wee Envelope yoke tutorial

We’ve had a few questions about picking up the stitches for the back yoke so I’ve put together a photo tutorial for that section and for joining the two yoke sections together before working the right sleeve.

Picking up stitches for the back yoke

Once you’ve finished the front yoke, return the held stitches to the needle, bind off the underarm stitches and knit across the live stitches. 

Rotate the sleeve so you can see the right side of the front yoke and pick up the specified number of stitches across the row just under the first garter stitch row. You can squish the rest of the stitches on the needle while you pick up the stitches.

Alternatively pull out a loop of cord so it’s a bit easier to manoeuver the needle while you pick up the required amount of stitches. In the picture below 6 stitches have been picked up so far. If you are unsure how to pick up stitches across a row in the middle of the fabric this Technique Thursday post will help.

Once you’ve finished picking up the required number of stitches, you’re ready to continue with the Back yoke instructions.

The first couple of rows of the back yoke will look a little squashed on the needle, because of the small circumference of the sleeve. As you work the back yoke it will become a bit easier to work it flat.

Joining the two yoke pieces

Once the back yoke is complete the following right side row will join the two yoke pieces together, to create the envelope neck opening. Knitting some of the back and front yoke stitches together will mimic the picked up stitches at the other end of the neck.

Knit the specified number of stitches for the size you’re making. Then place the held stitches from the front yoke on a spare needle, I used a dpn. Your knitting should look like the picture below.

Next place the back yoke on top of the front yoke as shown below. Then knit the next stitch of the back yoke together with the first stitch of the front yoke.

Continue working across joining one back yoke and one front yoke stitch together until  there are only 2 stitches left on the back yoke. 

Then work the decrease as described in the pattern. You’ll have a few stitches of the front yoke remaining, knit to the end of the front yoke.

After completing the row your work should look like the picture below. Continue with the Right Sleeve directions in the pattern.