Please enjoy my new sock tutorial. After the easy toe-up cast-on, this time we will talk about closing holes in our knitting with the Kitchnener Stitch.
Our main goal here is to create an invisible seam which looks like stocking stitch. The extra benefit in this technique in contrary to the 3 needle bind off is an invisible bind off in the inside too. You can’t feel it! I don’t know about you but seams on commercial socks is one of my personal nightmares.
The Kitchener Stitch
When you reach the last row of your project, cut the yarn leaving a substantial yarn tail. Thread this yarn in a tapestry needle, you’re now ready to start sewing!
The example I’m using here is an afterthought heel. Stitches are picked up at the base of the heel which is worked as toes, decreasing on each sides. As for toes, at the end of it you need to close it using the Kitchener stitch.
Place all stitches on two needles (ndl 1 in the front and ndl 2 in the back), with the same number of stitches on each needle.
A and B (= set up steps). Insert the tapestry needle in the first stitch of ndl 1 purlwise. Pull the yarn through. Insert the tapestry needle in the first stitch of ndl 2 knitwise. Pull the yarn through.
You’re now set up to start the actual sewing. Repeat the following steps 1 to 6 until all of your stitches are sewn.
1 and 2. Insert the tapestry needle in the first stitch of ndl 1 knitwise and slip the stitch off ndl 1.
3. Insert the yarn in the “new” first stitch of ndl 1 purlwise and leave it on ndl 1. Pull the yarn through.
4 and 5. Insert the tapestry needle in the first stitch of ndl 2 purlwise and slip the stitch off ndl 2.
6. Insert the yarn in the “new” first stitch of ndl 1 knitwise and leave it on ndl 1. Pull the yarn through.
Repeat steps 1-6 until you only have 1 stitch left on each needle. Then, insert the tapestry needle in the first stitch of ndl 1 knitwise and slip the stitch off ndl 1. Insert the tapestry needle in the first stitch of ndl 2 purlwise and slip the stitch off ndl 2. Pull the yarn through. Your yarn is located on the outside of your item, you’ll need to thread it through a stitch to the inside before weaving it in.
To summarise, we can resume the Kitchnener stitch in a little counting rhyme: knit off, purl leave, purl off, knit leave.
A video Tutorial
If you want to see the Kitchener stitch in action, I’ve published a video tutorial in my YouTube channel (it’s in French but you can still see everything if you play it with your sound turned off).
Technknitting’s grafting
I’m an absolute fan of Technknitting. This blog saved my knitting life more than once and I learnt so much on it. Techknitting detailed a “no sew” grafting technique a while ago, with no tapestry needle involved: An easier way to Kitchener Stitch (also called “grafting seams” or “weaving seams”).
I’ve tried it but I have to admit, this one is not for me. I do like my needles and needle cse a little bit to much to leave them in my drawer
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