Gauge question in double knit st st hem

Hello
I’m knitting up some swatches to try a few different things out.
I made a double knit “hem” to see how that works as I read it is one option in preventing curl in a st st sweater, an alternative to a rib edge.
Mine seems to be causing a curl or gauge problem.

Is a double knit edge of several rows enough to prevent a curl?
Would a double knit edge usually be done in a different size needle the way rib usually is?

Would it be normal just to k2tog across to bring the double knit into a single st st fabric, in effect keeping the “same” number of stitches (although stitch count is halved) or would it be normal to inc/dec on that row the way stitch count usually changes at the rib transition to st st?

I’m trying to work out what is causing the curl on this swatch and if I need to do anything about it or if it’s likely to resolve if a front and back were seamed.

Thanks

Are you knitting the double knit by alternating knit and purl stitches, knits to the front, purls to the back? There shouldn’t be a problem of curl as the 2 sides oppose each other and prevent each from curling. Once the hem is finished, the sts would revert to those necessary for single knitting by k2tog across the row.
A more common way to work this is to knit 6 or more rows in stockinette, knit a purl row on the RS and then switch to a larger needle to continue stockinette stitch. The hem is turned under at the purl row and either sewn to the main body of the sweater or knit together with a row of the main body.

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I did the double knit so that both RS and Wzs showed knitnstitches with the purl all hidden inside. I thought they would be flat this way.

I think the curlmis more to do with he change in gauge between the double knit and the regular st st. As though the bottom is flaring out being too big, or the main fabric is narrower.
Would the normal way to work out this gauge be to do a full size swatch in double knit and change the needles to a size where the gaugenis the same as the main fabric?
I thinknthis is probablynwhat I need to try, staying with the same needle size isn’t working.

Thank you for the turned hem video, I had a mind to give that a try soon too. I suppose there is less problem with gauge changes with this method.
I’ll try it.

It sounds like you’re describing hem flip rather than stocking stitch curl? You get this at the junction of the main fabric and the hem if the junction row is slightly wider e.g transition to rib. The creation of the second stitch for double knitting (I’m presuming that you’re working top down?) will widen that row. Also, your gauge is likely to change with the movement of the two strands forward and back every stitch. You can counter hem flip by working a deeper hem, reducing needle size or stitch count. @salmonmac suggestion of a folded hem would be a better method. I’ve only used a form of double knitting at side edges, to counter stocking stitch curl.

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Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Yes, you’re right it is a hem flip, now you say it, the term makes more sense.
I made the swatch bottom up, beginning with the double knitting and transitioning to regular st st.

I’ll try a smaller needle for that part next swatch.
Perhaps changing the stitch count too.
I wonder how to know which of these I need, or both, is this done through trial and error or is there a rule of thumb?

I’ll try the turned hem too.

Good luck! I’m a Google fan myself!! I generally read lots of Ravelry project notes before starting a new project and came across the term there. It seems to be very common at the transition to rib in modern patterns that have shallow hems knit with the same size needle. There are several resources on the internet, most dealing with rib transitions - both directions. I think techknitter has tutorials too. I’ve attached one that I had saved to Pinterest - once I understand the principles, I’ll resort to trial and error!
In bottom up sweaters, if I’m at all uncertain, I start with a provisional cast on and then work the hem top down. It’s much easier to adjust and redo from that direction, and I get to fine tune the cast off in a way you can’t do with a cast on! :rofl::rofl:
http://thecraftsessions.com/blog/2016/8/12/how-to-stop-hem-from-flipping?format=amp

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