About the Project
So I’m in the midst of developing a new way to do pockets. Well, it may have been done before, but I’ve never seen it done this way. I’m calling it “Contiguous Pockets” because it’s worked completely in line with your knitting. Essentially, in this way, it can be added to any any ANY sweater. I mean it. Should I say any again? Ha seriously. In the round, turned rows, even color-worked steeks sweaters.
I’m going to make up a better tutorial, but I’ll give you the down and dirty version right now.
1. Knit your bottom cuff and knit as directed to the desired top or bottom of the pocket (top if the sweater is top down, bottom if the sweater is bottom up).
Flat knitting (I’ll add in the round instructions, I swear. This was developed for a cardigan in turned rows with a picked up button band, eliminating any pocket seaming!!!):
2. RS: KFB to where you want the pocket to end. Place marker, to indicate pocket. Knit to the same place on the opposite side. (Ie, if your first pocket used 30 sts originally – now 60 with the KFB increases – knit to 30 before the end). Place marker. KFB to end if picked up button band, or to button band area. Work button band as directed.
3. WS: Knit to button band as directed. (Slip 1 to a spare needle at WS of work, knit 1 as directed) to pocket marker, so essentially you’ll slip 1, knit 1 to reduce the st count back to indicated number of sts. I like to keep a few sts at the end of the pocket in moss or garter stitch so the pocket doesn’t roll, but it’s not crucial to do so, especially if it will interfere with the pattern majorly. You will now have just the front of the pocket sts on the working needles and the rest of the body (pocket lining, plus body, and other lapel) on hold.
4. Work pocket front as directed in the pattern, to maintain pattern. When work is desired pocket length, ready to work a RS row, cut yarn and place on hold.
5. Resume work on held pocket lining stitches: Join yarn, ready to work the WS of the first pocket lining on the working needles. Purl to pocket marker. Resume body pattern as directed in pattern, until you reach the 2nd pocket marker. Sl marker to working needle. (Purl 1, slip 1 to a spare needle at RS of work) to end. Your 2nd pocket front will now be on hold while you work the main body.
6. Work in stst for pocket lining to marker. Work pattern as directed for body to 2nd m. Work in stst to end. Repeat til work is desired pocket length, ready to work a RS row. Cut yarn and place on hold.
7. Resume 2nd pocket front. Place held sts on working needle, ready to work a RS row. Work in pattern to desired lenght, ready to work a RS row. Do not cut yarn!
8. Place both pocket fronts on spare needles, ready to work a RS row. Place body on working circular needle. Hold together 2nd pocket needle to body (pocket lining) needle and knit 2 together, 1 from front needle and 1 from back needle, to reduce overall st count back to original st count. When you reach the end of the pocket, remove marker. Work as pattern instructs to 2nd pocket marker. Remove marker. K 2 together from pocket front and lining as before. Work will now have original stitch count.
9. When you are ready to pick up button band, pick up stitches through the pocket area through both layers of pocket fabric, the pocket front and the lining. This will sneakily seam your pocket for you so you have no post mortem seams to deal with!
WOOT this is so easy to incorporate into any any ANY type of sweater pattern. I will add better instructions (and instructions for more than 1 style of sweater) and pics when I get some time to devote to this technique.
