How to Finish Knitted Garments - Article by KarensVariety.com

How to Finish Knitted Garments
Article by KarensVariety.com

When you knit clothing, you make sections and then must be assemble or make up the finished article from the knit pieces. This involves blocking, sewing the sections together and adding facings or zippers.

Pressing

Place each knit piece right down down on to a well-padded surface such as a padded ironing board. Keep stitches and rows in straight lines and pin edges inserting pins sideways so they lay flat. Do not use pins with plastic covers. Press with a steam iron. Some synthetic fabric will melt with heat. Instead of using your iron, lightly spray and let dry naturally.

For ribbing, pin so that only the knit stitches show.

Seam Stitches

Woven Flat Seam	Use this stitch to make up baby clothes, ribbing and under clothes. Place the right sides of your pieces together lining up the stitches. Using a needle and matching yarn, insert the needle from front to back and then to front through the individual stitches (a basic running stitch). When opened, the seam will be flat and neat when pressed.
Backstitch Seam	Use this stitch for strength with stretch. Place the right sides of your pieces together lining up the stitches. Using a needle and matching yarn, make a running stitch across (as in the Wove Flat Seam). Then repeat in reverse filling in the spots that were not stitched. Be careful not to knit the stitches already made.

Finishes

Bands or Decorations	Pin bands or decorations to the garment and use a woven flat seam.
Collars	Place the collar to the garment right sides together, matching the centre back and pin. Join with backstitch as close to the edge as possible.
Elastic	Weave elastic thread into the knitted fabric on the wrong side. The closer you match the colour of the thread, the more invisible it will be. Weave over and under the knit stitches in ribbing.
Facing	Use a soft ribbon for facing. Try a touch of clear nail polish on the ends to prevent fraying. Pin the ribbon to the wrong side of the garment. Cut the ribbon buttonholes to match the knit buttonholes and over sew them together, finishing with a buttonhole stitch. Mitre the corners by folding under around corners and slipstitch. Be very careful not to stretch the knitting when you pin on the facing to prevent puckering.
Pockets	Pin pockets to the garment keeping absolutely straight and slip stitch.
Set in Sleeves	Make the centre top of the sleeve and pin to the shoulder seam. Pin the cast off stitches of the sleeve to the cast off underarm stitches. Use the backstitch seam as close to the edge as possible.
Shoulder seams	Backstitch and reinforce the seams with ribbon of tape.
Skirt Waist	To attach elastic to a skirt waist, cut the elastic to the required size and sew ends to form a circle. Pin the elastic to the skirt waist evenly, begin front centre and back centre, then mid sides and continue evenly around using a herringbone stitch.
Zipper	Pin the zipper to the opening in the garment. Use backstitch to sew in the zipper. Be sure to keep the knit edge straight. Be very careful not to stretch the knitting when you pin on the facing to prevent puckering.

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