My circumnavigated cardigan now has a neat little button band.
The ‘suggested’ instructions in the pattern have it worked in garter stitch, but I’m just not that big of fan of the garter. I like the more tailored look of a folded hem. Sewing down that entire edge however, was something I wanted to avoid. Plus I think it defeats the point of a cleverly designed seamless garment. I wanted to pick up, knit, bind off and be done.
Hello Double Knit, nice to see you again.
I had swatched several different types of button holes, seeing what I liked best and what could possiblly be converted to double knit. I settled on the self-reinforcing button hole (found in Barbra Walker’s treasury among other places). Another benefit of working this in double knit was I wouldn’t have to fiddle with getting the two buttonholes on each layer lined up and be all floppy as in a true folded hem. After some more dk swatching I came up with a variation to use both strands at the same time so the two layers are held together. A very sturdy button hole and band materialized, mission accomplished.
The bind off creates a neat little tailored vertical line of stitches at the edge as well.
I simply continued it for the collar. I like to think this technique keeps in the spirit of the original garment.
UPDATE: Tutorial for this double knit button band technique here.
Button band for the finishing aversionists
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- Tutorial: Double Knit Button Band | pieKnits - Pingback on 2011/11/15/ 12:28
I LOVE this! It’s so beautiful! and yet very simple! I’ll be remembering this!
Awesome! As usual I am impressed by your skillz!
what a neat idea! there you go being all creative again!!!
Looks awesome!!!
Ooooooo, that’s is VERY neat!!!! Looks lovely!
Beautiful! Great job on deciding what band to do!
Hooray! That’s amazing and I DO like that you kept the spirit of the circumnavigation alive. Very wonderful.
What a great idea for the button band! It looks fantastic, too.
So pretty, just like always! Nice job.
Elegant! And I use the word not only to describe the appearance, but also in the sense of a mathematical proof: simple, sensible, perfect.
Way to go on completing the cardigan! It looks fantastic, and the button band works perfectly.
Have a great one!
-Regina
Very cool! It looks great!
A double-knit button band – that is a COOL idea. I hate ribbed buttonbands, so I may steal this idea from you someday.
I love this! Could you write up directions for making this button band? I’d like to try it out sometime.
I’m thinking of putting together a type of tutorial for this, but it will require some double knit basics first – which are in the works!
Brilliant idea – thanks for sharing!