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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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How to Knit Neat Linen Stitch Edges / Funkasonic KAL

January 14, 2016 12 Comments

Learn one simple trick to knit neat linen stitch edges. Take your knitting to the next level with this easy video tutorial that helps SO MUCH when knitting socks, scarves and cowls.

I was originally going to do our second knit along post this week about how to work a short row heel turn, but I realized there was one more linen stitch tutorial I really want to share, in addition to Monday’s basic overview of how to work linen stitch. Today’s Funkasonic post is just for the knitters out there working on the Funkasonic Mukluks pattern, so if you’re only making the mittens, keep plugging away on those jogless stripes – we’ll get back to you in a minute! :)

For a list of all knit along posts so far, scroll to the bottom of this post. For an overview of what’s going on with our knit along in the first place, read this.

How to Knit Neat Linen Stitch Edges

When you knit a flat piece of fabric that switches colors, uses garter stitch, or any number of other things, it’s hard to get a clean edge. Many beginning knitters, once they’ve gotten the hang of juggling the needles and yarn and understand how to form a knit stitch, realize they have an issue with the stitches on the ends of their rows. Mainly, budding knitters with a good eye wonder why the ends of their rows are too loose and/or look like they’re covered in knots. (I was for sure in this boat myself as a baby knitter!) There are many ways to neaten sloppy knit edges, but forming a chained edge is my favorite. Even if I’m not just working garter stitch, slipping the first (or last) stitch of a row while knitting flat forms a lovely chained edge that is useful in knitting at all skill levels.

How does this apply to the Funkasonic Mukluks? Knit mostly in the round, this literally only applies to the heel flap section of the socks, which is worked flat. As you’ll see in this new tutorial video, slipping a stitch at the beginning of each row of the heel flap forms a gorgeous chained edge that alternates colors, forming a pretty braid. Later on, after you’ve worked your heel turn, that pretty edge makes picking up stitches along your heel flap to form the gusset a breeze because you’ll simply pick up stitches through each V of the chained edge, making your life SO MUCH easier!

Bonus: The point in your sock heels where the heel flap and foot of the sock meet will be much prettier if you use this slipped stitch trick – check out the video for a side-by-side visual of what I’m talking about.

Double Bonus: Even if you’re not knitting the mukluks, and want to try my Faux Woven Cowl pattern, you can take that to the next level with this trick. By slipping that first stitch of the row as shown in the video, your edges are neat, chained and squared off, rather than knotted. Who knew how much a slipped stitch could do? 

Learn one simple trick to knit neat linen stitch edges. Take your knitting to the next level with this easy video tutorial that helps SO MUCH when knitting socks, scarves and cowls.

Past Funkasonic Knit Along entries

  • announcing the KAL (+giveaway!)
  • Old Norwegian Sock Cast On tutorial
  • how to knit two color brioche in the round
  • jogless stripes & linen stitch tutorials

Filed Under: Knit Along, Knitting, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: cuff down socks, ewe ewe yarns, funkasonic, funkasonic mukluks, funkasonickal, gusset, heel flap, kal, knit along, linen stitch, mittens, mukluks, neat edges, poststitch, sock knitting, socks

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

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Comments

  1. Mary from MN

    January 16, 2016 at 11:06 am

    Your teaching skills wre excellent as is the quality of your video. I knew the edge trick but not the linen stitch. Thanks for teaching me as I have a difficult time reading knitting instructions.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 17, 2016 at 7:48 pm

      Thank you! Glad to hear whenever someone appreciates my videos!

      PS: My grandma, also a Mary from MN, is the woman who taught me to knit. :)

      Reply
  2. Mary V.

    April 9, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    Beautiful work! I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a long time and you’ve given me the best explanation of how to do it. Thank you so very much!

    Reply
  3. Dayana

    April 23, 2016 at 3:13 am

    Thank you, that looks really good! I didn’t like how loose my edges look, can’t wait to try this for a scarf I’m starting on.

