Sewing knitted sweater pieces together, also known as seaming, is a crucial step in finishing your hand-knitted garment. The goal is to create strong, neat joins that are comfortable to wear and enhance the look of your finished sweater. Several methods exist, each suited for different types of seams.
Choosing the Right Seaming Method
The best method depends on where the seam is located on the sweater and whether you are joining selvedge edges or live stitches.
- Mattress Stitch: Excellent for vertical seams like side seams and sleeve seams. It creates a flat, invisible join.
- Grafting (Kitchener Stitch): Used to join two sets of live stitches horizontally, typically for shoulder seams, sock toes, or mitten tops, creating an invisible join that mimics a row of knitting.
- Whip Stitch: A simple method, but often creates a bulkier ridge and is less invisible than mattress stitch or grafting. Can be used for joining edges.
For most sweater construction, Mattress Stitch is the go-to for side and sleeve seams due to its ability to create a flat, almost invisible join.
Mastering the Mattress Stitch
The mattress stitch is worked from the right side of the fabric, joining the pieces edge-to-edge.
Materials Needed:
- Blunt tapestry needle
- Yarn matching your garment (preferably the same yarn used for knitting)
- Your knitted sweater pieces
Steps for Mattress Stitch (Vertical Seams):
- Lay your two knitted pieces flat side-by-side with the right sides facing up.
- Thread your tapestry needle with a length of yarn (about 3 times the length of the seam).
- Anchor the yarn at the bottom corner of one piece.
- Insert the needle under the horizontal bar between the first and second column of stitches, one row up from the bottom edge on the first piece. Pull the yarn through.
- Move to the opposite piece, directly across from where you exited. Insert the needle under the horizontal bar between the first and second column of stitches, one row up. Pull the yarn through.
- Return to the first piece, inserting the needle under the next horizontal bar up on the same side. Pull the yarn through.
- Continue working back and forth between the two pieces, picking up one bar at a time on each side, working your way up the seam.
- After working a few inches, gently pull the yarn tight. As shown in some techniques, this action "joed nicely without being able to see the contrasting yarn," creating a smooth, integrated seam where the stitches of the two pieces come together seamlessly.
- Continue working and tightening the seam every few inches until you reach the end.
- Secure the yarn end neatly on the wrong side of the fabric.
Grafting or Kitchener Stitch
Used for joining live stitches invisibly, grafting is often used for shoulder seams or finishing toes of socks. It requires the stitches to be held on needles or waste yarn until they are joined using the tapestry needle. The technique involves a sequence of movements often remembered with mnemonics (like "knit off, purl on, purl off, knit on").
Essential Tips for Successful Seaming
- Block Your Pieces: Always block your knitted pieces before seaming. This helps the edges lie flat, makes stitches uniform, and ensures pieces are the correct size and shape, making seaming much easier and more accurate.
- Use Matching Yarn: For the most invisible seam, use the same yarn used to knit the garment.
- Blunt Tapestry Needle: A blunt needle won't split the yarn as you work, resulting in a smoother seam.
- Work from the Right Side: Mattress stitch and grafting are typically worked from the right side, allowing you to see how the seam is forming.
- Maintain Even Tension: Try to keep your tension consistent as you work the seam for a uniform finish. Pulling the working yarn through gently at first and then tightening every few inches helps control tension and create that nice, invisible join described in the reference.
By using appropriate seaming techniques like the mattress stitch and following these tips, you can finish your knitted sweater with professional-looking, durable seams.
