INITITIAL AND TERMINAL HEMS WITH ENDS THAT MATCH PERFECTLY To get the most polished appearance, it’s worth a bit of extra work to get the very ends of the hem to match. There are two possible ways. 1. Instead of casting on with the zigzag row at a tiny stitch size, use the main stitch size. It will require extra care to hang the comb and weights in the looser zigzag but once that has been done the knitting will go fine. Complete the first hem, the main fabric and the second hem as described above. After knitting the second hem, transfer all stitches to the back/main bed. Bind off using a method that produces a chain stitch. Binding off around the gatepegs or using the transfer method will both accomplish this goal. Now address the initial cast on. Start at the end away from the yarn tail. Pick up the very first strand of the zigzag that was formed on the first row. We’ll refer to this as the “zig”. Give it a little tug so as to borrow the length of yarn that originally belonged to the “zag”. Push the latch tool forward so the yarn goes behind the latch. Pick up the next zig and pull it through the previous one, at the same time, giving that little tug that moves the majority of the yarn length to the zig. Chain the zigs together across the work. Pull the yarn tail through the final chain stitch, then pull it in between the layers of the hem fabric. 2. Cast on as usual for a tubular hem with a tight zigzag row. Complete the first hem, main fabric and second hem as described above. After transferring all of the front/ribber bed stitches to the back, knit a single stockinette row before binding off. After knitting the second hem, transfer all stitches to the back/main bed. Bind off using a method that produces a chain stitch. Binding off around the gatepegs or using the transfer method will both accomplish this goal. The single row will begin to curl as usual, creating a teensy weensy bit of piping. Should you prefer a larger piece of piping, knit several rows rather than a single one. Now address the initial zigzag row. Hold it up to the main bed with the side of the fabric that was created by the ribber in view. Hang a single strand of yarn from each complete zigzag on the initial row on one needle. There should be the same number of needles in work as there were for the cast on. In the case of the sample, that is 29 needles. Knit one stockinette row across. If you opted for larger piping, knit the same number of rows as for the terminal hem. Bind off in the same manner as for the terminal hem. The ends of the fabric should now look identical.