The Sewing Place

Attaching a button band (French style)

Greybird

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #15 on: October 30, 2019, 16:33:52 PM »
I think the removal of the waste yarn is the same as the machine knitted method. When you have back stitched onto the main body through the loops of the last row of your main yarn, the waste yarn is unravelled because it has served it's purpose.

Missie

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #16 on: October 30, 2019, 16:46:43 PM »
I think the removal of the waste yarn is the same as the machine knitted method. When you have back stitched onto the main body through the loops of the last row of your main yarn, the waste yarn is unravelled because it has served it's purpose.

Interesting. I have only ever seen waste yarn used at the start of a piece of knitting, not at the end.  Doing at the end kind of defeats the object and makes it more difficult to remove it, doesn't it, as the stitches you need to get to aren't free? Or am I just being daft?

Missie

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #17 on: October 30, 2019, 17:04:27 PM »
@Missie , thank you!  At least it's not me!  I'm doing the largest size (72 sts back), and the stitch count goes off after the armhole shaping, and instead of 56 sts I'm left with 52. 

It would help if I read the whole pattern and look at sizes properly  :|  I was looking at size A, which is the largest.  I assumed it went from smallest to largest!! So, yes, we were working from the same size.  I've had another look at the pattern and it says:

"At 17cm (70 rows) above the cabled band, form the shoulders by casting off 7 stitches and 6 stitches.  At the same time form the neck by casting off the middle 20 stitches and then 3 stitches from each side."

However, this doesn't use all the stitches by my estimations and leaves you with 13 stitches.  I therefore think she has missed out "each side" when telling you to cast off the 7 & 6 stitches. I think you probably need to cast off 7 stitches each side and then 6, whilst doing the neck bit and that should have all stitches used and cast off.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2019, 17:31:10 PM by Missie »

Greybird

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #18 on: October 30, 2019, 17:10:52 PM »
@Missie - it rather depends on the yarn. You can usually stretch the waste back from the loops to back stitch into them, especially if you use a very smooth yarn for the waste. If this is too difficult though, carefully press the waste yarn and the loops only of the main yarn (this makes unwanted unravelling much less likely). You can then unravel the waste almost up to your loops and only unravel it a couple of stitches at a time as you back stitch*. It's easier done than said! I usually used those plastic hair roller pins to hold the neckband in place so that it was evenly positioned.

* best not to answer the phone or the doorbell until you've finished!

b15erk

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #19 on: October 31, 2019, 09:03:47 AM »
All this has been a great help, and I'm determined to get the finishing underway today - not much doing at work, so I'll take advantage... I couldn't begin yesterday as I fell asleep when I got home, got up, and went to bed!

@Missie, yes, I think we agree that the stitch count on the largest size is out, so, I'm going to unpick the back to the last armhole shaping, and take it from there.

@Greybird , that sounds exactly like the technique I found here: SpanishBackStitch I don't think I'll use it here, simply because I have never done it before, and I'm not sure I'll be able to do it neatly enough.  So, maybe cast off and sew on normally...

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

b15erk

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #20 on: November 04, 2019, 10:32:53 AM »
Well, this is almost done - despite the instructions!

In the end I sewed the neckband on, as I just couldn't get my head around the back stitch finish with the bare stitches.

It all looks a bit bulky, even though it's 4ply, and I won't be using the pattern again.

I'll look for something similar, and use the cable rib pattern which looks very nice.

I've just got the button bands to do (as well as figuring out what to do with the non-button side of the band...)

Hopefully, it will be done today.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

b15erk

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #21 on: November 05, 2019, 11:37:55 AM »
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Finished!  Just sewn the last button on, and safe to say, there won't be another.

It's not a nice or user friendly pattern, but I loved the style of it, and the cable rib.  It's also quite a bulky pattern, and would benefit from raglan, or grown on sleeves, and maybe picking up the stitches on the neckband.

So, here it is, the Cache Coeur for preemie, by Thalie Creations.


Jessie
« Last Edit: November 05, 2019, 11:40:21 AM by b15erk »
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Lilian

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #22 on: November 05, 2019, 16:10:45 PM »
That is so cute!  <3
Willing but not always able :)

Missie

Re: Attaching a button band (French style)
« Reply #23 on: November 06, 2019, 10:43:36 AM »
Yay!  Well done Jessie.  It looks great. I agree with you re the picking up the stitches on the neckband!