Help with Flag pattern

#1

[color=darkred][i]Okay i have almost finished my first incarnation of this pattern and i don’t like a few things about it. as it is, it doesn’t need to be perfect because of how i am using it but i would still like it to look more “finished.” I have a feeling the only real way to get what i want done is probably to do it as a garter stitch throughout. the corners curl too much with no border and i think it seems that the bottom doesn’t have enough border to keep it from curling.

here are the problems i am having though. First of all this is the first time i have had to carry yarn up the side. It is fine but what do you do with those pieces that are there? do you leave it? I feel like i have seen people say to weave them in but i dont understand how you would do that.

The other question is how do i get the blue to attach to the stripes next to them? I have tried attaching by sort of knitting them together in a way but of course that makes the connection look muddy. I would think stitching together at the end would make the seam pucker so i am sort of at a loss.

So anyway…after that very verbose description of my issue, here is the picture and pattern of what i am working on. Thanks!! [/i][/color]

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn, 2 ounces each of red, white and navy blue
Knitting needles size 7 US

Gauge:
4.5 stitches per inch

Finished Size:
9" X 7"

Instructions:
With red, cast on 40 stitches.
In garter stitch (knit every row), knit 4 rows in red.
Attach white (do not cut red, simply drop color at end each color change and bring up next time it is used.).
In stockinete stitch (knit one row, purl the next), knit 4 rows white, 4 rows red, 4 rows white, 4 rows red, 4 rows white.
Next, knit 24 stitches in red, attach blue, knit to end.
Continuing in red and white sequence, knit navy in last 16 of each row.
Before starting the last band of red, you will have 6 red and 6 white bands.
For the last band, which will be red, do all 4 rows in garter stitch.
You will have 7 bands red and 6 bands white.
Bind off.
Using duplicate stitch for stars, evenly space rows of 6 stars then 5 stars for 9 rows. The last row will be 6 stars. Work 50 stars total.

#2

You can just let them hang until you are finished the project, then weave. Check out this Knitty Article on weaving.

All you do is just pick up the blue and start knitting with it, being sure that you leave a tail for weaving later. The tail of the blue will be a pain, but you can tighten it when you’re done. Just let it hang until then.

#3

okay well maybe i am doing something wrong then…hrmmm…mebbe a picture of what i have going on is in order…brb…

#4

okay here it is…

how do i disappear those or do they stay that way?

#5

OOOooooh thooose guys … :frowning: I don’t think there’s anything you can do with them. That’s what happens when you carry for more than 2 rows.

I’ve never carried more than 2 rows. Anyone else care to chime in with some secrets … :??

#6

just givin’ a little bump hoping someone has an idear…thanks :shifty:

#7

You should be able to weave them just by twisting the carried yarn around the working yarn once at the end of a row.

As far as attaching the blue, you’d be doing Intarsia (video in advanced techniques) where the blue meets the stripes. The stars would be fair isle. Use a different piece of white yarn for the stripes than for the stars.

Yes it will curl. Will it be sewn to something, or backed by something? If not, then what about doing the stripes in garter stitch? Just make sure that the stripes are an even number of rows (there’s 4 rows, right? hard to see the pic), and that you do the color change at the beginning of a RS knit row. Otherwise the two colors will overlap (as you’ll see on the back of the work). Only complication would be the height of the star section taller than the stripes if only stripes in garter. Might be worth trying though. Just a thought.

#8

well i have started it over four times now because i just couldn’t get happy with the way it was looking. i am thinking it is looking okay now. i hadn’t planned on backing it and since it is suppose to look like a work in progress for the project i am doing (i am creating a Betsy Ross thing and decided that i might as well know what i am doing (sorta) on PART of the project before i have to sew the clothes for Betsy…lol) i think i will be okay with the back being a little less than perfect and the edges being a little curled.

I watched the intarasia video in the middle of some sleep induced delirium last night and it looked easy enough so i think i can handle that. I am just going to cross stitch the stars on since i am making the colonial flag and “Betsy” is going to be in the process of sewing them on when it is all said and done. now i just have to get to the point where Betsy has some clothes. :wall:

uuuuuuuuuugh!

thanks for all your help!!