Five Tips for a Refined Knit!
Do you always wonder how some hand knits look so neat and refined, almost like store-bought pieces? Well, it all comes down to a few details. We asked two knitwear designers known for their beautifully finished knits, Maaike van Geijn from the Netherlands and Meiju Kallio from Finland, to share their tips.
The first thing that both point out is (you guessed it!) blocking — and for a good reason. Blocking makes a big difference to the appearance of your knits, and if you only try one thing, it should be this.
“Moisture helps make the surface neater and evens out the stitches,” Meiju says. Maaike agrees: “Blocking is simply magical. I still see knitters skip this step because they’re in a hurry to wear their project, and that’s such a pity. Take your time with this last crucial step and be attentive and patient.”
But what else can you do? Here are five things to try in your next project!
1. Cast on & bind off appropriately
A regular bind-off works well for cuffs and hems, “but I usually go up a needle size to make sure the edge doesn’t get too tight,” Maaike says. If you’re knitting a sweater with a boxy shape, you can work the hem with the same needle size as the body, so that it doesn’t pull in. “I also like the polished look that a folded hem, cuff or collar gives. It’s a bit more work but it can really upgrade your garment!” Maaike adds. Meiju swears by the Italian bind-off and cast-on. Her favourite hack is to add a couple of rows or rounds of double knitting before binding off or after casting on.
2. Change yarns unnoticeably
The best technique for adding new skeins in your knitting depends on the yarn you are working with. With thin yarns, change at a place where you can easily weave in the ends, such as the side seam or next to a button band. With thicker yarn, you can split a length of your old and new yarn in half by separating the plies and working a few stitches with half of both yarns combined. “I tie a sailor knot on the ends left on the wrong side and simply cut the extra lengths off. The places where I’ve joined the yarns are always invisible,” Meiju says. When working with 100% animal fibres, Maaike uses the spit-splicing method, where you rub the spliced ends together with moisture to felt the fibres.
3. Pick up from a neat edge
“If I know I need to pick up stitches from the armhole, for example, I always knit those stitches as regular knits or purls. This ensures that the stitches next to the picked-up stitches are neat,” Meiju says. “I also always pick up through both legs of the edge stitch.” Maaike’s tip for neat underarms is to pay attention to not leaving any gaps. She uses a method devised by The Chilly Dog — you will find a detailed video tutorial online!
4. Elevate your ribbing
Maaike says: “For the ribbing, I like to go down more needle sizes than the usual one, so it’s extra tight and neat, giving the garment some extra firmness and shape.” Meiju has an additional tip: “Work a purl row before beginning ribbing. This creates a neat transition, and if you’re picking up stitches for the rib, it also distracts the eye from any unevenness at the pick-up edge.”
5. Explore bonus options
Both designers also have bonus tricks that might sound a bit controversial — but could be worth a try! Meiju, for example, attaches the buttons to her knits while knitting, using a similar method to that used to add beads! “If you’re feeling uncertain, try it first in a cardigan where button bands are worked separately,” Meiju says. Maaike's bonus tip is to work with smaller needles than recommended to get a tighter gauge. When doing this, choose a larger size to make to adjust the pattern. “It might be ridiculous for a hand knitter, but I like my knits to look store-bought with very evened-out stitches and a dense fabric,” Maaike says.
TEXT: PAULIINA KUUNSOLA
ILLUSTRATION: HANNA-RIIKKA HEIKKILÄ
This feature was first published in Laine issue 27.