Masters Monday - Part 2

First off, I want to thank everyone who commented either here or on the Knittyboard about last week's Masters post. It is really encouraging for me to hear that you all found it useful to some degree or other. For those about to embark on this learning journey, please enjoy it - I don't think it was designed to be stressful :-)

Myself, I've been working on Level 2 swatches and questions this week. Last year when I first received the instruction packet, I knitted up the first 4 swatch requirements, which are seaming of: stockinette, reverse stockinette, seed and rib stitches. That gave me a little head-start this week as they were ready to block.

So I blocked and set about researching exactly how to seam the different stitches. I read Nancy Wiseman's "The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques", "Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book" and "Reader's Digest Knitting Handbook" by Montse Stanley.

They all described the figure 8 to anchor the yarn at the beginning of the seam. I really liked the pictures in the Vogue book best, so sat with that open as I did the actual seaming.

Here is Swatch #1 (stockinette) seamed. I couldn't work out from the instructions which end of the seaming yarn to weave into the swatch so will have to clarify that on the TKGA Masters question forum.
I found a problem I had was the two swatches I seamed together did not line up - one was lower, one higher than the other. I don't know how this is happening as I am performing the figure 8 exactly as explained in all the books I've read. Another question for the TKGA Forum, methinks.
Here's a closeup of the bottom of the swatch, and.......

The top of the swatch. See what I mean about it not lining up exactly?

Here is Swatch #2 (reverse stockinette) seamed also.

Again, with the top not lined up.......

or the bottom.

I tried to research the answers to the first 2 questions in the 3 books I read. They weren't much help. The questions ask why you should join seams from the RS and which seams should be joined to stabilize a garment. None of the books gave explanations, just said that you should. I think I know the answers, but I'm supposed to give citations. I guess I'll answer what I think I know and list the books I read trying to find out.

I just borrowed Knitting Without Tears, Knitting in Plain English and The Principles of Knitting from the library. I'm sure one of these will be more help - I have a feeling it could be June H-H.

Tune in next time folks for another seaming update :-)