Fourth time’s a charm...

I’m working on a patch pocket...now, I’ve made them before and I want it fairly basic - it’s just plain stockinette, so I’m curving the bottom corners, by shortrowing - oh, I should say that I began with a chained cast-on, using the yarn double stranded because I know it will look nice - the top of the pocket is finished with a narrow stockinette band, made separately from the pocket - a few less stitches and a slightly tighter tension to draw it in a bit so the top won’t flare out.

The first pocket was not wide enough.

The second one was just right, but as I looked at it I thought, G! that chain would look really nice if I could make it go up the sides too.

Then, I measured the chain from the bottom, to figure out how long it needed to be to go up the sides and added that to the width of the pocket. So, instead of casting on 18-0-18 n’s, I cast on 25 sts extra to each side, chaining across using the main yarn double stranded. Then K1R, single strand. Then I took off the 25 sts each side on waste yarn. Now, I’m knitting the pocket, shortrowing the bottom corners for the curve, 1 stitch on every other row, 4 times for each side. Okay, row 9 and now I should start adding the chain up the sides....think about it for a bit and I want the chain to be on the front, like the bottom, (when the knit side/side away is the right side, what you put on first will be on the outside - like doing a cable, the stitches put down first will be on the outside) - so, I take the end stitch off, hang the next stitch of the chain and put the end stitch back on. Yes!! it works! I soon realize it’s easier to do each side on opposite rows so you’re not fighting against the yarn on the carriage side - no big deal, I was joining it on every other row anyway. As I get closer to the top, I realize I have too many chained stitches left - G! Can I attach it to the edges of the top band?? The band is made separately and hemmed into the bargain, so this method of attaching won’t work... I take the pocket off and make the band, pondering the problem as I make the band on auto-pilot. Attach the pocket to the band and yes, I have it! Hang the end of the band, pick up the stitches holding the chain, pull them through, cast off and Bob’s your uncle!!

Heh, heh! still a few extra stitches of chain... no problem, just knit a new one with less chained stitches - really think about it this time - only need 1 chain stitch for every other row of the depth of the pocket and don’t forget, you shortrowed those 4 sts/8 rows and the band was 8 rows=4 stitches - just happens to be the same as the shortrowed part - have I lost you yet??? The pocket was 40 rows, so all I need is 20 chained stitches each side!!!

I love a challenge!

Wasted...not!

I just have to tell you, I finally figured out how to use the ribber comb for a single bed cast-on!! ‘Why would you want to do that?’ you say. Well, I’m working on some lace things for No 48 and I’ve always found one of the most important things with lace knitting is to have the work evenly weighted and most times, I like to start out with a double bed hem, just to have the ribber comb in the cast-on which gives me the even weight. See, I work on a Silver Reed machine and there is no single bed hanger comb - you don’t need one, because it usually casts on fine with the weaving cast-on or a ravel cord cast-on, but for lace, you need to knit several rows of waste yarn and then hang weights in that and it can be rather awkward.
After several experiments, I couldn’t come up with a double bed hem that I liked with my fashion lace pattern, but did come up with a single bed one that was just the thing. Now, to knit lace - I have my rib bed on - it’s always there - I never take it off - the work has to come out over the front of the rib bed for the lace carriage to transfer stitches successfully without them dropping. So, to begin lace knitting, you need to have enough waste yarn on there to have it over the front, before you even start. I was contemplating casting on with 1X1 rib in the waste yarn, just to get that hanger comb in there and then transfer all to the main bed - which I have done in the past, but it suddenly struck me there should be an easier way. And what do you know, it worked!! Now before you all start emailing me and saying to buy a Brother cast-on comb, I already have one and I hate it. It’s always tipping off when you least want it and it’s a p.i.t.a. (think about it).
So, here’s how I did it. Bring out the width of needles you want, every other needle only. With waste yarn, T10 (as loose as you can get), knit one row. Move the carriage out of the way, take the ribber comb, with the wire out and insert it from below, poking the fingers between the sinker loops. When it is successfully in there, with the sinker loops on your side of the prongs, tip the bottom of the comb back so the prongs come forward, allowing you to insert the wire, without catching the needles or sinker posts. Drop the comb. It falls below everything. Bring all needles to work, set stitch size to 8 or 9, and knit 10-12 rows. TIP: and here's an oxymoron for you, knitting the waste yarn at a higher stitch size will get you there faster, wasting less waste yarn!!! Now, go down to what ever your waste yarn tension would be and knit a few more rows. That will be enough to bring the comb up and over the ribber. Hang two small claw weights at each end of the comb and get ready to lace knit!!! This is my first front (it's a cardigan)- I already did the back and hung the ribber comb in 82-0-82 needles just fine, added one bar weight at the centre of the comb, knit the entire back, 202 rows of fashion lace without one single dropped stitch. Life is good!!!