Making a point for a tie & Hello!

[happenin]

Hi everyone!!!

Although I’m not brand new to knitting, I’m a new user to this forum with some comments and a question about making a point for a tie.

But before I ask my question, I’d just like to comment that from what I can already tell, compared to another great online resource, it sure looks like there’s a lot more lively conversation going on in here!

Hopefully I can ask a question once in a while and get a response instead of a bunch of reads without ever getting a helpful reply from anyone, as with “the other place”. That being said (and as an FYI for everyone) I do understand it’s a two-way street and so I’m always happy to help out with advice when I feel I can make a worthy contribution.

As I continue to challenge myself with new projects (whether they be knit or crochet, knit being my first “love”, having later expanded into crochet); I find myself doing two “firsts” a tie, and on double-points yet.

Using Tami J. Park’s Prepschool pattern at knitty.com, a link for it can be found here within the free patterns section. I found that Tami’s adult pattern was off by just one decrease round and was easily able to adjust for it during the decrease rounds prior to working the narrower, flat end with just 2 working needles. This is the stage I’m presently working.

With what seems like MILES to go. I’m at about 19 inches and have about 37 to go with these teeny, tiny size 2’s (guess who, until recently never worked anything under 7, 8, 9?).

Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain the yarn she was using (a good yarn shop nearby had only 1 skein left), but have been working the project with Sockotta without quite the dramatic look of Tami’s son’s tie (yet still, I envy it). I doubt I’ll need the 2nd skein that I picked up though? Oh well, maybe another tie later or a life-saver if I’m wrong.

Now for my question…this pattern starts with a cast-on and creates a straight edge, as opposed to a pointed tie point. I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions (or links to same) about what I can do to make it pointed without creating a ridge that might happen with picked up stitches?

Particularly, I was wondering if I could somehow use some sort of Norwegian sew and cut method to eliminate the excess folds that would happen with my original idea. I thought that perhaps I could fold under the flat end (like wrapping the box corners of a present) and sewing it that way…but I’m wondering if that folding won’t cause too much bulk and the tie will have a very puffy appearance when the wearer is viewed from the side. I’m thinking it might also create a problem when blocked, washed or otherwise cared for (like a quick ironing).

Here’s pic’s of the project as it is so far. A 2nd/3rd pic shows the front and back idea of what I mentioned in the paragraph above. Hopefully I’ll be able to post them all here in one shot.

Any/all help, comments or suggestions is appreciated! Thanks for wading through this million word message!

[Peg]

Hi and welcome! I wish I had the knowledge and experience to give you some suggestions. Hopefully one of the gurus here will be along soon to help. I’m off to take a sweater class, my first.
Good luck and Happy Knitting!

[Hildegard_von_Knitti]

I winder if you could unknit/unravel just the bottom cast on row, and then knit a pointy part decreasing 2 stitches per row )one on each edge) until you were left with a point :?: I’ve never done this, but I’m sure it’s possible (like if you needed to make a sweater longer). That’s the only thing I can think of!

[happenin]

HvK…hmmmm, it’s an idea that lingered in the back of my mind also. Yet I’m afraid working in the opposite direction of the established knitting might make for trouble? :? But it’s a thought which I appreciate your mentioning and I thank you for it.

After posting this, I had another “brainstorm” where I might be able to hand sew and cut a rectangular piece from the back portion of the tie, which would might alleviate the bulk in that wrapping idea I had.

Anyone else have an idea or perhaps experience in making pointed ties or modifying flat ones?

[yellowness]

No experience with this exact problem… but I’ve some experience with sewing funky fabrick and maybe they’ll apply.

The fold and sew idea could work very nicely (that’s how many machine/comsumer made ties are made) depending on how thick the fabrick is. If the yarn is iron-able, you may want to press the folded sides before you sew, flattening them as much as possible (you would need to be very careful not to compress the right side of the tie). After you were done, I’d very lightly iron the whole thing on a very soft ironing board (so as not to press the seam line into the front, making them visible. I’ve done this before in costuming to get neat edges in places where I’d veered wildly from the pattern…

As for un-kinitting the bottom and re-knitting, I’d try on a swatch first; it may work nicely, it may be a total disaster.

In fact, thinking about it, doing a tester would probably be the best way to go

[happenin]

Thanks for the tips. I’m not exactly the best ironer around!

