Creation: a lace knitting stitch pattern

The word I drew from my word hoard for this stitch pattern is creation, suggested by Katherine, a Patreon supporter. I like the way the top part looks like scales.

Each month, my Patreon backers have the chance to suggest words for me to encode as knitting stitches. I make three of these into knitting stitches each month: the second and third (posted on the first day of the next month) are drawn from the collection of new words; the first is drawn from the collection of unused words. A random number generator helps me choose these, and then I get to work, first turning the letters into numbers, then charting the numbers onto grids in various ways. Finally, when I make the chart into lace, I turn the marked squares into yarnovers and work out where to place the corresponding decreases. (I usually make lace; occasionally I make cables instead.) I also make a chart for any craft that uses a square grid for designing; this goes in a separate post.

The stitch patterns are not meant in any way to look like the original words; the words are the seeds of my creativity.

New shawl pattern – Lacymmetry!

Lacymmetry is a shawl that makes me happy. I like the lace, I love the lines of the shawl, and the way it all came together is just plain satisfying. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Two patterns released: mitts and shawl

 

This week I’ve published two more patterns: a pair of mitts called Meeting-of-the-Waters and Sycamore Creek, a shawl pattern.

Meeting-of-the-Waters (Payhip link) looks like a very plain fingerless mitt pattern, but there’s two twists: one, they’re knit from the top down to make maximum use of your yarn, and two, they’re designed to make a pair of matching mitts from yarn that wouldn’t otherwise make that possible. The trick? Steeks! That is, knitting them in a single piece, cutting them apart, and sewing up the cut edges.

Sycamore Creek (Payhip link) is a very deep shawl with an angled long edge. It covers the wearer’s back nicely and stays on the shoulders. It’s also great for stash busting!

Click through for more about each of these.

Announcing New Hope Creek shawl

New Hope Creek (Payhip link) is designed to be knit with two skeins of yarn that coordinate with each other but that don’t match exactly. The shape is crescent-like — formed by knitting five triangles pointing in alternating directions.

The sample is knit with one muted skein and one that’s wildly variegated with short runs of color; I think of this as one mild and one wild. Many variations are possible: one gradient and one wildly variegated yarn, two self-striping yarns with different length stripes, multiple scrap yarns left over from other projects, even two solid yarns. Instructions are also provided for working with a single yarn.