Tutorial: Adding Ruching to Point Pinos’ Neckline

My Point Pinos Design is an open cardigan featuring an especially wide button-band. To reduce volume at the back neck, the back neckline is folded in half and ruched at the corners.

This is a photo tutorial for how to accomplish that ruching, and is designed to be used with your own CustomFit Point Pinos pattern, after you’ve completed all other finishing. Click for larger versions of the images throughout.

Here’s what the neckline will look like before you begin:

Step One: Place Markers

Place markers at each corner of the back neckline, on the inside of the garment.

Thread a tapestry needle with smooth yarn in a very similar color. If you’re using a lightweight yarn like I did, pull the yarn ends even so that you’re using double-thick yarn to sew.

(For my sample, I used Shibui Staccato in “Tar” that I had on hand; if you’re using the Cima and Twig mix I used for the garment, a double strand of Cima would work well also.)

Step Two: Make a Running Stitch

Beginning with the WS facing, use a running stitch to weave the yarn above and below the bars connecting your stitches together, 2 at a time:

Do this all the way to the bound-off edge of the neck trim:

You’re now ready to create the gathers.

Step Three: Make Gathers

Fold the neck trim in half toward the inside of the garment, and pull the yarn tight to create the ruching. Cut the yarn and tie the ends together in a surgeon’s knot (or square knot).

Weave ends in along the picked-up neck edge for at least 1” (2.5 cm) on each side of the knot.

You’re now finished with one of the gathers.

Step Four: Repeat

Do the same thing at the other marker.

If you like the way this looks, feel free to stop here – the gathers will look just fine on the outside of the work.

Step Five: Sew Center Back Neck (Optional)

This looked unfinished to me, though, so I also used a whip stitch to attach the bound-off edge to the picked-up edge between the two gathers:

Here’s what it looks like on the inside when finished:

And on the outside:

You’re Done!

Here are some finished shots of the neckline, on a mannequin:

Happy knitting!