Tutorials

Knitting Around the Corner (Edgings & Borders II)

Welcome to 30 Days to Better Knitting, a knitter’s master class helping you getting better at knitting and learn new knitting techniques and tricks in 30 days! Today we’re talking about knitting around the corner – how to knit edgings when there are corners involved?

Improve Your Knitting Skills in 30 Days: Table of Contents

We talked about how to knit edgings generally in yesterday’s post How To Knit Edgings and Borders already, so if you got questions on edgings in general, consider reading this post first.

Today’s question is knitting around the corner: This is especially interesting when working edgings in square shawls.

Knitting Around The Corner

Corners are shaped

  • by increases (when working in the same direction as the main shawl – in square shawls, this means increasing two stitches every other row for each of the four corners), or
  • by using short rows, in case you are working sideways.

Shaping Corners With Increases

When you’re knitting square shawls center out, corners are usually shaped by increases. Using increases is the easiest way I’m aware of at least – but let’s have a look at the underlying principles first.

When knitting square shawls center out you are increasing two stitches at every corner. When you knit your edging (or border) you need to do the same. An example of a corner increase section is shown below.

Knitting around the corner with increases

Your “normal” stitch pattern happens right and left of this increase corner section. You’ll need four corner and four normal pattern sections for one square shawl worked center out.

I’m using a “knit through back loop” (ktbl) stitch instead of a regular knit stitch because it looks much nicer and more finished. (Try it out for yourself to see the difference!)

Shaping Corners With Short Rows

In case you need a general introduction to short rows, consider reading my recent post The Complete Guide to Short Rows first!

The schematic below shows the short row turning points needed for knitting the first half of one corner.

Knitting around the corner
Turning corners with short rows: shaping the first half (legend see below)

Knitting around the corner

The second half of short row positions is a mirror image of the first one. Basically, you are creating two 45° angles which are shaping your corner.

Questions? Just ask by leaving a comment below!

7 thoughts on “Knitting Around the Corner (Edgings & Borders II)

  • Christina D. Cersosimo

    Is the schematic above, what you might call a mitered corner? I’m trying to map out a corner for a poncho, which includes a 3/3 Cable.

    Reply
  • So how do you rewrite a patterns design so that it still looks good as you short row the corner. For example I have a cable heart that I love to edge baby blankets with, You add the border after the blanket is done so that the hearts at the top and bottom are all still cabled together. But I can’t figure out the math or such so as to “Turn” the cable around the corner Is there a method for cutting your pattern in half on the diagonal so it still looks good when you put it back together THANKS

    Reply
  • Cathy Major

    I am knitting a ribbed ragg serape and when doing the corners it says (knit to corner st ,yo,pm k1tbl, yo) twice I am getting large holes from yo am I repeating it twice for one corner or just to next corner please help would greatly appreciate the help

    Reply
    • Did you ask the author of the pattern you’re using yet?

      Reply
  • Maria

    Hello,
    Where can I get the pattern for the shawl that appears on the main page of “Knitting Around the Corner (Edgings & Borders II)”? it is beautiful!
    Regards,
    Maria

    Reply
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