    Reply
  4. Pam

    September 15, 2017 at 3:13 pm

    I enjoy your blog and appreciate your attention to detail I have been having more than my share of trouble with the linen stitch…after about 8 rows a ‘ridge’ starts to form. I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Any thoughts?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 16, 2017 at 7:28 pm

      Can you send me a photo? I’ll be glad to take a look: heidi @ handsoccupied.com

      Reply
  5. Kathy Evans

    December 5, 2019 at 11:53 am

    Love your video about clean edges but how does one join the second colour of yarn when the first stitch is slipped.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      December 5, 2019 at 4:52 pm

      Just like joining a second color at the end of the row. The difference will be that your end to weave in will be hanging from the second stitch of the row instead of the first.

      Reply
      • Kathy Evans

        December 6, 2019 at 11:53 am

        Thank you very much for your reply it it a great help

        Reply
      • Kathy Evans

        December 6, 2019 at 11:56 am

        Thank you for your prompt reply it is of a great help to me.
        Kind Regards
        Kathy

        Reply
  6. Lori

    July 24, 2021 at 11:51 pm

    This is exactly what I was looking for! I’ve made a test swatch and my RS left edge looks beautiful, but the braid up the RS right edge where the color changes happen is tight. Any tips for making the right edge slipped stitches the correct tension?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      August 9, 2021 at 1:06 pm

      That’s a great question! You can compensate by manually working looser when you’re slipping stitches on the other end, but it’s an imperfect solution. I haven’t tried this myself (because i think it could be annoying to actually do 😅), but you could experiment with using a cable needle or use a double wrap to address the tension. I hope this is helpful!

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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When you have four big skeins of pretty 2 ply yarn When you have four big skeins of pretty 2 ply yarn, you immediately think sweater, right? 
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My wardrobe could use another handmade sweater - I’m thinking something simple, seamed and with a decent amount of ease for potentially wearing tucked in with jeans or skirts. 🤔 
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Yarn: @universal_yarn Fibra Natura Cobblestone in Antarctica and Dragon’s Breath, wound in thick skeins of 100% superwash wool that’s a light DK weight.
How to to knit throwing (a.k.a. English) style . How to to knit throwing (a.k.a. English) style 
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In knitting, there are a few common knitting styles. Most often you’re going to encounter continental style and English (throwing) style on your knitting journey. I recently had an old video teaching continental style get a lot of views. Based on the comments, it was clear the people wanted to also see a throwing tutorial, so here you go! 🧶
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Please note that there is a LOT of variation in knitting styles, and one isn’t necessarily better than another. Most often, I’ve found it comes down to two things: how you were taught and whether or not you’re really into colorwork knitting (which can involve a mix of styles). 
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Longer-term knitters who’ve made it this far: do you prefer one over the other? And why? 
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#handsoccupied #englishknitting #learntoknit #knitting #howtoknit #knittersofinstagram #knitting_inspiration
How to do a one-step provisional knitting cast on How to do a one-step provisional knitting cast on / a.k.a. crochet provisional cast on, scrap yarn cast on
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I read recently that tiktok and Instagram are being used as search engines more and more. 🤔 I thought since I’m going to all the work of making tutorials on YouTube, I should experiment with making a quick version of them for other platforms. There are obvious teaching limitations to vertical video, short-form content like this, but I think I covered the gist of this cast on in a minute. The YouTube version also covers how to unzip this cast on because there was time for it 👍🏻 L1nk is in my profile. 
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I’m very much looking for feedback as I continue to make instructional knitting & craft videos. Sometimes good tutorials are hard to find, and (ideally polite) feedback helps me improve. 
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#handsoccupied #provisionalcaston #knitting #knititngtutorial #knittersofinstagram #crochethook #knittingtutorial
For the first time in a long time, there’s a new For the first time in a long time, there’s a new tutorial from Hands Occupied! 🎉 The video is live on YouTube & the blog. 
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The post covers what provisional cast ons are & how they differ, and the video covers how to work a one-step provisional cast on using scrap yarn and a crochet hook. (This is a great one to save for future reference.)
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I learned several names for this method while researching this video & post. Crochet provisional cast on, one-step cast on, scrap yarn cast on - if you know even more names for this technique, please share! 
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#handsoccupied #provisionalcaston #knitting #scrapyarn #crochethook
Working on a sample for some upcoming videos. It’s an overcast day with intermittent sunshine & I have a scruffy little sidecar. 🐶 Can’t complain! 
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What’s on your needles this week? 
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Yarn: @debbieblissknits Cashmerino Aran 
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