Finishing Details
chapter 12If you’re the type of knitter who
enjoys minimal finishing, this hem is
for you. It is created in a similar fash-
ion to the hems shown on the opposite
page, except that instead of sewing it
in place at the finishing stage, you
attach it by knitting the cast-on edge
onto the main part of the garment.
1 Work a 1-inchfacing in stockinette stitch on a smaller needle than your
project requires, as described on the opposite page, ending with a wrong
side row.
2 Purl the next right side row to create the turning row.
3 Change to the needles used to knit the main part of your garment, and when
you have worked 1 inch beyond the turning row, ending with a wrong side
row, you are ready to knit in the hem.
4 With the right side facing, use a separate ball of yarn and the smaller needles
you used to knit the hem facing to pick up stitches (see pages 152–155) along
the cast-on edge, being sure to evenly pick up the same number of stitches
that you have on the knitting needle for your garment. Cut the yarn used to
pick up stitches, leaving a 6-inchtail.
How to Knit In a HemKnit In
Hems
5 Turn the hem so that the wrong side of the facing and the wrong side of your
work are facing each other. Hold the knitting needles parallel to each other in
your left hand, with the right side of your garment facing.
6 Insert the third needle, your working needle, into the first stitch on the front
needle, then into the first stitch on the needle holding the picked-up stitches,
and use your main working yarn to knit the 2 stitches as one; then slip them
off the needles.
You should now have 1 stitch on the working needle.
7 Repeat step 6 across until you have knit together all the picked-up stitches
and all the main garment stitches. Continue from here as established.