December 21: Splattershot!
While on my summer travels, I eyedĀ this super cool Splattershot yarnĀ from Lorna’s Laces. Yes, we did actually show up at yarn market and didn’t just eat ice cream. Naturally, we couldn’t resist.
Splattershot Shepherd Worsted
This machine wash wool is super soft, and the Splattershot colors are lots of fun!
While great for all ages, I couldn’t resist working up a design for a baby set. A perfect baby gift! Why trudge away at a big blanket, when you can really shine at the shower with an adorable sweater set. It will take less timeĀ than a blanket, and a lot less yarn.
The Splattered Baby Set pattern is my gift for you today! Click here to get your download.
I am also giving away a skein of Splattershot Shepherd WorstedĀ – simply comment with which color you’d like to win. You have until midnight, and can see the colors here.
This design is worked in one piece, with no finishing. In order to incorporate the band into the design, I called for a slip stitch edge so that it would look nice and polished.
As an added treat today, I am going to demystify the slip stitch. While itĀ seems so simple at first glance, slipping stitches can be rather complex.
First Rule of Slipped Stitches
Always slip purlwiseĀ UNLESS the slipped stitch is part of a decrease OR the pattern instructs otherwise
Stitches that are slipped knitwise twist the stitch. When worked as part of a decrease, they become untwisted as the decrease is worked. Slipping otherwise will result in a twisted stitch. So if your instructions read; K1, Sl1, PSSO – this slipped stitch is part of a decrease and should be slipped knitwise. Same goes for SSK, SSP, double decreases, etc.
Slipping Edge Stitches
Slipping the first stitch of the row makes for a nice edging, or makes for a smooth pick up on a sock heel and such. These stitches are always slipped purlwise, per our rule above
When you are working in stockinette stitc, slipping edge stitches is pretty straightforward. On knit rows you slip the stitch, the yarn comes up from the back to knit the next stitch. On purl rows you slip the stitch, the yarn comes up from the front to purl the next stitch.
It is more tricky when you get into garter or knit/purl stitch patterns. In order to figure out how the yarn will travel you have to consider what the first stitch would be if it weren’t slipped. Let’s lookĀ the baby sweater above. It has a K1, P1 ribbed band worked into the pattern:
TheĀ right side rows, if the edge stitches weren’t slipped, would start with K1, P1. Since we are slipping the first stitch, it is slipped purlwise (as always) then the yarn will travel between the needles to the front of the workĀ to form the next purl stitch – just as it would travel if the first stitch had been knit.
The wrong side rows, if the edge stitches weren’t slipped, would start with P1, K1. Again, the first stitch is slipped purlwise (as always), then the yarn will travel between the needles to the back of the work to form the next knit stitch – just as it would travel if the first stitch had been purled
It becomes even more complicated when it comes to garter stitch. Ā Even though you are knitting garter, and all stitches are knit you have to treat the beginning stitches as if they were purls. ThatĀ doesn’t make any sense, does it?Ā If you treat the slipped stitches as if they were knit stitches, you will wind up with a bumpy, garter edge. When you look at the first stitch in garter stitch it appears as a purl. Therefore you treat it as a purl, and work the row as follows:
Slip 1 stitch purlwise (as always), the yarn travels between the needles to the back of the work to form the next knit stitch.
Slipped edge stitches on garter stitch are a bit different. The edges are slipped on garter stitch when you don’t want a garter stitch edge. We’ll get to the reasons to do it this way in a minute. If you treat the edge stitches like knit stitches, you get a slipped garter edge and that doesn’t look right. The beauty of a slipped stitch edge is that the stitches look like a smooth chain of stockinette stitches along the edge. So technically you are treating the edge stitches as if they were stockinette stitch, even though the rest of the pattern is garter.
Garter is a great stitch pattern for unfinished edges in that it doesn’t curl, lays flat and the edge stitches aren’t an issue. So why slip the edge stitches?Ā Maybe you are going to pick up along that edge. Sally Melville’s Einstein Coat comes to mind. The bottom skirt is knit in garter, with slip stitch edges. To attach the upper part of the coat, you simplyĀ slip these edge stitches onto a needle and take knitting off from there. It makes for a beautiful, seemingly seamless joining of the pieces. But if the edge stitches aren’t slipped property, it will not look good.
