Bond Machine Knitting - Patterns

Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 12:51:50 -0600
From: cpolfer@juno.com (Cindy S Polfer)
Subject: [BOND] Weaving elastic into last row of rib

Dear Bonders,

I've seen some discussion of late about placing elastic into the cuffs or
bottom edge of ribbing.  Just today, I realized that I had once written
some instructions about a method that I had devised and used to weave a
piece of elastic into my knitting and then latch it into the last row of
rib and bind off row.  You might want to give this technique a try and
see if it will work for you. (By, the way, I'm am just trying out my
scanner that I just got for Christmas and it's optical character
recognition.  I hope it works and I don't have to re-type what I had
written! ------ It finally worked so here it is! I am SO, SO new at using
this scanner!)

SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: WEAVING IN ELASTIC (by Cindy Polfer)
When knitting those beautiful cotton sweaters, you often find a need to
put elastic into the ribbing.  This can be done as you knit the last row
of ribbing provided you are using the technique of knitting the ribbing
after the main piece has already been knitted (That is:  Hang stitches
for ribbing.  Knit in stockinette st the number of rows needed for
ribbing.  Drop and latch up sts into a rib.).

PROCEDURE FOR WEAVING IN ELASTIC (and latching it into last row of rib
for bind off): [Note:  Use a color of elastic that blends with your yarn.
 I use a thread-like sewing elastic.]

Knit all but the last row of ribbing.  Weave elastic into row as follows:
 Push all needles in HP (holding position) and push knitting back against
the bed. Weave a piece of elastic over and under all the needles (or you
also might say "in and out between ndls") in HP across the entire bed,
leaving several inches of elastic free at each end of the knitting.  Do
not stretch elastic!  Push elastic back against knitting. Now place all
ndls back into FWP (forward working position - it's the same position the
needles are in when using the yellow card).  With garment yarn, knit last
row of ribbing using a larger keyplate (or manually knit the sts loosely)
[Note: This is done so that you will be able to latch tool bind off after
you drop and latch up your sts for the rib].  Now drop and latch stitches
into 1 x 1 rib latching in the elastic by combining it with the strand of
yarn used to latch last row of rib. (Note: Every other stitch of yarn
should now have elastic with it.)  Now  bind off using the latch tool
method as follows:  Starting at opposite end from end of yarn, remove
edge st from machine onto latch tool. *Place st behind latch of latch
tool. Remove next st from machine and placing it in hook of latch tool.
Pull st in hook through st behind latch. Rep from * across row. Pull end
of yarn through last st to fasten off.  Note: You may wish to slightly
support hem weight while binding off .

The elastic is now chained into your bind off.  After sewing seam, secure
the ends of elastic into it. 

Well, that is the end of my instructions.  Maybe it will h*lp some of you
out.

Happy Knitting!
Cindy Polfer - cpolfer@juno.com

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Author : Steph Thornton.
Last modified on : 20th February 1998.