I've completed knitting the "Annika" sweater from the Ella rae Book 13 Studio Collection, page 50. It's a sweater that is open down the front, with one button at the neck and a collar. I'm a fairly new knitter and am thrilled with the results so far and took great pains to block it and join the pieces together. It has a collar that you pick up and knit (no problem), but I'm having trouble with the front edges.

You are supposed to knit bands in P1 K1 rib the length of the sweater front and then sew them on, but I'm not happy with the edges of my bands. Someone said I should slip the edge stitches. Since I'm doing P1 K1 over 12 stitches, do I slip just the first stitch of each row? And do I slip it purlwise or knitwise? I thought about just picking up stitches along the front for the edges, but I would really like to follow the pattern, since I need the instructions to make the buttonhole at the top. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Geema,
It sounds like you are doing really great. Is this your first sweater attempt? About the band, slipping the first stitch makes a nice even, consistent edge that is easy to sew on, but another edge that works well is to knit the first stitch of each row. If you start with 13 stitches instead of 12, it would probably work out that your first and last stitches on the front side would always be knit and the one extra stitch would not seriously change the size of the band.

Thanks Knitterb - I'm going to give it a try! I made a sweater when I was a teenager (about 40 years ago!) and just started knitting again last Fall. I've made my husband a sweater and a vest, my grandson a Wallaby, and made some felted clogs, bags, and lots of toys, but this is the first sweater I've made for myself with some really nice yarn that I'm crazy about. I think I'm hooked! Thanks for your help.

Hi Gemma, another nice edge finish is a type of slipped stitch but only do it on the "finished": edge of the ribbing. With yarn in front (wyif) slip the 1st stitch purlwise, move the yarn between the needles to the back of the knitting and proceed with the ribbing. This leaves a nice smooth edge - that's why you may not want to use it on the edge you want to attach to the sweater. I use this often on scarves and most recently on the edges of "Shrug This" from One- Skein wonders: 101 Yarn-Shop Favorites edited by Judith Durant.It was nicely used in a scarf in 101 Designer one-skein wonders by the same editor (see Garter Stitch Loop Through Scarf, p.90 of that book.) Have fun with the sweater.

If you are feeling really brave and have plenty of time on your hands, then you could always use "sliding loop." Then you don't have to sew the border on, and you get an exact fit. Not all yarns are suitable, however, as it has to slide through the loop easily.

Best wishes, John