I am trying a new hat from a book called Knitted Hats by Jody Long. It is called Fennel on page 100.
I have managed wrap and turn and the lacey pattern but I cannot deal with the final part.
I started by doing two rows on waste yarn and then started the main yarn in bright orange.
Now I need to finish the hat. I have to graft the last row of the hat and the stitches of the first row in the main yarn. At the same time i have to unravel the waste yarn from the cast on edge.
I know how to graft stocking stitch but the edges here are lacey.
I wish I hadn’t used waste yarn and then I could have just used mattress stitch.
How do I deal with this?
La belle dame
Hello
Have you tried any tutorials?
If you search “grafting lace knitting” there are various results. I can’t advise a particular one as I haven’t looked at them all but here’s an example with the waster yarn and provisional cast on
Sometimes viewing several is helpful if there is none for your particular lace pattern you might get a general idea of what to do.
I suggest putting a life line into your stitches (both seam pieces) in case you make a mistake or decide to ditch the graft. Do you know how to put a life line in now before you start?
If you really aren’t keen on the grafting you could bind off your live stitches, transfer your provisionally held stitches onto a needle and bind them off then mattress seam the two edges. It’s probably worth having a go at the graft though, it would look smoother.
Hi,
Thank you for your ideas. I have indeed looked at a fair number of tutorials and the one that you sent.
Matching a lacy pattern is quite difficult and a labour of love. My pattern didn’t mention putting extra rows of waste yarn and then grafting.
I quite like the idea of binding off and using mattress stitch.
I’ll let youknow
Sorry I thought you said you started with some rows on waste yarn, my misunderstanding.
Hope you find a solution.
Clever construction but not so straightforward finishing. You might unravel the cast on stitch by stitch onto another needle so that you have the bright orange sts on the needle.
The pattern tags say kitchener stitch. You could just use the kitchener across the stockinette sections and continueing into the lace. It looks like relatively short lace sections between the cables.
Hi ,
Thank you for your ideas. I might well take out the two rows of waste yarn down to the orange main yarn. It would make it clearer and easier to graft.
I am very grateful for your swift replies and helpful comments.
I wish you both a very happy Christmas and New Year.
The same to you. And please let us know how you get on. We’d love to see a photo when you finish, whatever you decide!
Hi Salmonmac,
Hope you enjoyed Christmas and New Year.
Here is my completed orange hat. I found it quite difficult to remove the waste yarn and lost a few stitches. My first graft was not neat but I did it again using a very simple kitchener graft not worrying about the lace pattern and it is now completed with a neat seam. Many thanks for your help.
I’m glad to see that you were able to work that graft out. It looks super and the color is terrific!
You might have struggled but you’ve made it look easy, so neat and we’ll finished.
Nice work LaBelleDameđź‘Ť