Knitting -- non-curling edges

If you've been following this part of my blog, you already know some ways to keep edges on your knitting from curling up.

One is the standard ribbing for hems, cuffs, and necks on pullovers.

Another is the edging I gave you for armholes on sleeveless tees, which also works for the neck edging on a vee-neck.

With Shetland lace shawls, you generally do a center portion, a border, and an edging. The edging will curl unless you block it. Blocking works for everything, but sometimes you just want to bind off and wear immediately.

One method is utterly simple and works for the long edges of rectangular lace. It gives you the option of later attaching an edging or border, without sacrificing any of the lace motifs.
Once you have established the short edge (which I discuss next), k2, work your motifs across, and k2.
Do a k2 on the outside of every row, not just the rightside rows.
If you do attach a border or edging later, you will pick up in the middle of these two stitches.

When I was knitting dishcloths, one of the patterns taught me another no-curl edge, the seed stitch. A 4-stitch or 4-row seed stitch edging will resist curling until you can get around to blocking.

So for your short edge, cable on the number of stitches you need.
Now do k1/p1 across.
IF YOU HAVE AN EVEN NUMBER OF STITCHES, then on each subsequent row, whatever was the last stitch you made, repeat it as the first stitch and then alternate across.
If you have an odd number of stitches, then on each subsequent row, whatever was the last stitch you made, do the other one as the first stitch.
You wind up with
x o x o x o x o
o x o x o x o x
x o x o x o x o
o x o x o x o x

When you start your pattern, you can do the same at the start and end of each row. Make sure each stitch in your x-stitch border is the opposite of the one below it.

Seed stitch does not have the sturdy look of ribbing so it's more suitable to fingering weight yarn. Use it as a hem for a fingering weight lace coverup for a swimsuit, or for a fingering weight sleeveless tee.

You could possibly use it in something with Fair Isle motifs and introduce the colors of your motifs into the x's or o's in the seed stitch. I'm also considering it for an all-seed stitch top to use up leftovers from a project I have going on right now.

So here's the edge of a stole with seed stitch, the side with the K2, and the lace motif Shetland Old Shale.

This completes my suite of lace: a fingering weight stole to throw over a sleeveless tee after dark in late spring or early autumn; a sport weight stole for early spring or late autumn; a worsted weight stole that I throw on when I go out to put water in the birdbath on winter mornings; and a worsted weight shawl I snuggle into on winter nights.