Is seaming really so bad?

#21

I love seaming, it’s part of the knitting process, you’ve got all these pieces and suddenly you’ve got a garment, or something.

I can remember whenever my mum would knit something, she’d take the bits to a lady down the road, then a couple of days later we’d have the finished item.

I can’t understand if you go to all the effort of knitting it yourself, you wouldn’t want to see it through to the end.

I’ll be seaming a blanket soon, and can’t wait to get started simply because I enjoy seaming so much.

#22

I was a sewer before I added to knitting to my list of obsessions. The seaming doesn’t bother me. Weaving in, :gah:now that is another story.

#23

I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns. I’d totally pay someone to do it for me if I knew someone who was willing.

#24

Hi’ya Libbie! :waving:

I agree with you. I do not mind seaming at all. It was not always the case until I attended a “Finishing Techniques” class at my LYS.

I learned how to mattress stitch…:thumbsup:…and after the class was over…I was embarrassed to wear some of my previously knit sweaters.

Once you see the quality that mattress stitch produces…any other seaming technique seams like kindergarten quality.

Oh well, I guess after 30 years of knitting…I deserved to finally learn how to seam properly! :pout:

Hey out there in KNITTING UNIVERSE…if you can attend a “Finishing Techniques” class where you live…[B]please do so.[/B] Even if you have been knitting for 30 years or more…it is SHOCKING how much you do not know how to do. The simplest things, the simplest techniques make ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the world. :happydance:

#25

Well, I don’t actually hate seaming, but I don’t like it either. My main problem with seaming is that I constantly have to watch what I’m doing, so I can’t watch tv while I’m seaming. (I always watch tv while knitting) Because of that, it seems to take ages to seam a sweater, but well, it’s part of the process, so I have to do it. I wouldn’t be willing to pay anybody to do it for me, I don’t hate it enough for that.

#26

I don’t hate it, but I try to avoid it when possible. So, I knit almost all my sweaters in the round, either with one of EZ’s seamless shoulder shapings, with steeks, or raglan. I really like matress stitch, it’s a neat, invisble seam, but I’m really never able to put my sleeves in as neatly as I’d like, so, in the round, my sweaters are as good as I want them to be.

#27

I don’t mind seaming either, but I haven’t had to put together an adult-size sweater yet.

[B]ArtLady [/B]is absolutely right about taking a Finishing class. I took one at my LYS and I was so much more comfortable with the whole process.

#28

I’ve only every seamed a couple of small projects but I’m making a sweater now that will have to be seamed and I think more afraid than anything else. Gotta say though, the mattress stitch is fun.

#29

well, there are other benefits to knitting in the round as well. I find it quicker since I get to bypass that whol purl row. (BUT I LOOOOVE purling. weird huh?)

I haven’t had to worry about seaming much yet. But one of my favourite hat patterns is knit flat, and seamed up. When I knit it the first time and seamed it up the first time… I was so proud of myself. Specifically because I did a basic sewing seam with a yarn needle and yarn. I have never been a sewer, but my seam was practically seamless, I was so proud.

I don’t mind it, but I can see how it’d be nice to just have your work done when the knitting is done. Pull it off the needles and hold it up already complete and perfect…

#30

I don’t mind seaming. It’s not my favorite thing in the world but it’s not torture. I also took a finishing class and feel more comfortable with it. I actually want to take it again because I forgot how to do the 3 needle bind off.

#31

I’m in the camp of those who don’t hate seaming, but don’t love it either. I would rather knit and have it done when I’m done knitting, but I don’t go out of my way to avoid it like the plague by using steeks (never done one, and would like to try someday), or converting patterns written flat to be in the round.

The LYS lady who taught me to do side seams didn’t use mattress stitch. She used a technique she had learned at a knitting workshop and liked better than mattress stitch. It served me well for a long time but lately I’ve switched to mattress stitch. It seems a little more exact.

I got to go to a finishing class last month and that was fun. I knew most of the stuff, but learned one new buttonhole and a new way to do shoulder seams that I have not seen anywhere else. It worked very slick, (and no it was not 3 needle bind off, the instructor was anti-3 needle bind off).

I try to tell myself to try to enjoy all the different parts of doing a project, but really I don’t 100%. :slight_smile: I’ve noticed lately that I don’t relish projects that have a lot of fiddling around. I just made 2 pair of Doggie Booties (called slippers in the book) and I definately didn’t like having to attach all the little ears, eyes, tongues, tails and noses. It felt like I was doing a “craft”, and I don’t think I’m really a crafty person. I did it because I love the outcome, but the process? Not really.

#32

PS! I guess I should add this tip! I rarely use “self yarn” for seaming, unless the yarn is a really smooth yarn. I keep several colors of THIS on hand, in neutral colors. And I will step out to Joann’s Fabrics to buy just the right color as needed! It is cheap and goes a long ways. It makes seaming go very very smoothly!

#33

Thanks for all the replies! It has been fun reading all the opinions.
I have to agree about hating to weave in ends. I just finished my
first intarsia project:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/PATTdoublescoop.html

and not only did I hate the mess of the yarn tangling while knitting the
motif…all those ends to weave in after. blech
Libbie :slight_smile:

#34

I agree! Weaving in ends is of the devil lol.

#35

I suspect more continental knitters hate purling than English knitters do; I say that only because purling continentally is way harder for me than knitting continentally, but English purl is no more difficult for me than English knit.

#36

I think the actual knitting is the most enjoyable as well. However, that said…because weaving in ends is a very tedious chore…I always weave in my loose ends about two rows up. I take my medicine in small doses. It goes down easier! :thumbsup:

When I am knitting with any wool or wool blend…I use the felted join which completely eliminates any kind of weaving! :cheering:

#37

I have been wondering about so many people saying they hate to
purl. I love to purl…but then I do combination knitting for st st and
the Eastern purl is so easy!!
Libbie

#38

[B]Libbie,

How do you do it? That stitch called seaming.

[/B]

#39

I actually enjoy seaming knitted items. I am a Quilter so maybe that helps. I enjoy that part very much.:lol:

#40

Well, not true for me. I knit continental and love my purls. They are just so quick and easy. It took some time to love them tho.