The Knitting Fiend

Today, I’ll give directions for the Shark’s Tooth Edging. I attached this garter stitch swatch but it can also be worked along with a main piece. I’ll describe both ways. Of course the edging can also be worked by itself and sewn on– but you don’t need me to explain how to do that, right?

Shark’s Tooth Edging: Basic Directions.

Prepare to work edging.

• Cast on 8 stitches. (For some applications, you may wish to cast on in waste yarn and knit a work a pair of rows in stockinette ending with a purl row. Afterwards attach yarn and continue. )
• Prep row: Knit one until 1 stitch remains. Place a marker. k1. (Note: if you are working the a shawl, the shawl stitches would sit here.)

The edging: The first slipped stitch of row 1 is final stitches of row 1 are on the “edge”.

• Row 1: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k2. (– 9 stitches.)
• Row 2: K2, yo, k2 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 10 stitches.)
• Row 3: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k4. (– 11 stitches.)
• Row 4: K2, yo, k4 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 12 stitches.)
• Row 5: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k6. (– 13 stitches.)
• Row 6: K2, yo, k6 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 14 stitches.)
• Row 7: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k8. (– 15 stitches.)
• Row 8: K2, yo, k8 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 16 stitches.)
• Row 9: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k10. (– 17 stitches.)
• Row 10: K2, yo, k10 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 18 stitches.)
• Row 11: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k10. (– 19 stitches.)
• Row 12: Bind off 11 stitches , k2 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 8 stitches.)

If you wish to knit this as you work a full shawl, cast on enough stitches for the main part of your shawl, then cast on 8 additional stitches. Follow the directions for the “prep row”– 8 stitches will be knit. Then work the directions for the main part of the shawl pattern over the shawl stitches.

Turn for the next row, follow the next row of directions for the shawl shawl; when you reach the final 8 stitches follow directions for “row 1″ of the edging. After that, just remember: the stitches on one side of the marker are edging stitches; those on the other are shawl stitches.

Here’s a tip: If you have trouble keeping track of the edging row after knitting two long shawl rows, use a post it note to mark the row you are working. (Or, read the re-organized directions below. They will help you “read” the knitting, which helps prevent losing track of your row.¹)

Ok, what if you wish to attach this to a shawl you have already knit. First: plan ahead. When knitting the shawl, be sure to slip the first stitch on the edge of the shawl purl-wise; this create a chain selvedge with 1 stitch every row.

After finishing the main part of the shawl, cast on the 8 stitches using some method that compliment the cast on method for your shawl. When you each the final stitch on the preparation row, place marker. Then instead of working k1, pick up a chain selvedge stitch from the shawl edge; this this together with the final stitch of the edging.

Turn to work row 2. Slip that first stitch — you will be slipping the stitch you created when you worked the k2tog.

Afterwards, replace every k1 with a k2tog involving one stitch from the shawl edge and one from the edging.

That’s pretty much how to work the edging. Some day I will try working the edging in a different color from the shawl. That would look cool!

Bye for now.

• Row 1: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k2. (– 9 stitches.)
• Row 3: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k4. (– 11 stitches.)
• Row 5: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k6. (– 13 stitches.)
• Row 7: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k8. (– 15 stitches.)
• Row 9: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k10. (– 17 stitches.)
• Row 11: Slip 1, slip marker, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k12. (– 19 stitches.)
• Row 2: K2, yo, k2 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 10 stitches.)
• Row 4: K2, yo, k4 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 12 stitches.)
• Row 6: K2, yo, k6 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 14 stitches.)
• Row 8: K2, yo, k8 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 16 stitches.)
• Row 10: K2, yo, k10 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 18 stitches.)
• Row 12: Bind off 11 stitches , k2 (yo, k2tog) twice, slip marker, k1 (– 8 stitches.)

Notice you are the unbalanced “yo” at the end of odd stitches and the beginning of even stitches constantly widens the tooth.

The first 7 stitches of all even rows are identical.

Eventually you bind these off. You could make the edging deeper by extending this pattern.