GRAFTING FOR GARTER

Q I’m familiar with grafting but I’m not sure how to do it for garter stitch. Can you walk me through it?

Geraldine Bronner, via email

Absolutely! This method does vary slightly from the more common stocking stitch graft, but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

1 When you’re ready to graft, don’t cast off your stitches. Hold both pieces of knitting together, with needle tips pointing towards the right, and working yarn on the right-hand side, towards the tips of the needles. Cut a long tail, leaving enough yarn to graft the stitches together (leaving it a little longer than you think it needs to be!). Thread the tail through a blunt, wide-eyed sewing needle. Insert the sewing needle through the first stitch on the front needle, p’wise, and pull through. Leave this stitch on the knitting needle. Insert the sewing needle through the first stitch on the back needle, p’wise, and pull it right through. Leave this stitch on the knitting needle.

2 Insert the sewing needle through the first stitch on the front needle, kwise,and pull right through. Remove this stitch from the knitting needle. Insert the sewing needle through the next stitch on the front needle, pwise, and pull it right through. Leave this stitch on the knitting needle. Insert the sewing needle through the first stitch on the back needle, kwise,and pull it all the way through. Remove this stitch from the knitting needle. Insert the sewing needle through the next stitch on the back needle, pwise, and pull it right through. Leave this stitch on the knitting needle.

3 Repeat until all stitches have been grafted together, working the last two stitches on each needle as one stitch (to prevent a bumpy end). Gently pull the yarn tail to neaten stitches and weave in end. Rachael