I’ve been working on a number of things today.  I got my spinning wheel humming again and spun up about an ounce of cinnamon-brown Navajo-Churro wool I’ve had in my stash.  Still have about 4 ounces to go.  I plan to finish that, inventory my stash and get it all into the fabric-covered boxes before I start in on yesterday’s purchases.

Also, I worked on the little coin purse, and it is coming along quite nicely.  It will be a good adjunct to the eReader sleeve, and I’ll be able to show how parts of a stitch pattern can be lifted and modified as part of the analysis articles.

The Lace Wings shawl pattern is coming along well.  I did some research work on the structure of bird wings today, and I’ve been working on how to incorporate a wide variety of lace stitch patterns to delineate the feather patterns in a wing.

I’ve also thought of an option of a drape-front cardigan that would let me use the amount of the multicolor lace-weight I have.  My worry on the lace wings pattern is that I would run out.  In some ways, I think doing handspun for the Lace Wings would be a better option, as I can spin quite a bit from yesterday’s stash acquisitions.

A fiber festival!  Yay!  Inspiration time – the number of knitters, spinners, weavers, crocheters, felt-makers, etc., etc., etc. that will be there will be really fun.

There will be FIBER!  I plan to have some come home with me!  I want to at least get some Shetland sheep wool in several colors, but let’s see what else makes it to the car!

I’ll be bringing my camera and will post pictures – lots of pictures – this evening.

5:20pm

Well, I’m back from the DFW Fiber Fest!  The hall wasn’t crowded, but I’m sure it will be on Saturday and Sunday.  I spent more than I’d planned, but I have a fiber stash to show for it.  Time to SPIN!

Here’s what I brought home -

- and here are a bunch of pictures I took!

The man seated at the right is rockin’ the “Got Wool?” t-shirt!

Yay!  Done!

I rescued the dropped stitches in the middle of the top right quarter. I’m not going to ask if you can see the repair, as I sure can’t!

I’ve decided to use the “petals” section for a small coin purse as the next project.  Should be quick!

Doesn’t look like much yet, but this will be a sleeve for my eReader.  I have only a few more rows to do, and then I need to sew the seams.  It’ll get done today.

WHOOPS!!

Don’t you hate it when that happens?  I was half-way across a row and I was urgently called away from my knitting.  I shoved everything in my bag & handled the situation, but my rather haphazard stuffing the work in my bag caught a needle and pulled it out of the knitting.

By the time I got back to the knitting, moving my bag and digging for items needed had undone a couple rows of stitches. on half of the work.  It was a real mess.

This is when being able to “read” the stitches and compare with intact portions is a real lifesaver.  It took a bit of time, but I was able to pick up and repair the dropped stitches with a spare needle and a small crochet hook that I keep in my knitting tools for just such an emergency.

When looking at a “mess” like this, the first thing is not to panic.  Take a deep breath!  Compare the intact portion with the messed up areas, and both to the stitch pattern. Count back the stitches of the intact part of the row comparing with the pattern so you can see what needs to be fixed.  Do that fix, and then the next and the next and the next.

Some knitters on a large intricate project will thread a “lifeline” of a smooth, contrasting color yarn to have a place to rip back to, put the lifeline stitches back on the needle and continue from there.  I don’t do this, as I trust in my ability to read and fix.

So, back to how I got on the topic instead of doing the post I said I would with charts.  I’ve had a large amount of interruptions for the past couple days.  I will get the “Next post, I will get into charting patterns and put charted patterns next to photos of the actual knit fabric.  This will also help show how and why the various decrease methods work to create pattern.” done, but it may be a few more days.

In my last post, we saw that the 24 row – 34 stitch repeat of “frost flowers” was really only made of of seven elements, and the written out pattern was simply giving us the order in which to use these elements.

To go further, there are really only four pattern rows that only get sightly modified by swapping the position of the motifs in the pattern to get an all-over pattern.  Think of a checkerboard with light and dark squares.

So, here are the basic pattern rows:

Row 1 (right side) K1, * k3, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k3; rep from *, end k1.

Row 2 – K1, * p2, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 3 – K1, * k1, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k1; rep from *, end k1.

Row 4 – K1, * p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog; rep from *, end k1.

These get repeated three times to form the motifs, then the position of the motifs is swapped to form the over-all pattern.

Row 13 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 14 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 15 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k2, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 16 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

What this means is that there are really only two motifs that form the overall pattern, and one is so simple, it really has only 2 pattern rows, and the other has only four.

Here is a picture of the two motifs:

The faggoting at center bottom is really only two pattern rows, and the simple petal shape above it is only four rows that have been repeated three times.

By this you can see that if you repeated the four pattern rows without switching to the variation, you would end up with vertical columns of the petal shapes and the faggoting. The petal shapes can even be broken down to the left- and the right- leaning shapes.

As a note, I plan to switch to just the faggoting for a dozen rows after I finish the repeat of the motifs that I am on.  This swatch will be a sleeve for my eReader. 

At the end of my last post, I promised to explain how and why each element is used.

Knit and purl stitches are the two most basic elements in knitting – they define a knitted fabric.  Many lovely patterns are formed just by the textures available in combinations of knit and purl.  For examples of this, look at any stitch dictionary.

The yarn over, abbreviated “yo”  (or yarn forward in some patterns) is the defining element to make knit lace.  You can’t have lace without open areas.  A yo is nearly always paired with a decrease (Rarely, the decrease paired with the yo will be on a different row, and the stitch count will change from row to row.), unless it is doubling as an increase stitch in the pattern.

