Cut & Sew Instructions

1. Here on the left you can see where I have drawn my neckline. You can see the yarn tags at the first & last neck stitches. I did not have a big enough template so I printed out a template from the 'KnitWare' program. (You can do that for any size neck if you have the program. I will describe that in another post.)

2.  I marked the neckline with washable marker in a contrasting color. 

3. Then I sewed 2 rows of zig zag stitching on the marked line. I was very careful to not pull or stretch the neckline while I was sewing it. You can put some tissue paper or embroidery backing behind the neck if you want to. I don't do that anymore as I have learned to sew without stretching the fabric

.4.  Before you cut, be sure to eyeball the neck to make sure it is even on both sides. You want them to match as closely as possible. You do not want one side higher or deeper than the other side. I used to measure them before I cut, & that might be a good idea for the first couple that you do. Then, with a pair of sharp scissors I carefully cut just outside the marked line. 

5. Here is the neckband for the sweater, & the sweater hanging on my machine. I knitted the neckband separately, with waste yarn on either side. After I cut out my neck I joined one shoulder, & rehung the sweater, just under the rows of stitching, on the machine with the right side facing me, easing in any fullness.

 6. Then, I brought all the needles out to holding position. I rehung one neckband side into the hooks on the machine, closed all the latches & pulled the stitches through the neckline.

 7. Then I brought the needles out to holding position again, making sure that the cut edge of the neckline was underneath the needles. 

8. Rehang the other side of the neckband & push the stitches behind the latches. When I am binding off a crew neck I will bind off over 2 gate pegs, but since this is a scoop neck you can just bind off normally, making sure that you don't drop any stitches while doing that. You should wind up with an attractive neckline that is even all the way around the neck. 

   

Here is the finished cut & sew neckline. The picture on the left is the knit side & the picture on the right is the purl side. The neck looks just as good on the purl side as it does on the knit side. This neck came out perfectly shaped & looks great. Now I need to join the sleeves & make up.