purls of joy...

I'm back at the LK150, making this tweed Thunder Bay Poncho [https://knitwords.blogspot.com/2018/10/rib-recap.html]  (if you're interested in more details of what I did, check out other posts on either side of that link - go to October 2018 at the right side drop down menu on this page) from the good stuff that I'd been saving forever. I have an affinity for the purl side of a slubby or tweedy fabric. It always looks more attractive to me as the colours and slubs show up better than on the knit side. Had already convinced myself to use the knit side because of the pouch pocket and as I am preparing to seam the first shoulder line, I’m saying to myself, that’s hanging there and if the purl side is the right side, I could just do the join right now without having to take it off, turn it and rehang…the true machine knitter in me opts for the easy way! Isn’t that what we are all about, cheating our way through one knitting project after another! Purl side is now the right/public side!


bring ns back to C makes it
easier to hang second set of sts

Here, for the seam, the held stitches are all there. Cancel hold and knit a row over all to get rid of the loops/wraps from the holding. Bring the needles out and using the main yarn doubled, chain across from below - this will make a nice dividing line between the Front and Back and the chain will show on the outside of the garment. Now, you need to hang the first piece and with the needles sticking way out, it will be rather difficult. What I find helps is to move the needles back to UWP/C – use the flat side of the needle pusher and carefully push them back, leaving the latches open. Now it is much easier to rehang the open stitches off the waste yarn, putting these stitches in the hooks of the needles. Once that is done, push back on the butts to knit the front set of stitches through the chain AND the back set of stitches, leaving one set of stitches. Now, knit a loose row and chain off. Look at that seam! Nice!


long shoulder seam with chain st

centre Back seam, with outside seam

For the centre back/front seam, try this reverse seaming technique. Hang the first side, wrong (knit side here) side facing, picking up only the half outside edge of the stitch. Hang the second piece, right (purl) side facing – both knit sides are together - again half outside edge of stitch, matching yarn marks and top and bottom. Manually knit very loose row (slightly larger than T9 would be) and chain off. The chain will be on the outside and add a nice detail while the loose row allows each selvedge to lay flat without adding more bulk to the seam! And it looks neat and tidy from the inside too!