Sycamore stitch

I recently knit slippers for my son with a cable from my Mon Tricot stitch dictionary, Sycamore Stitch. I'm not going to write up the pattern, but I thought I could at least chart the stitch pattern for people; the written instructions are my own, not a direct copy from the original. Nobody has tested these for me; please let me know if you have problems!

Key:

Right Side: knit; Wrong Side: purl
RS: purl; WS: knit
RS: slip 1 with yarn in back; WS: slip 1 with yarn in front
Slip 1 as if to knit onto cable needle, then the next as if to knit. Bring cable needle to front. Purl 2. Yarn over. Slip the stitches from the cable needle and knit them together through back loop. (Left leaning decrease.)
Slip 2 onto cable needle and let fall to back. Knit 2 together, yarn over. Slip the stitches back from the cable needle; purl 2.
RS: purl through back loop; WS: knit through back loop (results in twisted stitch)

Written instructions for flat knitting:

1: purl 1, knit 2, purl 4, knit 2, purl 1
2: knit 1, purl 2, knit 4, purl 2, knit 1
3: p1, k2, p4, k2, p1
4: k1, p2, k4, p2, k1
5: p1, k2, p4, k2, p1
6: k1, slip 2 with yarn in front, k4, slip 2 with yarn in front, k1
7: p1, slip 1 as if to knit onto cable needle, then the next as if to knit. Bring cable needle to front. P2. Yarn over. Slip the stitches from the cable needle and knit them together through back loop. (Left leaning decrease.) Slip 2 onto cable needle and let fall to back. Knit 2 together, yarn over. Slip the stitches back from the cable needle; p3.
8: k1, p2, k1 through back loop, k2, k1 through back loop, p2, k1

The Secret Code of the Librarians

Back in April 2010, one of the Ravelry groups I belong to started an -along. There are lots of knit-alongs or crochet-alongs or spin-alongs out there - a group of like-minded people work on a particular project or kind of project at the same time, and cheer each other on. In this case, the Friends of Abbys Yarns (started as a fan group for Abby Franquemont's work but continuing as a community as well as a fan group) started the Friends of Abby’s Yarns Spin and Knit Along for Lace, FOAYSAKALFL for short. The goal was to have spun yarn and knit it into a finished lace project by the end of 2010. Only, you know, the rules weren't really that hard and fast. I'm still knitting.

I had some batts that Abby had made just sitting around, and so I thought it would be apt to use those. I decided to use my two Backwoods batts that I picked up at Sock Summit 2009 (photo was taken in late afternoon, so the color is off):

I finished my spinning and plying during the Tour de Fleece 2010 and ended up with about 595 yards of laceweight:

So, what to knit? At first I thought of making a cowl, but that ended up not appealing. Then I hit upon a brainwave: why not encode something meaningful to me? A significant source of numbers for me is my job: I'm a reference librarian. So I figured out the right numbers, worked out a way of encoding them (I had to leave any zeros out, unfortunately), and then started swatching. Some things needed adjusting, but the original numbers are still where they belong, which has the extra benefit that I can tell even more easily when I've gone wrong with my knitting.

I was lucky in that the two numbers I used each had their digits fit nicely in a 27 stitch wide pattern, though I can see some other ways to play around. I will have a blog post after I reveal the secret about how I worked things out.

In the meantime, here is a photo of my work in progress as of yesterday. I blocked it gently with steam from my iron. This is one corner of what will be a crescent-shaped shawl or scarf (depending on how far my yarn goes):

Bunny Ears Back

For the pattern I'm working on, I came up with an interesting decrease that turns out to have been invented more than once already (not really a surprise to me).

The name other people use for it is Bunny Ears Back (because it's a variant of another decrease called Bunny Ears). (There's even a Ravelry group!)

Anyway, I've worked up a handout (also available as a PDF) to go with the pattern. I'd like to share it with you and ask for help in finding confusing spots:

Bunny Ears Back

a centered single decrease

Say you're making mirrored decreases in an upside down V over an odd number of stitches. When you get to the top, you have three stitches left that need to become two. The easy thing to do is to make one decrease and knit the other stitch. However, this isn't symmetrical and can irritate those of us who like parallel construction. I was recently in this situation and came up with an alternative; I was sure I was not the first to think of this, and indeed, I found a group on Ravelry--the Bunny Ears Decrease Fans. (If you're not on Ravelry, a blog post by another inventor of this decrease.)

The quick description of this is that you first start by making a left-leaning decrease with the first two stitches, then pick up the second of the stitches again and make a right leaning decrease. Here are some diagrams:

1. Make a left-leaning decrease in whatever way you prefer. Result:
   
2. Pick up the second stitch with the left needle:
   
3. Knit the two stitches on the left needle together so they lean to the right. (Combination knitters might need to reseat the third stitch so the right leg is in front.)
   

Please let me know if you find this at all confusing!

Pinion, redux

I posted this pattern last year, and will be donating any proceeds from December 2010 to help a friend's friend and his family make it through a personal disaster: he was caught in random violence and needs reconstructive surgery.

---

This lacy tam is worked from the center outwards. The design spirals outward and flows into a ribbed brim. It looks more complicated than it is--if you know how to knit in the round, purl, knit two together, knit three together, and make a yarn over, you can make this hat.

