine · 09-10-2007, 03:47 AM

If your talking about the waist hem, I like to use a knit 2 purl 2 rib for about 2 inches up. As a matter of fact, I'm working on a cardigan in stockinette as well, and this rib has really worked to stop curling.

MerigoldinWA · 09-10-2007, 06:23 PM

Ingrid is right that the button bands will deal with the curling. There are several things you can do with the button bands. I often do them in K1, P1 rib. But you can do them in seed stitch, or garter stitch. Usually you use one of those flat, noncurling stitches for the button bands. I'm sure there are a lot more possibilities.

Lighting57 · 09-11-2007, 02:25 AM

So Ingrid and Merigold, when you go along the right and left sides to pick up stitches do you pick up two out of every three as I see in most instructions? The pattern I am thinking of using is antique and only states to pick up for the button band.

Ingrid · 09-11-2007, 02:53 AM

2 out of 3, or 3 out of 4. It depends on how big the yarn is. Sometimes you have to fiddle with it to see how best to get it to lie flat.

MerigoldinWA · 09-11-2007, 02:56 AM

I have been picking up bands going 1, 2, 3, skip with a needle 2 sizes smaller than the body of the piece and had good luck with that. But like Ingrid says it could vary with different yarn, I don't know.