Selvedge Help!

I have to admit I am not entirely sure what the definition of selvedge is. Doesn’t it just mean edge?

Anyway, here’s my question:

I am trying to knit the Scrunchable Scarf (free download on Ravelry). It is a VERY basic pattern: Cast on a multiple of three plus one on each end for the selvedge. Then k2p1 on both sides.

Well, it doesn’t say what to do with those selvedge stitches. I figured slipping both of them purlwise was the answer. But after 2 inches of the scarf, I am not so sure. The corners are way rounded! The bottom of the scarf looks like the letter U. :teehee:

So I must be wrong… Can anyone enlighten me?

It is an edge stitch, but for this pattern I think you just knit them as part of the pattern, nothing special. The st pattern is a multiple of 3 sts, but you need the extra 2 sts for it to work out right.

OK, I looked on Ravelry and a few people spelled it out in their project notes:

The selvedge stitch thing means you slip the first stitch of each row purlwise, and you knit the last stitch of each row. I am not sure why you want to do that, but I guess it makes the edge look nicer. :shrug:

I ripped and started over and now I have a rectangle instead of a U. :woohoo:

Now it’s time to PUT THE KNITTING DOWN and do some laundry. :teehee:

Ahh, okay that’s one way to make a nice edge, though it never worked for me, so I don’t bother with them.