I decided to add seamless pockets with vertical openings along the arm slits on the inside of my cape, the redo of my test knit. So far so good but I’m approaching the top of the pocket (worked bottom up) and can’t think how to join the live stitches to the WS of the fabric that consists of knits and purls. I could pu&k on the existing stitches and do a 3-ndl bo but would rather do more of a grafting technique. Working into the live stitches is not a problem, I’ve got that. It’s how to join the live stitches on the back of the fabric that’s got me stumped. If anyone knows of a tutorial showing it I’d much appreciate a link please. The only ones I’ve found don’t address knits and purls. I’d be back looking on You Tube but don’t know what to search for. 
My current thinking is to just catch a leg of a knit or the garter bump on the existing stitch and follow the yarn path for a knit on the live stitch. Yes? No? Try it and see?
I would have done the knit side inside the pocket but I’m working without turning the work and hate doing purls on the side facing that way so I compromised. 
I can live with the knit side outside to skip turning the cape every row.
The gs portion isn’t joined to the cape, that’s the vertical opening of the pocket.
I wonder if you can modify half-grafting to attach the pocket to the cape.
Following the yarn strand across might work but is it necessary to work in pattern or can you work your last pocket row as all knit (or all purl) and graft that way?
Here’s Techknitter on following the yarn path.
Less elegantly can you graft or just seam the two together after bind off of the pocket?
1 Like
Thanks so much. I’ve been concerned about what shows on the RS/public side. It might not be a problem since it’s all the same color - it would be a lot like duplicate stitch on the RS I think. I’ll just have to get my brave face on and act like I know what I’m doing. If/when I figure out what I’m doing I’ll let you know. Worst case scenario is a seam on the WS as you suggest. I’m sure this would work fine. This whole project has been a crash course in knitting for me so I’m up for trying some things before I do the seam.
I’ve overcome the ‘that’s too hard’ mindset for complicated cable patterns, at least what I consider complicated cables. I learned to sew shank buttons with backing buttons which wasn’t easy since my hands don’t like holding onto small things and are rather clumsy. I confirmed that when I start something and my gut says it’s gonna be a problem to pay attention. I knew cable flare was an issue and ignored it until the end and the decision to frog. I fixed the problem. Honestly the construction of the cape, for me, was not good. The pattern has you work the cable bottom border starting with a pco then leaving the end with live stitches and that added to the problem of cape edge and the border edge misalignment for what I considered an ugly, unacceptable result. Per the pattern, pu&k 323 stitches along the border edge and continue to knit the cape body. That meant that a problem at the start would require frogging. For my redo I worked the cape first then the bottom as an applied border. Not only could I fix a problem without frogging the entire thing, the bulk of the cape didn’t have to be manhandled into submission for turning. I also confirmed my dislike of round yokes for myself, even with added short row back neck shaping not called for in the pattern the front rides up and chokes me so I’ll not button the top button when I wear it. I count this as a huge win so a seam inside at the top of the pocket should that be the end result - no biggie.
I like that the second go wasn’t a test knit so modifying the pattern was all knitter’s choice. Patterns are guides and for getting ideas, learning something I don’t know how to do or a different way to do something. Patterns are eye candy. I love patterns and that’s why I’ve collected literally thousands of free for a limited time patterns in my Ravelry library. I just don’t like adhering to them.
1 Like
I just had a thought of something I might try. Pick up stitches on the WS 2 rows (??? is that right) above the live stitches on the needle then just graft live stitches to live stitches. Grafting doesn’t scare me. 
Figuring out for sure, do I allow for two rows? That’s mathy. 
Yes, what about only joining the WS purls sts (that convenient bump) with just a sewing stitch. Yarn through the purl bump, yarn through the stitch on needle. Skip a WS knit stitch. The upper join doesn’t have to be completely solid since things aren’t likely to slip through.
After looking at that cable pattern I’d say you’re deserve a graduate degree in cableology.
1 Like
I was thinking about that actually. What about the stitches on the needle that would be skipped? Work as decreases? I’ll have just knits on the needle so a k2tog in the graft would be no problem.
Thank you so much. I had watched many of Roxanne Richardson’s videos about cables and cable flare and Suzanne Bryan’s videos on cable so knowledge I had but jumping off the deep end and doing the test knit was what I needed to move forward.
I just looked at my knitting and I can work the pocket tall enough to join on an all purls section which would eliminate the need for figuring out what to do with extra live stitches on the needle. I might experiment with the pu&k for grafting two sets of live stitches, but maybe I’ve had enough challenges for now. I’ll find out when I get there. Thanks for the help and helping me think about it. Friends who tell you step by step what to do are great. Friends that help you think and figure things out are priceless.
3 Likes
Thanks so much for the video. I ended the pocket up knitting up to the first all purl bumps row and doing the half graft technique. It seems to have worked well and doesn’t show on the public side. For some reason I had considerably fewer stitches in the purl bumps row than I expected and worked k2togs on the live stitches to compensate. The first pocket was challenging but now I know what I’m doing. The second one might be just boring. Maybe I’ll figure out why the stitch count difference I didn’t expect happened instead of just being bored.
1 Like
You can add a ‘secret’ colourwork or purl bump motif on the second pocket- these are on the inside i think, so not seen. I love little secret bits, nice linings in suit jackets or bags, a different wrong side cuff colour…
It would relieve the symptoms of second pocket syndrome.
2 Likes
I got the second pocket started and am enjoying the near mindless knitting that lets me watch Mike Rowe videos. I just saw one about a business in California that makes goat cheese. The little goats they showed are too cute. I might add something in duplicate stitch to the pocket. That does sounds fun.
2 Likes