Unfortunately many patterns will not give you any instruction further than SL1. If you don’t bring the yarn around properly, you will get a bumpy edge. On the upside, it isĀ super easy to fix! Simply unravel the edge stitch back as far as you need to go (yes, even to the cast on stitch if necessary). Insert a crochet hook in the last stitch, and pull each unraveled loop through the stitch on the hook. And it is fixed – easy as pie!
Hope this little tutorial on slipping stitches is helpful for you!
Stephenia D
21.12.2017 at 00:07Thanks!
Beth Seeliger
21.12.2017 at 06:56GLASGOW
Emily Schnabl
21.12.2017 at 08:03Cozumel!
knorthup
22.12.2017 at 08:35Congratulations Emily! Youāre the winner of a skein of Shepherd Worsted Splattershot. I have your prize aside for you. Please pick it up by January 31, or it will be put back in the prize hopper.
Sheri Blaylock
21.12.2017 at 08:30I also like the Cozumel. Thank you so much for the slipping stitches lesson; I have struggled with this! I’m snipping this post for my “how to” file!
Susan Phillips
21.12.2017 at 08:51Cozumel. And thank you for this lesson on slipped stitches!
Patricia Riden
21.12.2017 at 08:57I like the Edna colorway.
Judy
21.12.2017 at 08:58I like Minneapolis
Jennifer Smallwood
21.12.2017 at 09:03Cozumel
Mary
21.12.2017 at 09:34Singapore.
Anita
21.12.2017 at 09:46Minneapolis. Thank you for the pattern and the sl st tips!
Cheryl
21.12.2017 at 10:32Definitely Cozumel. Who wouldnāt want to be there at any time!
Ellen
21.12.2017 at 10:39Cozumel or Singapore š
Tammy Adamson
21.12.2017 at 10:52Minneapolis please
Stephanie Miller
21.12.2017 at 11:04I would love to introduce Edna to my yarn stash!!
Elise
21.12.2017 at 11:14Thanks for the helpful tips! Minneapolis is pretty!
Jennifer Dodd
21.12.2017 at 11:20Zoe would be cute for my upcoming great niece who will be born this spring.
Thank you so much for the tutorial!
Betty
21.12.2017 at 12:10#716 Calgary
I shall have to swatch & try the unraveling of the slipped edge stitches. I have in-the-past unraveled several rows to make a correction. I had no idea that it was possible to unravel, then hook back the slipped edge stitch.
Thank you for this tutorial and your generosity of 24 days of SWAK!
Shawndalynn Wilkinson
21.12.2017 at 12:18Thanks for the information on fixing edges
Jenna
21.12.2017 at 13:00Iād like to try Glasgow please. Thanks!
Cari Deen
21.12.2017 at 13:54I like Glasgow. Thanks!
Kathy Plummer
21.12.2017 at 14:29Minneapolis, and I have kids that live there!
Linda W.
21.12.2017 at 14:58To my ever-lovin’ surprise, after poring through Ravelry projects, I choose Edna. I was sure I would go for one of the pinkish ones, LOL.
Patrizia
21.12.2017 at 14:59I love Zoe! I can see a nice hat!
Carolyn Munholland
21.12.2017 at 15:01Thank you for the baby gift. I love it and the instructions. I love Cozumel
Jennifer Walker
21.12.2017 at 15:18I like them all! Zoe looks fun!
Jeannie
21.12.2017 at 15:26Love this yarn! Singapore….thanks for the pattern…so cute…
Teresa
21.12.2017 at 15:33Singapore
Sarah Bailey
21.12.2017 at 16:49Thank you for the lesson! I’d like Glasgow
Nicole Acuna
21.12.2017 at 18:28Iām in love with the Zoe colorway!
Machelle
21.12.2017 at 19:25Cozumel please.
Renee
21.12.2017 at 19:37Zoe, please.
Melissa
21.12.2017 at 22:11Great tip on the way to slip that first stitch. Thank you!
Love that Glasgow, in case you were wondering. Love the Calgary, too, since I am letting you know…
Beatrix
21.12.2017 at 22:25Zoe is beautiful.
Paula Jones
21.12.2017 at 23:21Glasgow please. Thanks for the lesson.