Classroom: Seaming Perfection

Why Seams?
Basic Seams
Sew as you Go
Show Off Seams
Specialty Seams
Raglan Seams
Kitchener Grafting

Practice Makes Perfect!

  1. Bulky / Mid-gauge machine
  2. Yarn: Peaches 'n Cream (or any light color, smooth yarn)
  3. Small quantity of contrasting color yarn of a similar weight (We used the same Peaches 'n Cream)
  4. Cast on about 6" in width (26 stitches) with a closed cast on (we used a loose crochet/chain cast on)
  5. Knit 4-6"
  6. Break the main yarn
  7. Knit 1 row with the contrasting color, leaving tails
  8. With the main yarn, k nit 4-6"
  9. Loosely bind off (we used a stitch-thru-stitch bind off
  10. Work in the tails of the main color along the edges of the knitting
  11. Leave the contrasting tails
  12. Using a sewing machine, stitch along the row above the joining row to secure the knitting. This allows you to use the piece over and over without raveling


Knit a single practice piece with a contrasting row


Machine stitch (or hand back-stitch) the rows above the joining rows to secure the stitches
To get a feel for the grafting, start by working a bit of duplicate stitch on your practice piece. Follow the stitches in a single row, adjusting the tension and training your eye to look for the correct stitch formation
Carefully remove half of the contrasting row of stitches. Observe the shape of each stitch as you remove it
You should be able to picture the shape of each stitch as if you were doing the reverse of the duplicate stitch
With a darning needle, pick up the contrasting tail and begin to graft the edges together. Use either the knit side or the purl side (try both).

Watch your tension and stitch formation.

Take time to make each joining stitch the same size as the stitches above and below it.
  1. Remove the grafting row completely.
  2. Take the practice piece to the machine.
  3. With the knit side facing, hang each stitch of one piece on the machine
  4. With the purl side facing, hang each stitch of the other piece on the machine
  5. With 2 stitches on each machine needle, practice grafting on the machine with the purl side facing you
  1. Remove the grafting row completely.
  2. Take the practice piece to the machine.
  3. With the purl side facing, hang each stitch of one piece on the machine
  4. With the knit side facing, hang each stitch of the other piece on the machine
  5. With 2 stitches on each machine needle, practice grafting on the machine with the knit side facing you