Mattress stitch - full stitch and half stitch for vertical seams // Technique Tuesday

[@Joyce-t2f]

Thank you, I was unsure if I was doing the Mattress stitch wrong. I never heard anyone explain there are two versions, half and full stitch, along with when to use them. I have been seaming with what I learned from this video is called the half stitch. The sweater I'm knitting now I will try the full stitch Mattress stitch.

[@kristad9016]

Thank you! This is the only video I have found that CLEARLY explains and shows the wonky stockinette edge and how to seam it with half a stitch.

[@ccpperrett7522]

Thank you, Roxanne, for this great tutorial on the mattress stitch and the tips for a better selvage edge. 👍 😊

[@lizcasey7356]

Thank you for the lovely detailed instructions. You can see exactly where to pick up the stitches.

[@cindyBS72]

Came back to you as it seems you are the best teacher for me! Thank you for your lesson of the mattress stitch, working right now on my first cardigan ever. ❤

[@pjenkins8206]

Thank you for this clear, concise tutorial. It is a wonderful resource.

[@jacquiradford2849]

You've explained the answer in your video. Love watching your videos. Brilliant advice!

[@kayjenkins731]

Thankyou for the half stitch technique very helpful for small toys.

[@aoifebyrne2097]

This video -- actually ALL of your videos are incredible. I would rather pay a parking ticket rather than sew seams. But NOW I positively look forward to trying the mattress stitch. You manage to present things in such a pleasant, informative and CLEAR way. Many many thanks from London!

[@Hebiscus998]

Your one of the best knitting instructors on youtube ❤️ thank you so much for your help. So precise, so clear and so informative.

[@ctapley5409]

I see this was 4 hrs ago but I watched today and I thank you for a great instruction. I’ll probably watch this several times

[@Kibben2]

Great teacher. By explaining alternative methods and the ultimate outcome, it give us the choice of how we want to finish our project.

[@nikkidunne7644]

Brilliant! This is the fourth video I’ve watched and the first to give exactly what I was after: a clear and concise explanation of the how and the why of choosing a stitch for my seam. Thank you.

[@cindyberry5738]

Thank you for your great videos. Your information is always so clear and complete. I have learned so much from you.

[@soniadacuna1150]

Thank you very much. Your language is very clear and your explanation is perfect.

[@ReginaPagles]

Thanks Roxanne, you are my favorite!

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@neverstoplearning2]

Thank you! I have shied away from sweaters with seams because I didn't want to mess up my knitting with an ugly seam. So now I'm making a little rabbit toy, and using your wonderful tutorial to learn to seam. There may be a sweater with seams in my future after all! :) Thanks!

[@leishayoung3684]

Thank you so much. It has taken me ages to find a video to show both so I fully understand. Of to finish my nannas mittens she needed me to finish off ☺

[@zeartizan4723]

Informative thank you. I've been knitting for 12 heard but somehow I never learned more than 2 different sewing techniques I'm currently finishing my first cardigan and I'm really proud of it. (I've mostly just made blankets , shawls, stuffed animals , gloves, socks, scarves and ear warmers)

[@lisamartell6591]

Thank you! Was never sure how to sew the ½ stitch seam correctly.

[@SarahKrug31]

Wow, great video, Roxanne! Knitted seams have not been my friend since I learned to knit. Thank you for giving me renewed confidence to finish my projects right. 💗

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@soniaclarkson3766]

OMG!! Such a fantastic tutorial. The best I saw today during my search and the only one that helped me “see” and understand Thank You

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@karenb136]

This was very helpful. I just seamed a sweater and had trouble trying to mattress stitch the underside of the sleeves due to decreases . I’m new to this style of seaming. Thank you.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@deviananta7055]

Thank you so much! I agree with the last two commenters very much!!!

[@sharonkotnik3738]

Thank you so much for making this clear to me. I also found your tips at the end very helpful!

[@dianelap67]

Thank you, this was giving me a big headache, I was thinking to use a crochet hook and there are lots of people out there teaching this method, but I prefer your method. Unfortunately my yarn is a mix of black and grey tweedy colour, it's very difficult to see the v's on the edge and I have to go to the second stitches on one of the sides for some reason, but it does work and looks good going between the v's for me. Thank you once again now I only have to apply myself and get my sweater done, the sweater was knit in 2 pieces and that's a lot of seaming lol...

[@maretabester9784]

Now it all makes sense!!! Thank you 🙏💕

[@KerryAnnMarkle]

always enjoy your videos. One thing I wondered is what's the cleanest way to finish the tail and start new piece of yarn mid way up a seam (given you recommended using the tail to start).

[@georgyevans]

Thank you! A friend commented that seaming tutorials that use chunky yarn and a different coloured yarn to do mattress stitch rather misrepresent how pieces really look so good to see a realistic demo.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Yeah, I toyed with demonstrating with contrasting yarn, but decided to go the other way. There are advantages and disadvantages to demonstrating each way.

