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Graft with a Knitting Needle

(no-sew method)

  If you have no tapestry needle, or simply are confounded by traditional instructions for grafting, this method offers an alternative.

  Begin by having your stitches divided on to two needles, wrong sides together.  If you are doing a sock, for example, half of the stitches for the top of the toe will be on one needle; the other half for the bottom of the toe will be on another.  Always bring your yarn under the points of your needles.

  Cut your yarn, leaving a tail long enough for grafting.  Usually, this is about three times the length of the grafted area.  For a sock, it will be at least 12”.

  Always pull the yarn completely through each stitch.  You will not be forming loops on the RH needle.

  1.        Purl the first st on the front needle.  Pull the yarn through and   drop the st off the LH needle.  You will not have a loop on the RH needle.

2.        Knit the next st on the front needle.  Pull the yarn through and leave this st on the LH needle.  You will not have a loop on the RH needle.

3.        Knit the first st on the back needle.  Pull the yarn through and drop the st off the LH needle.  You will not have a loop on the RH needle.

4.        Purl the next st on the back needle.  Pull the yarn through and leave this st on the LH needle.  You will not have a loop on the RH needle.

  Repeat until all sts are worked.  Try to match your gauge to the stitches already worked.   Do not pull your yarn too tight, or you will get a ridge on the wrong side.

If you follow these directions and you get a purl ridge instead of smooth stitches, perform the opposite action.  That is, when the directions say "purl", knit.  When the directions say "knit", purl.

My thanks to Ingrid Reed for pointing me toward this method.

Graft with a Knitting Needle   F 05
Copyright 2003, Rebecca Aldrich Bowen
www.sunshineknitdesigns.com