[cottonspinner]

I am told that a knot is a no-no in knitting. How then does one start to sew a sweater seam? It seems to me some sort of knot would be needed at the beginning stitches. Right? Wrong?

 

[Linday]

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-sew-seams-together

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/mattress.html

Here are a couple of videos and an article on sewing things together. There are many more videos available. Just keep watching until you see what you like.

 

[jumbleburt]

I'm not a real purist as far as avoiding knots, and I do use them, but as many times as I can I leave extra yarn from a long-tail cast on to use to sew garment pieces together. I wrap the extra length around a yarn bobbin to keep it from tangling.

 

[fergablu2]

I leave a little extra when I start sewing the seam and then weave it in later. If you've ever had a knot come out when you don't want it to, you would avoid knots like I do.

 

[In Memory of Scottybear]

I leave a tail when I start sewing, and then fold it back along the seam and stitch over it, that way you are weaving it in at the same time as sewing the seam.

 

[smontero237]

I'm not a real purist as far as avoiding knots, and I do use them, but as many times as I can I leave extra yarn from a long-tail cast on to use to sew garment pieces together. I wrap the extra length around a yarn bobbin to keep it from tangling.

I use the long tail cast on also. I always worry that if I don't use a knot it will come unraveled. It just doesn't seem sturdy enough.

 

[dalex1945]

I also leave some extra yarn from the cast on to use later to sew the seam. However, in a case where I don't have any extra yarn to use, I weave a piece yarn into the knitted piece up to the beginning of the seam, and then start sewing the seam together. Same results as leaving some yarn and weaving it in later, but weaving it in first anchors the yarn so you don't pull it out when you start sewing the seam.

 

[RoxyCatlady]

I'm not a real purist as far as avoiding knots, and I do use them, but as many times as I can I leave extra yarn from a long-tail cast on to use to sew garment pieces together. I wrap the extra length around a yarn bobbin to keep it from tangling.

I use the long tail cast on also. I always worry that if I don't use a knot it will come unraveled. It just doesn't seem sturdy enough.

The trick is to leave a long piece/tail/end of yarn whether it be at a colour change, new ball of yarn, or seam. I leave at least 6 inches of tail.

That way, I have more than enough to weave in at least two directions, if not four. I will go first to (for example) the left several stitches, then back to the right, then up a few rows, then down a few rows. I still end up with enough tail to stay in the darning needle this way...

As a further note - I will weave in one direction, then gently pull a bit on the fabric that I just wove through. Then I go the opposite direction. and pull a bit again. And so on. This way, the normal stretching and twisting of wearing or using the item will not cause a "pucker" where the ends were woven, and it also helps to avoid the very end of the tail from popping out.

I will also sometimes (especially for slippery yarns) split the plies of the yarn I'm weaving into/around with the darning needle, so that the tail goes through these stitches - the twist of the yarn helps to "lock" the tail in place.

 

[denisejh]

cottonspinner-Rules are made to be broken-especially in knitting. If a small knot gives you a better comfort level, go for it. It's not like the knitting police are going to come and arrest you if you do something that someone says not to do. Knitting is a forgiving art and allows you much artistic freedom. You take a pattern and adjust it to what you want. The piece won't go up in flames if you do something different than what the designer wrote. It seems there are alot of people out there who will tell you what and what not to do. The last I heard, there is no knitting government and since you paid your hard earned money for the yarn, knitting tools, and pattern, you have the right to knit as you choose. Just go for it, sweetheart, and ignore those who say you must do it this way or that. Denise

 

[cottonspinner]

You have all been helpful, as alway.
Thanks

 

[CamilaR46]

[No message]