Obsessed With Edges

Everyone thinks scarves are the simplest thing to knit, but I think they can be a bit tricky. You have no room for error in a scarf! You can't tuck that crooked edge into a seam and obscure it forever; it's right there in plain view.

In my last post, I was having a dilemma about whether to join a new ball of yarn on the edge of the scarf or whether to knit in a little way and then join. On the blue, moss stitched scarf, I joined the new balls on the edge as suggested by the book I was using. My gut feeling was telling me I'd be better off joining in a little from the edge. When I got it all done and wove in the ends, the very edge of the scarf was slightly uneven looking in those two joining spots. Mainly it's caused by the weight of the scarf pulling a bit at those spots. Really I'm the only one that notices it, but it matters to me. I want to do it right!

My husband immediately claimed the blue scarf as is, so I won't frog that to perfect the edges. Instead, I quickly knitted up another scarf in the same yarn though in a slightly different stitch pattern. This time, I paid extra attention to the areas where I joined a new ball and I've decided that I prefer to join new balls in a little from the edge. At least, this is what works for me when I'm using solid colors and this thick yarn. I know when I do striped scarves that I have to join at the edges and that hasn't been a problem with the one I've done with a different yarn.

I'm still interested in suggestions or referrals to books or websites with good pictures or descriptions about making edges look neat. All right, that's all my obsessing about edges for now.

The pic is of my latest scarf. It's done in Debbie Bliss Super Chunky Cashmerino using a pattern in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I plan to give it to my Dad for his birthday.