seamless pockets.
Finishing the pockets on Manu left me thinking that possibly seamless pockets weren’t something that people commonly do. I was taught by my Aunt Yvonne prior to her dying a couple of years ago (the blog is named after her home in England). She was working on a baby jacket and I just filed the knowledge away until I needed it – and funnily enough, I have knit 2 things in a row with pockets (Kerrera was the other recent pocketed-knit)!
Here are Yvonne’s Seamless Pockets:
These instructions start at the first row of the pocket but I took the photos halfway up so that you could really see what I was doing – you continue to pick up the left edge of the stitch in the corresponding row (every 2nd row, as you would have picked up the odd row on the other side) as you continue up the pocket. These also work by not slipping the first stitch of every row but I like the finished look.
1. Purl across, when you reach the last stitch in the row, slip the stitch purlwise (photo A). With right needle, pick up left edge of stitch that will be directly below the pocket if you were seaming (Photo B). Work these two stitches together in a P2tog (Photo C). Turn work and slip first stitch (this is the stitch you just worked as a P2tog), continue knitting across row.
2. Knit across after slipping first stitch purlwise. When you reach the last stitch, knit into the stitch as if to knit but don’t (Photo A). Reach right hand needle into left edge of stitch that will be directly below the pocket if you were seaming (Photo B). Work these two stitches together in a K2tog (Photo C). Turn work and slip first stitch (this is the stitch you just worked as a K2tog), continue purlinging across row.
I hope these are helpful – I love finishing something and the seaming is already done. Good luck and just ask if you have questions :) I use row markers (and continually move them up) so that I know exactly which row I need to be picking up on. I find this keeps the edge straight (no wobbles!) – especially with puckered pockets like Manu.
So, as Manu is drying on the dining room table and waiting for a model shoot, I will show you how the pearls turned out:
Charlie and I were exhausted when I finally finished – so we cuddled up for a sleep:
Hope you are cuddling with your loved ones too :)