Slip first stitch?

#1

Ok, I’ve been knitting since Oct. I’ve knitted 2 sweaters, a multitude of hats and two scarves and I STILL have no idea what’s meant when people say they slip the first to make the edges smooth. Can anyone explain that to me? I feel so dumb! :blush:

#2

This is something that has confused me forever too, until I found this website that made everything very clear. I hope it helps you too!

http://www.wolfandturtle.net/Yarnpath/index.php/Yarnpath/stupid_knitting_tricks_the_chain_selvedge/

#3

oooohhhh ok! I got it now! Thanks knitqueen! It’s funny how something like that boggled my mind for so long.

#4

Thank you for the link!! Now why don’t they say to slip the first AND knit the last?!! ARGH!!! Guess I’m starting Tubey all over again. I was wondering why the ends looked different from the beginnings.

:sigh: at least I have only done about 2 inches . . . .

#5

Thanks KnitQueen!

I had the same question, and that really explains it well! I bookmarked that site.

April

#6

Hmmmm I’m doing thisfor the first time on something but I didn’t know you were supposed to slip the first stitch on the PURL rows. Oh drat. I never heard that. And you slip it purl wise. I’ve been slipping knit wise.
Hmmmmm. But my edge looks good. I wonder if that is a hard and fast rule to slip only on the purl rows. ??

#7

I don’t think there are any hard and fast rules, this is just the method that made the most sense to me and looks the same on each side. If your edge looks neat the way you’re doing it I don’t see any need to change it.

#8

I did a scarf pattern that had you slip the first stitch of every row purl wise. I guess it depends on the pattern. It was the first time I had to do it in a pattern and I liked the look of it, made it look ‘finished’ on the edges.