All month long, we're knitting and crocheting squares for Warm Up America here in our Ravelry group. Whether you plan to stitch a blanket's-worth of squares or just make a few to donate, you may wish to practice your seaming techniques to add to your technique toolbox. Here are 6 of our favorite ways to seam knitted and crocheted pieces together, with links to explore each one in depth. Enjoy!
Mattress Seaming (Invisible Vertical Seaming)
Mattress stitch creates an invisible vertical seam and is often used when assembling garments. The clean, invisible seam is especially well suited to joining sweater fronts to backs, or closing sleeve seams.
Two knitted or crocheted pieces can be sewn together by grabbing a strand of yarn from each edge and alternating back and forth, working vertically along the edges.
To use Mattress Stitch to seam your two pieces, take both pieces of knitting and lay them next to each other, with right sides facing up. Using a tapestry needle and the same yarn (we used a contrast color for the purposes of demonstration here; you may choose to use the tails of your yarn if they are long enough, or a separate length of yarn) we grab the horizontal bar that runs between knit stitches, and work back and forth from one end of the seam to the other.
Kitchener Stitch (Invisible Horizontal)
The Kitchener stitch (also known as “grafting”) involves closing live stitches on two edges together using the same yarn and a tapestry needle to mimic another row of stitches. This finish is typically used in closing the toes of socks that are knit from the top down. While it is possible to graft both ribbing and garter stitch, we’re just going to look at grafting stockinette stitch, which is the most common use.
To Kitchener Stitch, divide your live stitches evenly onto two needles. Hold the wrong sides of your work together, so the right sides are facing out. With your working yarn, thread your tapestry needle. Here are the next steps:
Repeat Steps 3-6 until the last two stitches remain on your needle. To remember the sequence in which to kitchener, many knitters chant “knit, purl, purl knit” to remind themselves of the way in which you thread your tapestry needle through the stitches.
7. When you reach the final two stitches, repeat Step 4, and then go to Step 6. Pull your yarn through the final stitch and then weave the end.
Three Needle Bindoff
The Three Needle Bindoff is specific to knitting, as it involves closing live stitches on two edges by knitting them together. This does not create an invisible seam, but it does add structure to garments. It is most typically used for joining shoulders together in a garment.
To end up with the seam on the wrong side (inside) of the work, hold the right sides of the work together with wrong sides facing out. Using the working yarn from one of the needles and a spare needle (a DPN in the same size you used for the project will do) you will knit the first stitch from the front needle and the first stitch from the back needle together as one. Then you will knit the second stitch from the front needle and the second stitch from the back needle together as one. Next, lift and pass the first stitch over the second stitch, binding off one. Continue the process until you reach the end of your live stitches and fasten off the end.
Whip Stitch
Whip Stitch is a quick seaming method for joining two pieces of knitted or crocheted fabric. It is not quite as invisible as Mattress Stitch or Kitchener Stitch, but is one of the easiest seaming methods and is often used for joining blanket squares that are either knitted or crocheted. To Whip Stitch two pieces together, hold the right sides of the work together with the wrong sides facing out. Tie a knot at the end of your yarn (or leave a tail long enough to weave in later). Then thread your tapestry needle and run your yarn through the right half of a stitch along one edge and the left half of a stitch along the joining edge. Continue in this manner until you reach the end of your seam.
Back Stitch
Back Stitch is a method that creates a strong, sturdy seam. It is worked from the wrong side of the project and creates a seam allowance, so it can be used to take in a garment slightly for a more fitted look. Begin by holding the right sides of the work together, with the wrong sides facing out. Thread a tapestry needle with the same yarn, and secure the seam by taking the needle twice around the edges from back to front. Bring the needle up about ¼"/.5cm from where the yarn last emerged. In one motion, insert the needle into the point where the yarn emerged from the previous stitch and back up approximately ¼"/.5cm ahead of the emerging yarn. Pull the yarn through. Continue in this manner until you reach the end of your seam.
Slip Stitch Crochet
A Slip Stitch Crochet seam involves using a crochet hook and the slip stitch to join two pieces of work together. This method works beautifully for both knitted and crocheted pieces!
Note that for this method, we will begin by holding the wrong sides of the work together, with the right sides facing out. To begin, insert the crochet hook through an edge stitch on both pieces, from front to back, holding the yarn at the back. Use the crochet hook to draw a loop through the pieces, up to the front of the work. Next, insert the hook through both pieces again, and draw a new loop through the work as well as through the loop already on the hook. Repeat the second step until you reach the end of your seam and draw the yarn through the final loop to secure.
We hope you find these seaming techniques helpful in all of your projects this spring. For more in-depth seaming techniques, click here to check out the extensive collection of Seaming Videos from Very Pink Knits!
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Mattress Seaming (Invisible Vertical Seaming)
Mattress stitch creates an invisible vertical seam and is often used when assembling garments. The clean, invisible seam is especially well suited to joining sweater fronts to backs, or closing sleeve seams.