The various methods and numbers of decreases both balance the open areas, but the direction change and defining of the pattern stitches created with different decreases will give you the delicacy and form of the lace pattern.

K2tog (knit 2 together) forms a right-leaning single decrease

Ssk (slip 1, knit 1, pass slip stitch over) forms a left-leaning single decrease

P2tog (purl 2 together) is used in this pattern on the reverse side of the work. As you work it, it forms a left-leaning single decrease, but in this pattern, it’s purpose is to continue the right-leaning front side line.

P2tog-b (purl 2 together through the back loops) is the counterpart to ssk while working on the reverse side.

Next post, I will get into charting patterns and put charted patterns next to photos of the actual knit fabric.  This will also help show how and why the various decrease methods work to create pattern.

I’ve heard the comment that lace, or cables, or colorwork is too difficult for someone to learn more times than I care to count.  Especially since this is not a true statement.  Even the most intricate lace pattern is simply a combination of knit, purl, and increase and decrease techniques.

Let’s break this down to the building blocks.  For my example, I’m going to use a wonderful old lace pattern called “frost flowers” in Barbara G Walker’s “A Treasury of Knitting Patterns” as it has many of the elements that we need to go over regarding knit lace.

Here is the whole pattern repeat written in rows:

FROST FLOWERS

(worked in rows)

Multiple of 34 stitches plus 2

Row 1 (right side) K1, * k3, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k3; rep from *, end k1.

Row 2 – K1, * p2, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 3 – K1, * k1, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k1; rep from *, end k1.

Row 4 – K1, * p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog; rep from *, end k1.

Row 5 – K1, * k3, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k3; rep from *, end k1.

Row 6 – K1, * p2, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 7 – K1, * k1, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k1; rep from *, end k1.

Row 8 – K1, * p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog; rep from *, end k1.

Row 9 – K1, * k3, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k3; rep from *, end k1.

Row 10 – K1, * p2, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 11 – K1, * k1, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, (k2, yo, ssk) 3 times, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k1; rep from *, end k1.

Row 12 – K1, * p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, (p2, yo, p2tog) 3 times, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog; rep from *, end k1.

Row 13 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 14 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 15 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k2, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 16 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 17 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 18 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 19 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k2, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 20 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 21 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, yo, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, yo, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 22 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p1, yo, p4, p2tog, p4, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p1, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 23 – K1, * yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, p2, k2, yo, k4, ssk, k2, k2tog, k4, yo, k2, p2, k2, yo, ssk, k2; rep from *, end k1.

Row 24 – K1, * yo, p2tog, p2, yo, p2tog, k2, p3, yo, p4, p2tog, p2tog-b, p4, yo, p3, k2, p2, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *, end k1.

Repeat rows 1 – 24.

Looks tough, right?  Well, let’s see what is actually there, as you don’t knit the whole thing at once, or even each row.  You do it stitch by stitch.

Cast on & cast off aren’t mentioned, but are understood.

• Knit stitches (k)
• Purl stitches (p)
• Yarn over (yo)
• Slip 1st stitch, Knit 2nd stitch, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch (ssk) left-leaning decrease
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) right-leaning decrease
• Purl 2 together (p2tog) left-leaning decrease – (used on reverse-side rows in this pattern)
• Purl 2 together thru back loops (p2tog-b) right-leaning decrease – (used on reverse-side rows in this pattern)

With this breakdown, one can see that the pattern lines above are simply giving us the order in which to do the elements of the pattern.

Next post, I will go over how and why each element is used.

I think we all wondered in school – What possible use does algebra have?

When working out how many stitches to cast on to get a specific size finished piece, algebra definitely comes into play.  There is also something about this application of the art of mathematics that is far easier than the attempt to find a mysterious “x” when trying to visualize the result only gets you “x.”

Here’s how it breaks down.  For a specific size set of needles with the yarn you are using for the project – let’s say a sweater – you get a gauge of 5 stitches to the inch.  The hem measurement needs to be thirty inches.  How many stitches do you need to cast on?  5 stitches times 30 inches — taa-daa! 150 stitches!

Ok, so you cast on the 150 stitches.  Next question – How many stitches do you need to increase to get to the bust size – lets say a bust size of 36 inches, which is a difference of 6 inches from your cast on.  That would be 30 stitches.  You don’t want to do that all at once, obviously, so you take the row gauge, which for the sake of this example is 7 rows to the inch (knit stitches are usually wider than they are tall) and work out how many times to have increase rows between your cast on and the bust line, and where increases fit best into the stitch pattern.

See how this works?  You do want to do gauge swatches so you have the data to work out the answers.

Gauge swatches can also be used to work out the yarn required by figuring the square inches of the gauge swatch against the square inches of the finished project.  Then unraveling the swatch to get the yardage used per square inch, one can then solve for the amount of yarn needed for the square inches of the project.  This may be more involved that most knitters will really want to do, as the tendency is to simply get “extra” so you have it in the stash.

However, there are times that extra is not available, and what is available is perfect for what you have in mind.  It’s a good idea to know if that fabulous yarn would be enough for the project, or if you might want to rethink your plans.  For example, doing a vest rather than a long sleeve cardigan.

Whoo-hoo!  Just finished!

I’m really happy with how these came out, and I am wearing them as I type.  I’ll get better pictures tomorrow when I wash and block them, but here are placeholders pics –

Now, onto the next project!  I’ll get into what I am doing for that with tomorrow’s post.