Gigi Modifications :: Bottom Edging
Hi, Knitters,
For the lower edging of the body on the Gigi Cardigan, Devin Ventre (the designer) put in a split hem at the sides and she uses short rows for a bit of shaping. This looks great so on her samples and I love the effect but I decided to continue on with without the split rib at the sides. I added in my own short row shaping at the back side of the body. This adds a little extra length to help keep the sweater from riding up in the back. Plus, I just really like the way it looks. You can see the gentle swoop down of the fabric in the side shot above.
The sample in the photos is worked in Wisconsin Woolen Spun Worsted in the Sherwood colorway. Click here to see Wisconsin Woolen Spun Worsted!
So for my Gigi Cardigan, I worked up to the point where I would begin the ribbed edging at the bottom of the body. I was doing the knotted steek so I put those live steek stitches on waste yarn. Then I began working back and forth and added in the short rows.
I've already written out the recipe for how I add in short rows on the lower back of any sweater or cardigan on the BWC Journal.
For this Gigi cardigan, I did the short row a little different and kept the short rows only on the back stitches and didn't have them wrap around to the fronts at all as I did in the other tutorial. No worries, I wrote out exactly what I did on the Gigi Cardigan below.
Steps for Lower Back Short Rows:
- Place stitch markers at each side to mark the fronts and the back of the cardigan.
- Begin the first short row by working across the back stitches of the cardigan and up to one stitch before the second side stitch marker. Wrap & Turn (or do any short row method of your choice. I list other short row options with links here).
- Purl across the back to one stitch before the stitch marker. Wrap & Turn.
- Knit across the back to 5 stitches before the stitch marker. Wrap & Turn.
- Purl across the back to 5 stitches before the stitch marker. Wrap & Turn.
- Knit across the back to 10 stitches before the stitch marker. Wrap & Turn.
- Purl across the back to 10 stitches before the stitch marker. Wrap & Turn.
- Knit to the end of the row. Tidy up all wraps as you come to them.
Then begin the lower edging for the sweater. For the Gigi Cardigan I worked 8 rows of the rib before binding off in pattern.
I hope this helps!
love, susan
If the pattern is designed from the bottom up would you reverse the stitch count as your doing your short rows? Example: row 1 – knit across the back to 10 sets before marker. Row 2 – purl to 10 sts before marker etc. just curious.