Picot Problems
Is their anything worse than being inches away from a neat finished item but being thwarted by a technique that you just can't seem to figure out? While I have no illusions about my knitting knowledge, I like to think that with good reference material and a willingness to dig in, I can figure out most anything.
But the picot edging/cast off for my Filigree Lace sweater is eluding me. I present exhibit A:
Can't get enough? Just click here
This picot edging distorts the fabric, is too holey curvy. And it just looks like it's been smacked with the ugly stick one too many times.
Most of this was done using the instructions for the Picot Cast Off in the big Vogue Knitting reference book. Cast off two stiches, cast on two stitches using a cable cast on, bind off all the stitches so that only one remains on the right needle. Cast off two more stitches.
Some of it was done using the instructions from the sweater pattern:
*K2Tog, using cable cast on method, cast on 3 stitches (4 sts on needle), bind off 3 stitches k next 2 stitches together; on right hand needle, sl 2nd st over first. Repeat from * to end.
Both Vogue Knitting and the pattern show nice neat edging that doesn't distort the fabric and without prominent holes where the edging makes a nice scallop. I'm not seeing that here.
I've made several test swatches trying to figure out what I am not doing correctly, but have been stunningly unsuccessful. I'd show more of my misery off, but they don't look radically different from the ugly swatch above, so I decided not to waste the electrons.
I have spent a great deal of time combing the web for visual assistance. I did find some additional help in Alison's archives and in one of Stephanie's patterns as part of my Google expeditions, but something isn't quite clicking with me.
Can anyone out there help? If you know of a site with good visual instructions, or you live in Chicago and would be willing to trade your knowledge of this technique in person for a latte and my undying gratitude or you can tell by looking at my ugly swatch what I am not doing correctly, let me know. I don't even want to think of dealing with this in Kidsilk Haze* until I know I can make it work correctly on a simple swatch with unsticky yarn...
*yes, I did launch into my first attempt at this with one of my lacy sleeves and a double strand of KSH...it looked terrible, which is what lead me to the swatching. It was a b***h to rip out, and I don't think I could face doing it again without some hope of success
Hi Theresa, try this picot edging, it's the one that I usually use.
Cast off 2 stitches.
** Move stitch on right needle back to left needle
knit 1.** repeat ** to ** 2 times
and repeat this sequence until you run out of stitches. If you want a bigger picot, then repeat the second step 3 times.
Hope that helps.
Polly
Here is a site with Salt Peanut tips: www.knottygirls.com/salt_peanuts_tips_.htm.
There was, I gather, a Salt Peanut Along so, you'll find other tips.
I know this sounds silly, but what would a smaller sized needle do?
Polly -- I will definitely try your suggestion and see how it goes!
Pubah -- believe it or not, for the swatch, I am already doing the edging on two needle sizes smaller than the main stockinette portion!
here's the picot bind off i use (from Nancy Wiseman's "Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques")
*Cast on one stithc using cable cast on, BO three stitches using the traditional bind off, place remaining stitch on right needle back on left needle as if to purl* Repeat * to * (adds elasticity to bo edge w/o picots beign very visible)
to make the picots larger, add more stitches you cas on, bu cast off twice as many as you cast on. you might also try binding off more sittches between the picots. hope this helps!
Theresa, thanks for this post. I was just attempting the same picot bindoff on my capelet but quickly realized it was doomed (I'm using cotton chenille). I had settled on just binding off normally and adding a row of single crochet picot (also in VK), which I do like. But I like the suggestions people have given here and will try them out.