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Garment making › Bands and trims

Scallop edge

A curved, scalloped trim along the bottom of the fabric, often in a contrast colour. With interstitches: a tubular welt is knitted with a gap at each scallop. The long threads across the gap are lifted on to the empty needles and gathered, so the welt curves.

Machine types that can knit it

Demo swatch

Drawn for: Double-bed hand flat (V-bed)
Approximate preview worked out from the bed chart, not a photo.
Bed chart
15101520253035→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←Front bedBack bedBoth beds (double jersey)Out of workSlip1 square = 1 stitch × 1 row · read from the bottom · Hand flat (V-bed), 36 needles, half pitch
Needle notation, first steps
1. Row 1: knit 1 rowDouble jersey (all needles)carriage →backfront2. Row 2: knit 1 rowBack bed only · slip 31← carriagebackfront3. Row 3: knit 1 rowFront bed only · slip 31carriage →backfront4. Row 4: knit 1 rowBack bed only · slip 31← carriagebackfrontShowing needles L12–R12 of 36; repeat across the working area.

Carriage settings on a Dubied

Scallop edge with interstitches
RearFront
  1. rearfront1111
    1. Knit 1 row in the first colour for the set-up.
  2. rearfront0110
    2. Change to the second colour. Knit 12 rows of tubular for the welt. With the narrowing handle or work hook, lift 7 interstitches on to the empty front needle and 7 on to the empty rear needle.
  3. rearfront0110
    3. Knit 2 rows.
  4. rearfront1111
    4. Knit the rows you need.
The scallops must be separated by one needle out of action on both beds.
Scallop edge with butts
RearFront
  1. rearfront½½½½
    1. Separate if needed, set-up and welt in the first colour. Change to the second colour. Knit 6 rows.
  2. rearfront1111
    2. Change back to the first colour. Knit as many rows as the sample needs.
How to read the cross
  • The four quarters are the carriage: top rear bed, bottom front bed, left moving left, right moving right.
  • Corners, knit/miss cam: 1 knits; ½ knits on high butts only and misses low butts; 0 is out of work.
  • Diamond, tucking cam: 0 no tuck; ½ low butts tuck, high butts knit; 1 all needles tuck. An empty diamond is all 0.
  • Numbers on the line are tension dials, 0 tightest to 20 loosest. A + means looser than your usual size.
  • Set-out: long tick high butt, short tick low butt, dot out of action.
Racking handle: up moves the rear bed left, down moves it right, up to 6 notches. Rack only with the carriage clear of the needles.

Steps

  1. Set out, first colour, 1 row.
  2. Second colour, 12 rows tubular.
  3. Lift 7 interstitches on the empty front needle and 7 on the empty rear.
  4. 2 rows tubular.
  5. Set the cams, knit on.

The full card

What it looks like
A curved, scalloped trim along the bottom of the fabric, often in a contrast colour.
How it behaves
A soft raised curve along the edge.
How it works
With interstitches: a tubular welt is knitted with a gap at each scallop. The long threads across the gap are lifted on to the empty needles and gathered, so the welt curves. With butts: all K/M cams at ½ knit only the high butts, so some needles wait for 6 rows and the edge curves.
Machines
Dubied.
Parameters
Scallop of 6 needles + 1 out. Tubular 12 rows, lift 7 + 7, tubular 2 rows.
Steps
1) Set out, first colour, 1 row. 2) Second colour, 12 rows tubular. 3) Lift 7 interstitches on the empty front needle and 7 on the empty rear. 4) 2 rows tubular. 5) Set the cams, knit on.
Charting
Bed chart with the out-of-action needle between scallops.
Limits and common problems
The scallops must be separated by a needle out of action on both beds. Size and curve change with the rows and lifts, so try one first.
Combines with
dubied-separation, piped-edge.
Pieces and assembly
Hems, cuffs and collars.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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