Knitted garments are generally knitted from hem to neck, and the sleeves start at the cuff and finish at, or near, the shoulder. Some are worked from shoulder to hem. The side and sleeve seams are worked at the edges of knitting, so they are vertical seams.

Usually, knitters pin the finished pieces together and, with the wrong side facing, work a backstitch seam. If that is what you intend to do with your next garment, then I’ll say goodbye now, but if you would like to work a seam that matches rows so that the fabric of the garment falls and hangs perfectly, is almost invisible and looks professional, read on.

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Stocking stitch: knit side facing

The least visible (and therefore desirable) seam is worked with the right side facing, matching row to row. The yarn used for the seam joins the connecting threads that are in a vertical line between the first and second stitch from the edge on each side. These connecting threads look like the rungs of a ladder [pic 1].

1: The connecting threads between the first and second stitches from the edge of a piece of stocking stitch knitting are like the rungs of a ladder. These are the threads you will be joining to make the seam.

Thread the needle with the long piece of yarn attached to the knitting when casting on or casting off, or another length of yarn if you haven’t left long ends to use. With the right side facing, hold the two pieces side by side, one above the other. If starting from the cast-on row, place the needle through the edge stitch on one side, then the same stitch on the other side. Make a tiny, tight stitch to keep the seam together. On the top piece, find the horizontal thread between the first and second stitch, catch under this thread with the needle, pull the yarn upwards through to the front of the work, then catch the corresponding horizontal thread on the bottom piece, and pull the yarn through to the front [pic 2,3].

   
2: (left) The first joining stitch on top piece.
3: (right) Second joining stitch on lower piece.

Continue joining these threads in sequence, from side to side, occasionally pulling the yarn to firm the seam [pic 4].


4: Continue joining the threads alternating from side to side.

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