Two knitted or crocheted pieces can be sewn together by grabbing a strand of yarn from each edge and alternating back and forth, working vertically along the edges.
To use Mattress Stitch to seam your two pieces, take both pieces of knitting and lay them next to each other, with right sides facing up. Using a tapestry needle and the same yarn (we used a contrast color for the purposes of demonstration here; you may choose to use the tails of your yarn if they are long enough, or a separate length of yarn) we grab the horizontal bar that runs between knit stitches, and work back and forth from one end of the seam to the other.
For a visual tutorial, check out this video from Very Pink Knits or view an illustrated tutorial using crocheted pieces here.
Kitchener Stitch (Invisible Horizontal)
The Kitchener stitch (also known as “grafting”) involves closing live stitches on two edges together using the same yarn and a tapestry needle to mimic another row of stitches. This finish is typically used in closing the toes of socks that are knit from the top down. While it is possible to graft both ribbing and garter stitch, we’re just going to look at grafting stockinette stitch, which is the most common use.
To Kitchener Stitch, divide your live stitches evenly onto two needles. Hold the wrong sides of your work together, so the right sides are facing out. With your working yarn, thread your tapestry needle. Here are the next steps:
- Insert the threaded tapestry needle into the first stitch on the needle closest to you as if to purl and pull it through, leaving the stitch on the needle.
- Then insert the needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit, leaving the stitch on the needle. Pull the yarn through.
- Insert the needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit, while slipping it off the end of the needle.
- Insert the needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit, while slipping it off the end of the needle.
- Insert the needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl, and slip it off the end of the needle.
- Insert the needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl, and slip it off the end of the needle.
Repeat Steps 3-6 until the last two stitches remain on your needle. To remember the sequence in which to kitchener, many knitters chant “knit, purl, purl knit” to remind themselves of the way in which you thread your tapestry needle through the stitches.
7. When you reach the final two stitches, repeat Step 4, and then go to Step 6. Pull your yarn through the final stitch and then weave the end.
For a visual breakdown of all the steps, check out this video from Very Pink Knits.
Three Needle Bindoff
The Three Needle Bindoff is specific to knitting, as it involves closing live stitches on two edges by knitting them together. This does not create an invisible seam, but it does add structure to garments. It is most typically used for joining shoulders together in a garment.
To end up with the seam on the wrong side (inside) of the work, hold the right sides of the work together with wrong sides facing out. Using the working yarn from one of the needles and a spare needle (a DPN in the same size you used for the project will do) you will knit the first stitch from the front needle and the first stitch from the back needle together as one. Then you will knit the second stitch from the front needle and the second stitch from the back needle together as one. Next, lift and pass the first stitch over the second stitch, binding off one. Continue the process until you reach the end of your live stitches and fasten off the end.
For a visual tutorial, check out this video from Very Pink Knits.
Whip Stitch
Whip Stitch is a quick seaming method for joining two pieces of knitted or crocheted fabric. It is not quite as invisible as Mattress Stitch or Kitchener Stitch, but is one of the easiest seaming methods and is often used for joining blanket squares that are either knitted or crocheted. To Whip Stitch two pieces together, hold the right sides of the work together with the wrong sides facing out. Tie a knot at the end of your yarn (or leave a tail long enough to weave in later). Then thread your tapestry needle and run your yarn through the right half of a stitch along one edge and the left half of a stitch along the joining edge. Continue in this manner until you reach the end of your seam.
For a visual tutorial, check out this post on the Spruce Crafts Blog.
Back Stitch
Back Stitch is a method that creates a strong, sturdy seam. It is worked from the wrong side of the project and creates a seam allowance, so it can be used to take in a garment slightly for a more fitted look. Begin by holding the right sides of the work together, with the wrong sides facing out. Thread a tapestry needle with the same yarn, and secure the seam by taking the needle twice around the edges from back to front. Bring the needle up about ¼"/.5cm from where the yarn last emerged. In one motion, insert the needle into the point where the yarn emerged from the previous stitch and back up approximately ¼"/.5cm ahead of the emerging yarn. Pull the yarn through. Continue in this manner until you reach the end of your seam.
For a visual tutorial, check out this video from Moogly.
Slip Stitch Crochet
A Slip Stitch Crochet seam involves using a crochet hook and the slip stitch to join two pieces of work together. This method works beautifully for both knitted and crocheted pieces!
Note that for this method, we will begin by holding the wrong sides of the work together, with the right sides facing out. To begin, insert the crochet hook through an edge stitch on both pieces, from front to back, holding the yarn at the back. Use the crochet hook to draw a loop through the pieces, up to the front of the work. Next, insert the hook through both pieces again, and draw a new loop through the work as well as through the loop already on the hook. Repeat the second step until you reach the end of your seam and draw the yarn through the final loop to secure.
For a visual tutorial, check out this video from Very Pink Knits.
We hope you find these seaming techniques helpful in all of your projects this spring. For more in-depth seaming techniques, click here to check out the extensive collection of Seaming Videos from Very Pink Knits!
Like this post? Pin it!
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