Grafting (knitting)

A close-up view of knitted grafting stitches.

In knitting, grafting is the joining of two knitted fabrics using yarn and a needle in one of three types of seams:

1. selvage-to-selvage seam,
2. selvage-to-end ("wales") seam, or
3. end-to-end ("wale-to-wale") seam.

The Kitchener stitch is a common method for the third type of seam. The yarn follows the route of a row of ordinary knitting. This is often done when closing off a knitted sock at the toe. The technique is named after Horatio Herbert Kitchener, though the technique was practiced long before.

To do Kitchener stitch, point your needle tips to the right. Right sides of the work face out. Cut your yarn tail to 3 times the width of stitches to be bound off, plus 6 inches for weaving in. Thread yarn tail onto a tapestry needle.

Setup:

1. Go into first stitch on front needle purlwise. Pull yarn through.
2. Go into first stitch on back needle knitwise. Pull yarn through.

Repeat:

1. Go into first stitch on front needle knitwise. Pull yarn through. Remove stitch from needle.
2. Go into first stitch on front needle purlwise. Pull yarn through.
3. Go into first stitch on back needle purlwise. Pull yarn through. Remove stitch from needle.
4. Go into first stitch on back needle knitwise. Pull yarn through.

When you have 1 stitch left on each needle, end as follows:

1. Go into first stitch on front needle knitwise. Pull yarn through. Remove stitch from needle.
2. Go into first stitch on back needle purlwise. Pull yarn through. Remove stitch from needle.

See also

• Three needle bindoff

References

• June Hemmons Hiatt (1988) The Principles of Knitting, Simon & Schuster, pp. 361–378. ISBN 0-671-55233-3

External links

• Tutorial on Kitchener Stitch on Knitty.com by Theresa Vinson Stenersen
• Kitchener Stitch Tutorial on KnittingHelp.com section for miscellaneous techniques—includes video
• Complete Video Guide to Seaming Your Knitting with Kitchener Stitch on KnitFreedom - includes 6 videos, step-by-step photos, animated GIF, and printable diagram