Curling stockinette scarf even with borders

#1

Help - my scarf is all curling in on itself! I knitted 7 rows of garter for the bottom followed by the stockinette stitch which is bordered on both sides by three knit stitches. I am so close to finishing the scarf that I can’t imagine not finishing. Can I border it with another say - 5 to 10 stitches on both sides to prevent the curling. Maybe create a basket weave pattern on the sides or even crochet a border - would need help with that one though. Maybe sew this border on? The woman at the yarn store said that it is curling in at the middle and blocking may help - but not much. She said that a border will not help either. I am not going to give up though! Thanks for any ideas! BTW - the yarn is a pretty purple tweed made of 50% merino wool, 25% alpaca, and 25% Viscose/Rayon knit on 4 mm needles.

Thanks,
Georgiann

#2

Hi,

Sorry, I can’t help. Just wanted you to know that I am having the exact same problem :frowning: I was told that doing a garter stitch border (4 knit stitches on each end even the purl sides) would help, but I can’t rip ALL of this out!!

I think what I am going to do is make the scarf in two pieces and seam it in the back. I was told this might help some of the curling, and on the ends, I am alternating garter and stockinette stitches to try to combat it too. Bummer! I love all those little V’s :slight_smile: Wish I knew I it wasn’t going to work before I got so far along.

Sigh. Back to the drawing board! I think next project will be socks. Why not aim BIG!

Good luck, hope you can fix yours!

#3

I am not sure about this, but is it possible to pick up stitches along the edges and knit a 3 or 4 row garter border after you are finished with the scarf? You’d have to knit all around the perimeter of the scarf… that would be reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally long. But it’s the only suggestion I can think of!
:idea: Maybe you can just knit a super duper long curly stockingette tube, and then stitch the long edges together… then you will have started a new fasion trend, the tube scarf, and everyone will be envious!

#4

I don’t know what to do with the part you’ve already started, but to prevent curling there are 2 solutions I know of.

One is to slip the last stitch of every row as if to knit.

The other is to knit the first & last 2 stitches of every row, which will give your work a border, but I think it looks nice. Good luck!

#5

If you’re close to done, I would finish it in the same pattern you’re using then block it. A little misting/water and being laid flat could actually do the trick. If that doesn’t work, then you can look into ways to edge it after the fact to see if they will take care of your curling. At least this will alow you to try some things without ripping everything… then, worst case senario you rip after everything else has failed.

I’ve had some shocking good luck with blocking though… surprised the heck out of me how much soaking (I saturated my piece) and laying flat did.

#6

Georgiann, here’s an earlier thread on this topic, with several good suggestions.

Good luck,
Amy

#7

Thank you so much everyone! I am going to try the wet blocking to see if that helps. It does not rain that much in NM, so I may be safe…If not, I guess that I will have a rather unique newbie knitter scarf! Even after my fiance saw the curling scarf, he wants me to knit him a hat and matching scarf. I will start that tomorrow. All I told him was that he had fair warning…haha…

Thanks again,
Georgiann

#8

I’ve never had any luck blocking the curl out of stockinette, but I’m the world’s laziest blocker and no expert at it by any means. I’d be quite surprised if that did the trick, but it’s certainly worth a try, eh? Let us know if it works!

Amy

#9

Awww, you’re fiance is so sweet. What a wonderful guy to want something like that. Doesn’t it make you feel so special inside? Good luck with the blocking. Although, personally, I think it will have more meaning to you to keep it just the way it is. Especially when your fiance has a matching one that is curling just the same.

#10

Georgiann, did you read the ideas on that other thread yet? Like backing it with fleece? I thought that was a great idea. I’ve seen scarves like this, and they can look great.

I agree with your yarn store owner, that adding a border won’t do it (unless you’re talking about a three inch wide border or more!). It depends on the yarn and gauge, but in my experience, it really would take a BIG border to keep it from curling, because it tends to just curl and take a border in with it, unless the weight of the border is enough to keep it in place. I also agree with her that blocking won’t do it.

You can try backing it with fleece, or turning it into another object that is seamed up the sides, like a bag. I think there were a few more suggestions on that thread, worth checking out.

Let us know what you end up doing!
Amy

#11

What I’m going to recommend won’t help uncurl an already-curled scarf. HOWEVER…
I was telling someone in the chat room last night about tubular knitting. It’s similar to Amy’s double knitting video, but you only use one strand of yarn. Here’s how it works, in case you don’t know:

You cast on an even number of stitches, about twice as many as you think you need for the width.
Row 1: K1, sl 1 wyib as if to purl to the end
Row 2: K the sl stitches, sl the K stitches.

Repeat row 2 till it’s done, whatever length you want. This will be closed on the bottom and sides, but is a double-sided fabric that is thick and cushy, is showing stockinette on both sides, and will not curl.

If this is a scarf, you end up with a double-thickness, non-curling thing without any of that darned sewing. It’s wonderful!
I am imagining making bags, hats, scarves, etc. with this technique. It’s thick and squishy like double knitting, but without the hassle of the two balls of yarn.

#12

OOPS!!
In my post above, that’s a major typo. It should be WYIF, not wyib. Duh.
Sorry bout that.

#13

Thanks so much everyone for your input. Sorry that it has taken me a while to write back, but work has been a bit hectic. I am getting many requests for knitting scarves now from my students - go figure. It does get cold in the adult jail that I teach in though. I have been wearing my curling scarf quite proudly - and one student in particular will take it off of me and wear it during class and parade himself down the hallway wearing it and showing it to the other inmates. I just have to make sure that I get it back LOL. He also loves the way that it smells. I told him that I wanted him to smell it when I was blocking it - very wet sheep. I am now knitting a felted bag for my co teacher. I am also working on a baby hat for an inmate’s baby daughter with cancer. Nick, my super fiance, is getting a scarf and hat - maybe he can use it next year as it is getting warmer here in NM. I am now a knitting addict - may help me to stop snacking to lose some weight for the wedding in July. It also keeps me occupied in a class that the school district makes us take on Saturdays - I am a naughty knitter–heeeheee

Thanks again!

#14

I have a suggestion, as my 2nd scarf almost two years ago did the same thing. I was making it for my DH and it was almost a disaster.

If you know how to crochet, I finished the scarf as per the pattern, then I crocheted a reverse shrimp stitch all around the outside. It really turned out fabulous. I was totally in amazement and it really went quickly too!

My DH was amazed how I pulled that out of disaster!

It lends a unique look that is both attractive and functional (aka, keeps it from rolling onto itself!)

Good luck.

Let us know what you end up doing! :slight_smile:

#15

Another idea, if you decide to try this with a new scarf, and you love seeing all the little Vs like with stockinette stitch, is to make the entire scarf with a K1P1 rib. It makes a nicely warm scarf, and you get Vs on both sides with all the purls hidden (unless the rib is stretched out). You would need to cast on more stitches to get the same scarf width as with a scarf all in stockinette, though.