[@buzzwaffle]

As always, you are an awesome instructor.

[@nneedler]

Wow. Great instruction n tips. So wish I could purchase many of your videos as if they were ever to become unavailable, I’d be lost.

[@miriambartley6622]

You have answered so many questions about selvages and seaming. Thank you for a great video.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm glad I was able to answer questions you had! Makes such a difference to know what to do before you start!

[@NinaKeilin]

Thanks for showing the figure 8. I learned that in a class once (with Shirley Paden), but I forgot how!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Glad I was able to help you remember! :-)

[@bonniereece6738]

Excellent video. Thanks

[@laurapage7923]

Thanks, Roxanne, for great videos! I would love to see you demonstrate weaving in ends on different fabrics.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

That's on my short list! :-)

[@mol101]

So clear and excellent tips. Thank you. 👍🙂

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@annikagroebner7534]

Thank You - you're a great teacher! Enjoy your "Ko-Fi" !

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@jeanetteb2347]

Thanks for explaining so clearly!!

[@kantisharma4187]

Great lesson!

[@jenniferlindsey2015]

I find as much as I can, I try to closely emulate the gauge by using the math. Like counting numbers (say half of sleeve sts) and do the rows/sts gauge calculation to see how many rows down from the sleeve centre I should be. I HATE drying & pinning before sowing, so as long as I’m not a HUGE number off, I count down the approximate number of rows and begin joining my sleeve attachment there while having in periodically pinned in the right place, every couple of inches or so.

[@susantainter9760]

Learning so much. I always had trouble seaming; now it's fun. Can you suggest a good way to seam vertical rows that have steps from increases or decreases?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

My best advice is to plan ahead and place incs and dec at least one stitch in from the edge, in order to leave a nice consistent line of stockinette sts at the selvedge. This will make seaming (or picking up sts) much easier.

[@jroor1011]

Thank you!

[@caro1591]

Another excellent tutorial. 🙏🏻❤️

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Glad you liked it!

[@sarahchellew8244]

fantastic video

[@feltlikeitbydebs]

Thanks great help.

[@cathysews8861]

Great explanation very first time I have done the stockinette stitch and it worked thank you. I have a question about coming to the end of the stockinette stitch how do I finish it off.

[@gigimitchell-velasco4346]

Excellent!!

[@auntyJanette]

Thanks so much for this. I’m just finishing a sweater for my daughter in law. An easy knit with #6 yarn and 10 needles but it’s not in the round. Never again haha. I’ll complete it but the seams are bulky. I like the first seam work on your video, works well with this yarn. Do you have a video about translating a pattern to working in the round. I chickened out of doing it as it was a request and wanted it to be right. Thanks for sharing your expertise. You have made me a more confident knitter. JB.

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@andrewward1256]

fantastic. please tell me what to replace cast off with?

[@slobberystella]

This was just what I was looking for! this just helped me stitch up the sides of my tank top - it worked out so beautifully so I had to come back and leave a comment to let you know!

[@TheEdmontoncanuck]

thank you thank you! I have a project waiting for a join using 1/2 stitch and didn't know how....

[@franciscagabirra9400]

Thank tou. I look forward to seeing them.

[@teresaw.7950]

🙏thank you...that was fabulous!!! Does it work as well when sewing the shoulder seams ?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Shoulder seams are horizontal edges; seaming a sleeve to a shoulder requires sewing a horizontal edge to a vertical edge. I have videos on all those situations in my playlist of seaming and joining videos: kzbin.info/aero/PL1AZxTfSCe2d0qvSA86ODW6MBsD_kQR-y

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks so much! Great tutorial for all kinds of edging and seaming! :)

[@ballroomgolfer]

Terrific

[@lllee3476]

Great strategies!

[@elizabethpatterson5090]

How do you a patch pocket on a top down sweater. I picked up stitches along the bottom of the pocket . Now to sew them on the outside of the sweater

[@Kibben2]

Do you have instructions for joining the Raglan Sleeve? I think you are among the top instructors (the best in most techniques). If not, I am wishing for your section on this procedure.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Are you talking about seaming a raglan sleeve that was knit flat to the body? If so, then this video should work. Or are you talking about knitting a raglan in the round, bottom up, and joining the sleeves to the body in order to work the yoke it in the round up to the shoulders?

[@Kibben2]

This is a cardigan sweater, knit flat in 5 sections. Should I seam from the Top Down to the area where the 4-stitch bind off is, then seam the end 4 stitches similar to the Kitchener?? Then I will join the two sides, back and sleeves as in your video and be done. ) Thank you for your response.

[@Kibben2]

Correction of my comment re " best in most techniques". It should read "the best in ALL techniques"...

