This method is a great alternative to the Kitchener stitch. It is amazingly simple, and the seam it forms looks very neat.
We’ve already discussed the classic way to do the Russian grafting. If you missed that tutorial, you will find it over here. The classic approach is not complicated, but it involves using a crochet hook.
But what if we don’t have a crochet hook on hand? Or we don’t like using crochet hooks for some reason?
That’s when the method described in this tutorial comes in handy.
It is worked in two steps that are so easy that even newer knitters will be able to follow them without any issues.
SETUP
Arrange two groups of open stitches so that the tips of the needles that hold them are at the right-hand side when the pieces are aligned with the wrong side of the fabric in.
If you need to transfer stitches to a knitting needle, it is better to use double-pointed needles. This way, you will be able to shift the stitches on the needle as necessary.
Now we are ready to close the stitches.
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STEP 1
In this step, we’ll set the scene for the seaming process. To make it easier for us to pass stitches one over the other in the next step, we’ll slip the stitches to a knitting needle so that the stitches of the two pieces are alternating.
Here’s how we do it.
Take a spare knitting needle in your right hand. This needle should be in the same size as the size you used to knit your project, or in a smaller size.
The size of the needle will not affect the look of the seam, so use any needle you have on hand. Just stay away from needles in bigger sizes because they will stretch the stitches and distort the seam.
In most cases, one set of open stitches will have a yarn tail hanging at the right-hand side of the fabric, close to the tip of the needle.
Insert the spare needle from right to left into the stitch that is attached to the yarn tail. In my example, it is the first stitch from the tip of the needle at the front.
Slip this stitch off the left needle.
Then insert the right needle from right to left into the first stitch on the other needle. In my case, it is the first stitch on the needle at the back.
Slip this stitch off the left needle.
Repeat slipping stitches, one stitch from one needle and one stitch from the other needle, until both needles are empty. To make the process easier for you to see, I used swatches in different colours.
Now that the stitches are arranged in an alternating pattern, it will be super easy to close them with a beautiful seam.
STEP 2
Turn the work and take one of the empty needles in your right hand.
2.1. Insert the right needle from right to left into the first two stitches and ease the left needle out, slipping these stitches purlwise to the right needle. You can slip them together in one move or slip them one by one.
2.2. Insert the left needle from left to right into the second stitch from the tip of the right needle.
2.3. Pass this stitch over the first stitch from the tip of the right needle and off the needles.
We’ve just closed one stitch and formed the first link of the seam.
2.4. Insert the right needle from right to left into the next stitch on the left needle. Ease the left needle out, slipping this stitch to the right needle. Now we have two stitches on the right needle, and we are ready to close one more stitch.
2.5. Pass the second stitch from the tip of the right needle over the first one, just as we did when we worked steps 2.2 and 2.3.
Repeat steps 2.4 and 2.5 until all stitches are arranged in a lovely braid-like seam, and there is only one open stitch left.
Because we started with a stitch that “hosts” the yarn tail when we alternated stitches in step 1, our last open stitch has a yarn tail attached to it. How convenient!
Pass the yarn tail through the stitch and pull tight to secure.
The seam that we’ve just formed is not only beautiful. It is also quite elastic, but it never stretches out of shape.
As you’ve probably noticed, we haven’t used a single bit of working yarn as we joined the stitches using this method.
This makes Russian grafting super helpful when we need to bind off stitches without yarn. For example, when we run out of yarn by the time we get to the bind-off edge.
P.S. After this tutorial was published, some of you asked what happens when we make this seam with the wrong side of the fabric facing out.
I tested this idea and discovered that when we align the pieces of fabric so that the right sides stay in, the seam becomes flatter, and it looks almost the same on both sides of the work.
See for yourself. Here’s a photo of the seam showing on the wrong side of the fabric.
And here’s how the same piece looks when we turn it to the right side.
Now we know two ways to use this wonderful method when we join two sets of open stitches.
SAVE IT FOR LATER
This and 26 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #9.
