brainylady

One Paint Box sock is finished! I'm quite happy with it. I've noticed there is a lot of trepidation among knitbloggers when in comes to the Kitchener Stitch (which I've seen referred to as "the dreaded Kitchener Stitch"). I've been confused about this, since I've managed to successfully graft a handful of toes now. BUT last night I pulled out Knitting for Dummies when it was time to graft the Paint Box toe, and I managed to screw it up, pull it out, screw it up again--arrgh! After four unsuccessful grafts, I went to a different source. I realized that it's not the stitch that's a problem; it's the instructions. When I was home in the spring, my aunt showed me how to graft a toe based on instructions in a trusty booklet called the Beehive Family Sock Book (1978), and I tell you, these instructions take the pain out of the Kitchener Stitch. Cut & paste 'em, print 'em out, and try them next time you want to graft:

* Inserting the wool [tapestry] needle as if for knitting into 1st st of front needle, draw it through the st and slip the latter off the needle; inserting the needle as if for purling into 2nd st of front needle, draw yarn through and let the st remain on the needle. Taking the yarn under front needle and inserting the wool needle, as if for purling, into 1st st of back needle, draw the yarn through this st and slip the latter off the needle; inserting the needle as if for knitting into the 2nd st of back needle, draw the yarn through and let the st remain on the needle. Bring the yarn forward under the needle and repeat from * until all sts are worked off, darning in the end of yarn securely.