[@theastewart6721]

Very helpful! Thanks for sharing!

[@gwynethgibby4887]

This was a revelation! Thank you for the instructions! Since I have already finished knitting a sweater, and did not do the decreases a couple of stitches into the row (I did them at the end of the row--never again!) is there anything I can do to minimize the unevenness? The yarn is Icelandic, not terribly bulky but I knit it fairly loose.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You might be able to minimize by seaming between the 1st and 2nd st, and then a row or two before the dec occurs, seam 1 1/2 sts from the edge (so in the center of the 2nd st, and then at the point where the dec occurs, move over another 1/2 st (that will now be the space between the new 1st and 2nd st) I haven't tried it, but you could try it on your project and see if you get a better result than jumping a full st all at once.

[@lorrainehutter6677]

I have been doing battle with mattress stitch for years. Maybe today will be the day. I usually end up with a combination of half- and whole stitch seaming, the change occurring without my consent. I don't have a steam iron. I attempted to block my current project, finished with size 6 needles on superwash wool and the ends are curling like nobody's business. That is what makes it so difficult for me.

[@kacperrobert4047]

Hi there

[@Bethel1458]

superb!

[@jacquiradford2849]

Hi Roxanne. Could you advise how to achieve the selvedge edge? Many thanks

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The selvedge is worked in stockinette. If your fabric is worked in some sort of knit/purl, cable, or lace pattern, don't work the selvedge in pattern. Maintain stockinette. Do any shaping (increases or decreases) at least one stitch from the edge, to maintain that stockinette selvedge. That makes seaming and picking up stitches much easier.

[@jacquiradford2849]

@@RoxanneRichardson thank you so much. That's answers my query beautifully x

[@r.m.fletcher9691]

This was very useful but I need to know how to sew sleeves on the reverse stockinette sweater

[@cathybeasley1103]

When you are seaming a half stitch, is the start any different? Do you still go into the bottom corners or do you split the corner stitch?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The start is exactly the same

[@joycecobbs4586]

I need the easiest yet attractive method of seaming due to my age and eyes

[@afterlate8866]

How come at the very beginning, as you come up with yarn on right hand sample in very first stitch, the yarn is already attached to the left hand side sample?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

One of the two edges is going to have a yarn tail hanging from it at the seam edge (the other one will have the yarn tail hanging from the far edge. It's from the cast on. That tail has to be woven in at some point, so if you have a seam, using the tail to get that seam started is a good way to do that.

[@karenbingham4557]

Is it better to have even or odd number of stitches when mattress stitch seaming ribbing ie. K1 p1 ?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

When seaming ribbing, you want to maintain pattern continuity across the seamline. For k1p1, an even number means you will start with k1 and end with p1. The p1 edge will join with the k1 edge of the other piece, and the seam will remove a full stitch on either side. That maintains the continuity. For k2p2, you want to start and end with k2 on both pieces, so that when you eliminate a knit st from each edge, you will still be left with k2 spanning the seam, and you will maintain pattern continuity.

[@karenbingham4557]

@@RoxanneRichardson Thankyou so much for the amazingly fast response. So appreciated.

[@franciscagabirra9400]

Hello ! Do you plan on making a video on how to sow, or graft, the cast on edge to the bind off edge in garter stitch ? I knit many jackets for newborn babies; I start in the front of the body, then cast on the necessary stitches for the sleeves which I have to bind off in order to knit the 2 back parts of the jacket, as I like these jackets to be buttoned on the back. I have no problem with the side seams - though not the way you do it - but when I reach the sleeves I'm always in trouble.... Can tou help?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm planning on doing a variety of finishing techniques videos in February. I can't promise I'll demonstrate this in February, but I'll put it on the list of possibilities. Thanks for your suggestion! :-)

[@angelathomas-zalesky1995]

How do you end the seam?

[@KatyMacky]

The best as always :-)

[@spudsmith]

Hi Roxanne! Does this technique apply to seaming two panels of different colours? Thanks!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The full stitch seam will work. For the 1/2 stitch seam, you would have what looks like a full stitch that is half of each color.

[@spudsmith]

@@RoxanneRichardson Awesome, thank you!

[@fengirl8996]

My pattern asks for a garter stitch on each end of row. The rest is stockinette . Can you tell me how to sew it please

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You can still use mattress stitch. Many people use the garter st selvedge to help them match their seams bump to bump. It does create a bit more three dimensionality on the WS of the fabric. So pick up your running thread between the selvedge bump and the second stitch in.

[@fengirl8996]

@@RoxanneRichardsonthank you I’ll try that when I finish the front of my vest top.

[@yvasquez2449]

It would have been nice to see the wrong side of the half stitch…to see the difference in bulk. Overall, very useful videos , thanks!

[@clarapetrarca4017]

❤

[@attheranch873]

😀👍