CASTING ON
There are several options here:
- Sometimes I use a ‘normal’ cast on, usually with one of the smooth yarns then join in the other yarn at the beginning of the first row.
- Quite often I use a two yarn cast on using a version of the long tail method. There are some useful explanations of these on the Internet – I Googled Two Colour Long Tail Cast On and there were several good YouTube Videos to choose from.
- You might have your own version of a two yarn cast on – give it a go and see if it works for Woven Garter for you.
- If either Yarn A or B is much thinner than the other I often cast on with both as though they were one.
NEAT EDGES
- Keep the edges of Woven Garter fabric neat and firm by taking up the slack in the second stitch of each new row. Do this as follows: knit the first stitch then put your needle into the second stitch ready to go. Give the yarn that you’re about to knit this stitch with a gentle tug. You’ll be able to see it tightening gently on the edge.
COUNTING ROWS AND STITCHES
- Count the number of rows in Woven Garter by counting the number of ridges and doubling it.
- Count the stitches in a row by counting the number of Yarn A dashes and doubling it.
INCREASING AND DECREASING
- Whenever increases and decreases are needed in Woven Garter do them in the last stitch of the row. It makes starting the next row much easier.
- Increase as follows. Say the last stitch is Yarn B. Increase by knitting into the front of the stitch with Yarn A then into the back with Yarn B. And vice versa.
- Decrease as follows. Say the last stitch is Yarn A and the second last is B. Knit the two together with Yarn A. And vice versa.
SHORT ROW TURNS
- Short row Turns are done as follows. Knit up to the turning point in Woven Garter, bring both yarns to the front, slip the next st on the L needle purlwise onto the R needle. Take both yarns back, slip the stitch back to the L needle. Turn your work. Take the yarns to the back of your work and knit on.
SEAMS and JOINS
- The edges of Woven Garter pieces can be butted and sewn together with a flat stitch. The finished fabric then lies flat, is reversible and the seams are difficult to see.
DOING WOVEN GARTER IN THE ROUND
- Those of you who prefer to knit in the round will need to change to working in purl every second row just as you do with garter stitch in the round.
CONTINENTAL KNITTERS
- Knitters who use the Continental method should also be able to work out how to do Woven Garter keeping Yarn A as the dominant yarn whose floats are the ones that show.