Carley Tips

On this page you’ll find links to tutorials for many of the techniques used in my Carley vest pattern. This page reviews the following techniques:

• Long-tail cast-on
• Icord edge (used in split hem)
• Wrap & Turn short rows
• Three Needle Bind-Off

Long-tail Cast-on:

I like using the thumb method of this cast-on. I have a video tutorial that can be found on this page. Note: you can use a different type of cast-on if you prefer.

Icord Edge (for split hem):

An icord edge is featured at the split hem of this vest – here’s an upclose photo of it:

In Carley, it’s created by slipping the first 2 and the last 2 stitches of every wrong-side row, always purlwise and always with yarn held in front. For a tutorial of this technique, check out this page (and in the video listed, this version of an icord edge is version #1).

Wrap & Turn Short Rows:

To shape the shoulders, short rows are used. I use wrap and turn short rows. Check out my part 1 video that shows how to the do the actual “wrap and turn” and here’s my part 2 which shows how to work the wraps as you reach them (at the end). If you would like to learn more about why short rows are used to shape shoulders, check out my blog post here.

Three Needle Bind-Off:

Each shoulder is “seamed” together using the three needle bind-off technique. Note: although typically this “seam” would be at the top of the shoulder, because of the design of Carley, it actually falls lower on the back, as you can see in the picture below.

I have a tutorial here that shows you how this Three Needle Bind-Off technique is worked! In this video, the right-sides of the piece are held together (with the wrong-side facing you), but in Carley it will be the opposite – the right sides of the pieces will be facing you – because this is how you get the exposed seam look you see in that photo.