Making a neat edge to your knitting is a good idea for a number of reasons. If the edge is to be sewn the presence of a selvedge will make it easier to match up the two edges concerned and ultimately easier to sew up. On an open edge the presence of a knitted selvedge can improve the finished appearance of your garment.

There are a number of different ways of creating neat selvedges to your knitting. Here are two that I like and use all the time.

Slipped Selvedge

This should be used only if the selvedge is going to be on an edge of the garment which will not be seamed to another. For example, if you’re working a sideways knit garter stitch edge, the slipped selvedge is ideal.

Holding the yarn at the front of the work put your right hand needle into the first stitch on the left hand needle, as if to purl. Bring the yarn back between the two stitches and continue knitting as normal. When you get to the last stitch, knit into the back loop of this stitch.

This edge can be used for any stitch, not just garter stitch, and creates a very neat finish. Be aware however that if you have to finish off ends in your work you won’t want to join at the very end of the row because then you will have a knot spoiling the line of the selvedge.

Knitted Stitch Selvedge

This one I use most of all because it gives a series of little bumps which appear every second row. This makes it very easy to count your rows and also provides for a good way to match up striping and patterns when sewing up. Just match the bumps! For this reason it also makes sewing up long edges easy because you can count the number of bumps you have joined to be sure you are sewing evenly. And if you're sewing it to a cast off edge it provides a crisp edge to sew into whilst you line up the cast off stitches.

To make this selvedge, knit into the back of the first and last stitch of every row.

When I plan my knitting if the pattern does not allow for it I will add one extra stitch at each end of the row in order to incorporate a selvedge because it makes sewing up so much easier. However with most knitting stitch patterns you can work the selvedge stitch as the first or last stitch in the given stitch count and work normally for the rest of the row. You do however need to be aware that the selvedge stitch is there.

This excellent reference book has masses of information about knitting techniques. It illustrates all the basic techniques and has a huge range of different ways to cast on and off and increase and decrease. A must for any knitter's bookcase!

This is another very good book which contains reference information on all the basics of how to knit and finish off a garment or item.