How to Knit a Hem

January 31, 2025 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

There are lots of different ways to finish the edges of knitting. Using ribbing is popular on a lot of projects, because it gives you a nice stretchy edge that makes wearing garments easier, and it prevents stockinette stitch from curling.

Another option is to knit a hem into your project, either as you knit the project or after the fact.

I had to do this not too long ago when I was working on a commissioned project. I was knitting a lining piece for a bonnet style hat, and it was knit in stockinette stitch. Blocking helped calm down the curling a little bit, but not enough to make it totally flat. (I wanted the client to have the option of not wearing the lining so it was knit separately and not sewn to the main hat.)

So I decided to knit a hem after the main knitting was done by picking up stitches and knitting a big more stockinette that was then sewn to the inside of the hat.

This weighs down the edge a bit and keeps it from curing, and gives the piece a finished look.

You can also plan to knit a hem at the bottom of a hat, sweater or other project. This is typically done by knitting what will be the back/inside of the hem first, then working a turning row (purling on the right side or doing a yarn over, knit 2 together row to make a picot edge) knitting a bit more and joining the edge stitches to the working stitches when the front piece is the right length.

You can also sew the hem by hand if you like, but I enjoy doing it as sort of a knit 2 together to secure the hem.

If you want to see these methods in action, check out my post over at Our Daily Craft all about how to knit hems. If you’ve got another method you like I’d love to hear it!

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Combine Garter and Lace for a Fun Shawl

I know it’s too early to be thinking about warm weather in the northern hemisphere as I write this, but something about this Luxurious Knit Shawl from Yarnspirations has me in the mind of spring.

It’s probably that pretty green color (which the pattern says is Caron Simply Me, a bulky weight acrylic, nylon and wool blend, in color Malachite). Or the combination of squishy warm garter stitch with a wide border of lace that makes me think of sunnier days ahead.

You could wear it with the garter stitch portion dominating while it’s colder outside, and turn it so the lace is more prominent when it’s warmer out. (Check the pictures on the pattern page to see how this works.)

The design is a pretty simple right angle triangle, but the pattern is rated intermediate because of the lace. Still, working lace stitches in bulky yarn is a great way to learn the ins and out of lace knitting without having to deal with tiny knitting needles at the same time.

The project comes out to about 28.5 by 65 inches, or 72.5 by 165 cm. Pattern instructions include a chart and row by row instructions for knitting the lace portion if you aren’t comfortable with knitting from the chart. But this pattern isn’t too difficult once you get the hang of it that you could try working from the chart and using the written instructions to check your work.

Because the garter stitch section is worked first, you could use any weight of yarn you like and make it any size you want, so long as you end up with a multiple of 14 plus 8 stitches for the lace pattern.

This looks like a fun one that would give you a little practice with lace and a lot of mindless TV knitting at the same time.

You can grab the free pattern from Yarnspirations.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

Mosaic Shawl Knitting Patterns

10 shawls to knit this summer

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