Both charts and written out instructions (in abbreviations) are provided, along with suggestions for modifying the brim size to fit.

Other materials required include a darning needle for working in ends, about a yard of smooth, thin yarn for making a lifeline, and a plate for blocking (about 10 inches or 25cm in diameter).

You shouldn't need a Ravelry account to .

If you have a Ravelry account, here's the pattern page for Pinion.

Thank you!

Fancy Tricot Stitch (No.2)

A stitch from S.F.A. Caulfeild's Dictionary of Needlework, p. 129, rewritten in modern terms.

This is a netlike stitch which stretches vertically, but not particularly horizontally.

Original description:

This is a pretty stitch for handkerchiefs, shawls, etc, or as a stripe for a blanket. Cast on a foundation chain the length required. First row--raise all the loops as in Tricot, and work back very loosely. Second, or pattern row--keep the wool to the front of the work, take up the little stitch at the top of the long loop without drawing the wool through, put the hook from teh back of the work between the next two loops, draw the wool through to the back across the long loop, pass the stitch just formed into the one above the long loop without taking the wool on the hook again, take up the next small stitch above a long loop (the wools should be still in front), insert the hook from the back between the next two long loops, draw the wool to the back, and pass this stitch into the last raised, continue to the end, work back in the usual way very loosely, and repeat the second row.

Modern reinterpretation:

Foundation row: Work one row of Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS) as usual on any number of stitches. Work back as usual, but loosely.

Stitch pattern:

*With yarn in front, insert hook into  the chain loop directly above the second vertical bar. Do not pull a loop through yet.

Now insert the hook from back to front between the second and third vertical bars.

Pull a loop through both this space and the bump on the chain. The yarn remains in front.*

Repeat up to the very last stitch, which is worked as TSS. Work back as usual, very loosely.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Fancy Stitch 2

A stitch from S.F.A. Caulfeild's Dictionary of Needlework, p. 122, rewritten in modern terms.

This stitch forms a lattice with the chains peeking through.  It can have a lovely effect when worked with variegated yarn. It biases strongly to the right. (It ought to be okay in the round, though.)

Original instructions from the book:

A suitable stitch for couvrepieds when made in thick fleecy wool and with a large No. 8 bone hook, but which does not look well worked with fine cotton. Make a foundation chain of an even number of stitches, work a row of Tricot, and work back. Second row--Work the first stitch plain, and then put wool round the hook, bring it out at front, push the hook through the next two long loops, still keeping the wool before the work, put wool round hook, as shown in Fig. 221, and draw it through the two loops. Put wool again round hook, thus making a stitch for the one lost in the work, and continue to end of row; work last stitch plain. Draw the wool back through the edge stitch, and then through two stitches, as in Tricot. The second row is repeated throughout.

Interpretation:

Make a chain with an even number of stitches, and work a foundation row of TSS and back.

Bring the yarn to the front of the hook, and then over.

Bring the yarn over the top of the hook again; you should now have wrapped the yarn around the hook twice.

Insert the hook through the next two vertical loops.

Bring the yarn back to the front so it crosses in front of those two loops.

Gently pull a new loop back through the two loops.

You now have a total of two new loops on the hook.  Repeat the two wraps and purling the two loops together to the end of the row; work the last stitch as usual for TSS. Work back as usual.

(For the knitters among you, this is structurally the same as *yo, p2tog*, except for the chaining back part, though the maneuvers to get there are different.)

Open Raised Tricot Stitch

A stitch from S.F.A. Caulfeild's Dictionary of Needlework, pp. 130-131, rewritten in modern terms.

This is an open, netlike stitch with thick horizontal ridges.

Original description:

A handsome raised stitch used for crossovers, petticoats, and comforters. It should be worked in double Berlin or four thread fleecy wool. Make a foundation chain of the width required, and work a row of Tricot, and then back. Second row--work the first stitch plain, then bring the wool in front of the work and put the hook into the hollow between the first and second loop, allow this to catch hold of the wool at the back, the wool passing from the front to the back over the work, bring the hook back again to the front with the wool on it, put it into the hole between the second and third loops, and let it catch the wool, returning with it on the hook, where there will now be three loops for the one stitch, draw the last made loop through the other two (see fig.248), and retain it on the hook. For the next stitch, put the wool forward, and the hook into the same space as before, between the second and third loops, and repeat from * [transcriber's note: there was no *]. Work the last stitch as the first stitch, and work back in Tricot.

Modern interpretation:

Work a row of regular TSS (the most basic stitch in Tunisian crochet), and work back.

Bring the yarn forward, in front of the hook.

Insert the hook into the space between the first and second stitches, bring the yarn over  to the back, and pull a loop through.

There are now two new loops on the hook.

Insert the hook between the next two stitches, and pull a third loop through.

Pull that loop through the previous two loops.

*Yarn forward, insert the hook into the last space you pulled a loop through, and pull another loop through. Insert the hook into the next unworked space, pull a loop through, and pull the same loop through the previous two loops.* Work the last stitch as you would for Tunisian Simple Stitch, making sure to not pull it tight, as the Open Raised Tricot stitch grows vertically.