I had yet another “brainstorm.” Maybe I should sew/cut on a diagonal and forget the folding idea and the extra bulk problems. To finish the bottom edge I might be able to do some sort of bind off or a kitchener stitch or maybe a combination.

Only problem I could imagine is that the tie wouldn’t be quite as nice looking at the point as it would be with the folding option. I’d rather this tie look very refined. The person I intend to give it to will likely wear it within a technical work environment for a very conservative utility company. So I’d say looking “too crafty” might not be a good idea for this individual.

Is there anyone else with better ideas to finish this piece?

[happenin]

It’s finished! I really didn’t want to wait forever to figure out how finish it, so after much thought, here’s what I finally did.

I basically adapted what I saw during a brief reading on Norwegian skeeking and did the best job I could with the point and then steam pressed the entire piece to block.

Maybe it’s not the most perfect point that was ever machined with fabric, but for a knit, it looks decent enough to wear in an office, don’t you think?

Also, this is a patterned yarn, so the eye is slightly fooled with the centering. I checked the tip several times against the center of the width and it looks like “dead center” would be the point’s left V stitch. Not bad for an eyeball job I guess?

I folded the tie (as in prior pictures), using the cast on tail as my approximate center point. Then “eyeballed” it a number of times to get an approximate idea of how to point it. Then I got brave :!: :!: :!:

Keeping in mind that this was done ONLY on the BACK, WRONG SIDE of the tube (meaning 1 ply, not both sides), to remove the extra bulk folds prior to cutting (yes, cutting). Let it also be known, throught the land, that I’m not the best hand sewer or ironer. All these things having been said, let’s move on to HOW TO DO IT!

See pictures and the following, lengthy, details for those who may follow in my footsteps later! :lol: 8)

First, because I have no machine, I hand sewed 3 rectangles, forming a 4th, larger rectangle within them, using regular cotton sewing thread and needle. I used white so I could see the stitches as I went along, but still, they pretty much flowed right into the weave.

Starting about 2 V’s from each edge of the tie length, I made sure to catch the individual horizontal bars within the knit as I hand stitched. (see illustration in picture to see where I sewed). I included the (rather loose) cast on I made within the the verticle stitches while I sewed so there would be no surprises later.

Then I cut the rectangle out and removed some fuzzies, etc. Folded the tie length ends in toward each other and switched to hand sewing with a yarn needle and new strand of the yarn used in the pattern. I started at the top/horizontal/blunt end. Then worked my way down to the tip of the point, using a mattress stitch…but I’d say any would do with the matching thread, since this is the wrong side of the tie, afterall.

Once I had the point shaped, I did a similar technique widthwise (this time, while catching as many free loops sticking out from the bottom edge of the top rectangle as I could find) . During this process I found a few more fuzzies and pulled them and snipped where necessary. Honest, it wasn’t a big deal. You’re safe as long as your 3 rectangles are sewn well within the knit, but I wouldn’t play “tug-of-war” with it to invite trouble.

Because my cast on was a bit loose and the end point of the tip included it, I did a tiny bit of touch up around the tip from the wrong side to secure it a little better. I wanted it a bit more firm and not get more loose with later tugging and wear. Several of my stitches came around the front and returned to the back as I hand tightened them and checked for the right look. It worked! They also became invisible and the tip got a bit more firm to the touch.

Hurray, problem solved, I’m done!

Now all I have to do is decide which lucky guy will get this thing! LOL

[carollovesyarn]

I think it’s gorgeous - you did a great job! Congratulations!

Carol

[happenin]

Thank you Carol for your kind words. I guess I’ll really know how well I did once the tie has made its first visit through a washing machine.

EVERYONE: Typo alert…Norwegian Steeking, NOT Norwegian skeeking.

[eggplant]

Ties made with woven fabrics always have seams on the back, so yours really fits right in. Looks great!!

[dmp]

I read with interest your adventures with the knitted tie and it’s point. Your solution was fascinating. I have a suggestion which I have tried out and found to be successful - knit a short row wedge (like a sock toe) starting with half the number of stitches the tie pattern calls for, having cast on over waste yarn. Short-row till you get a pointed wedge. You can then pick up the stitches off the waste yarn , and continue with the tie pattern as given . You will have a nice point and no thick seams, and the stripe pattern will be intact on both sides (if using variegated yarn). Hope that was useful !

[aylaanne]

huh. In the future, I’d cast on provisionally, then knit from the cast on live stitches and do decreases. But what you did looks awesome! I really like that tie.