Here are my suggestions for making and finishing some of the knitted napkin rings if you don’t want to use plastic inserts.
Today I’m only addressing four of the six patterns1 from the sampler set I designed. I will update this post with suggestions for the other two patterns in the coming weeks, so please check back.
For the Seed Stitch Napkin Ring
The beginning five rounds and ending five rounds (in Stockinette stitch) form the napkin ring’s interior. If you don’t want to use inserts, you may eliminate these rounds and just work the Seed stitch rounds (Rounds 6 through 18).
However, if you eliminate those rounds, consider which cast on you’ll use so you get a nice edge and one that isn’t too loose (and curls) or too tight (and puckers). I chose to use the long-tail cast on because it results in a nice edge with good balance between tautness and give. For the long-tail method, leave yourself a 23” tail when making your slipknot.
Alternatively you can still knit those beginning and ending rounds in Stockinette stitch and sew the cast-on and bound-off edges together as the pattern instructs, just without using the insert. This would result in a double-thick napkin ring with a nicely finished interior.
For the Reverse Plait Cable Napkin Ring (formerly (mis)named Braided Cable Napkin Ring)
The beginning five stitches and ending five stitches (in Reverse Stockinette stitch) form the napkin ring’s interior. If you don’t want to use inserts, you may eliminate these stitches and just work the braided cable. However, I’d suggest keeping two edge stitches in Reverse Stockinette stitch on each side so you can see the entire braided cable when finished (the stitches at the very edges will curl, but the cabled strip will lay flat).
Alternatively you can still knit those beginning and ending stitches in Reverse Stockinette stitch and sew the sides together as the pattern instructs, just without using the insert. This would result in a double-thick napkin ring with a nicely finished interior.
For the Modified Roman Stitch Napkin Ring & Modified Stripe Seed Stitch Napkin Ring
The beginning six rounds and ending five rounds (in Stockinette stitch) form the napkin ring’s interior. If you don’t want to use inserts, you may eliminate these rounds and just work Rounds 7 through 18 of the pattern.
However, if you eliminate those rounds, consider which cast on you’ll use so you get a nice edge and one that isn’t too loose (and curls) or too tight (and puckers). I chose to use the long-tail cast on because it results in a nice edge with good balance between tautness and give. For the long-tail method, leave yourself a 23” tail when making your slipknot.
Alternatively you can still knit those beginning and ending rounds in Stockinette stitch and sew the cast-on and bound-off edges together as the pattern instructs, just without using the insert. This would result in a double-thick napkin ring with a nicely finished interior.
- Although you’ll notice that my suggestions for each are very similar. [↩]