What is your favorite seaming technique?

dejamo85 · 11-18-2008, 01:00 PM

I have finished the stocking for my dh and it has been blocked. I still have to seam up the back. The stocking was knit flat until the heel then I stuck it on dpns and used those from the heel to the toe. If I would have thought about things I would not have followed the pattern and knit the top flat because I hate to seam! I always use the matress stitch, but it seems like no matter how many times I do it I never get any quicker.

What is everyone's favorite seaming technique?

PS -- For everyone that has listened to be complain about my pregnancy never ending I am being induced Thursday!

Snugglebugmom · 11-18-2008, 06:08 PM

No advice on the seaming technique, since I am still trying to figure out my favorite myself, but I wanted to wish you all the best for Thursday! Lots of easy labor vibes! And don't forget to bring your knitting to keep yourself occupied during the early stages.

blueygh2 · 11-18-2008, 06:09 PM

I have seamed almost not at all... Did have to, for my first ever teddybear, ... it was good enough, but not great great, so I'm still learning,... Most of the time I'm doing whatever seems to turn out good for the project. I like the backstitch for it's consistency,... it's quite a strong seaming stitch, else, I don't know much of seaming...

Jan in CA · 11-18-2008, 07:03 PM

The technique you choose depends on the project and what part of it you are seaming. Sooooo.....

Stocking...is it one he wears or one to hang for Christmas? If it's one he's going to wear then I would choose as flat a seam as possible..generally that is mattress stitch. If it's a Christmas Stocking then it really doesn't matter too much. You just want it to look good on the outside. I'd probably go with mattress stitch as well, but even and overhand stitch would work for that.

BTW... why did you do part of it flat if you hate to seam?

dejamo85 · 11-18-2008, 09:09 PM

I followed the pattern and knit it flat because I was worried that I would set it down for a long period of time then get confused in the pattern. BIG mistake. It was an incredibly easy pattern (my 1st experience with fair isle patterns) and the stocking knit up in no time.
I should have known to follow my gut and just knit it in the round. I make tons of socks and it would have been less confusing and time consuming if I would have done it my way...lessons learned!

And, it is a Christmas stocking with a fold down cuff.

Sunshine's Mom · 11-18-2008, 09:15 PM

I love me some kitchener stitch for sock toes! I know...call me crazy. You either love it or hate it. Again, it's one of those things that I love doing because I feel cool that I mastered it. (I even have notes for how to do kitchener stitch with ribbing-binding off in pattern!)

And I also love the mattress stitch, but I don't use it as often as I used to. Used it a lot on chemo caps when I was making those a while back before I did them on dpns.

Good luck on Thursday! Happy, pain-free luck and welcome to the little one!

dejamo85 · 11-19-2008, 01:15 AM

Sorry about the poor typing in the thread name! I just realized how silly the word seaming looks when you spell it the way I did!

Jan in CA · 11-19-2008, 02:15 AM

Originally Posted by dejamo85

Sorry about the poor typing in the thread name! I just realized how silly the word seaming looks when you spell it the way I did!

It happens a lot and I have to control myself not to correct spelling typos sometimes.

It's no big deal, we all knew what you meant!

BTW... YOU can correct errors if you want by hitting edit and then advanced edit in your first post.

Ellieblue · 11-19-2008, 05:30 PM

I found a really good picture instruction for the mattress stitch in knitty.com spring 04 issue under techniques with theresa. This made it very clear to me and have been using it alot for seaming.

DorothyDot · 11-19-2008, 09:05 PM

I kind of have a strong feeling that we're talking about the same stitch only under different names....

That said, I very much prefer the whip stitch, where you just stick the needle through both edges, pull the thread up and over then stick the needle through both edges again - "whipping" the edges together.

This gives a strong seam that stretches and gives with the garment. I've never had any of my sweaters give way at the seam when I do this with the same yarn that I knitted the sweaters out of.

For afghans, I'd strongly consider single-crochet. It's stronger and I have had the whip stitch fail in these projects only.

Hope this helps,
Dot