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RS of sample - includes edge samples, some bobbles, surface slip stitch, and seams. Also looks like a goofy person. |
As practical as knitting is
for all kinds of things, sometimes crochet is faster and easier for a few
details. Most common is the crab stitch
edge to finish a knitted garment. This sample has a number of examples of crab stitch edging.
Crochet can also be useful for seams and for embellishment. When adding crochet to a knit fabric, choose
a hook that is small enough to work comfortably into your knit fabric and is
also big enough for your yarn. F/G/4mm
is a common size to use with worsted or DK weight yarns.
Note that yarnovers in knitting are counter-clockwise
Q, while yarnovers in crochet are clockwise P. If that sounds confusing, just remember
to wrap the yarn the normal way when knitting and the other way when
crocheting.
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Crab Stitch |
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Lite Crab Stitch |
You can crab stitch directly into the edge of the knitted fabric, but sometimes the stitching can look different depending on whether you're stitching into row ends or into stitches. In that case, it can be useful to start with a setup row, using the same yarn as the fabric, to make a consistent base for the contrast edging.
Other traditional edges include simply stitching a single row of a pattern stitch, like Shell, or Open Shell, or Crazy Stitch. Including Picots makes the row look fancier by adding little pointy bits.
For a flared edge, consider - instead of binding off - doing a (slip stitch to bind next stitch off the left needle, then chain 1) all the way across. To add a flared edge to an edge other than the last row, pick up stitches along the desired edge, stockinette a few rows (enough to make a ruffling fabric), then do the (slip stitch, chain) combination to bind off. The massive increase of (a) switching from knit to crochet, and (b) adding the chain stitches will make the edge ruffle out a bit. Working into the live stitches makes the knitted fabric shape itself into the expanded edge.
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Shell Stitch border - very traditional |
Other traditional edges include simply stitching a single row of a pattern stitch, like Shell, or Open Shell, or Crazy Stitch. Including Picots makes the row look fancier by adding little pointy bits.
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Shell Stitch with picots |

Seams: Three-needle bind-off, mattress stitch, and Kitchener / grafting are such perfect ways to join fabrics in knitting, you'd think crochet wouldn't have anything to add. (An aside: Did you ever notice that mattress is just like grafting, only tighter and on row ends rather than in stitches?) If your yarn is really textured or delicate (like mohair), it may not be suitable for using with a yarn needle, and the three-needle bind-off is only for, well, binding off, which still leaves other seams to do.



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