How to Seam Sweaters

Create patterned sweaters by seaming knitted panels together.

Join pieces of knitted panels together into full sweaters, implementing the blocking method and the mattress stitch. Take time to block the knitted pieces by either choosing the wet or steam method to prevent the edges from curling, which makes seaming panels a challenging process. Wet-blocking entails wetting the knitted panels, and steam-blocking entails steaming with a damp cloth. By incorporating the mattress stitch once the blocking process is complete, two pieces of knitted fabric combine as one seamless panel. Incorporate the process to seam a full sweater or combine complementary knitted panel colors into a patchwork sweater design.

Things You'll Need

• Terry cloth towels
• Glass-head pins
• Damp cloth
• Iron
• Blunt-ended yarn needle
• Matching yarn

Instructions

Wet Blocking

1. Wash or wet the knitted panels with lukewarm water. Ring or squeeze the wet panels to remove the excess water and moisture.

2. Spread terry cloth towels on your table, and lay out the sweater panels.

3. Roll one end of the towel, encasing the sweater panel. Continue to roll the two layers until the towel resembles a long rolling pin. Squeeze the roll to remove any excess moisture from the wet knit panels.

4. Unroll the towel and pat the knitted panels with a dry towel. Remove the wet towels and place dry towels on your table once again. Spread the knitted panels on the towels.

5. Pin down the ends of the knitted panels by slightly stretching the ends into shape. Use glass-head pins to hold the ends down. This is especially important if your ends begin to curl. Let the knitted pieces completely dry before seaming.

Steam-blocking

1. Check your yarn's care labels to ensure the yarn quality can withstand steaming. Spread the terry cloth towels on your table, and spread out the knitted panels.

2. Place a damp cloth on top of the knitted panels.

3. Set your iron to a warm setting. Hover the warm iron approximately 1 inch away from the damp cloth, creating steam. Do not rest the iron on the cloth or knitted panel.

4. Move the warm iron in a side-to-side or up-and-down motion. Move the damp cloth around the panel and continue to move the iron. Avoid any ribbed areas when steaming. Let the pieces completely dry before seaming.

Mattress Stitch

1. Align the edges of the two knitted panels with the right side of the stitches facing you. The aligned edges creates the seam using the mattress stitch.

2. Insert a blunt-ended yarn needle with matching yarn from front to back through the center of the first bottom stitch on the left knitted panel.

3. Count two rows up on the left knitted panel. Pass the needle from back to front through the center of the stitch on that row.

4. Pass the needle from front to back through the center of the stitch on the right knitted panel.

5. Repeat by counting two rows up on the right knitted panel and passing the needle from back to front.

6. Continue until the two panels are seamed together. Do not pull the yarn through tightly as you continue to seam the panels together, leaving flexibility at the seams.

References

• "The Needlecraft Book"; Maggi Gordon, Sally Harding and Ellie Vance; 2010
• Knit Simple Mag: Beginner Basics Knit.101: Blocking
• Knitty: Techniques with Theresa; Theresa Vinson Stenersen; 2004