A bit of holding 2 / moving shapes around

There are many handknit patterns floating around the internet, placing shapes similar to these, with many variations, along with a variety of locations in accessories and sweaters. The same shape discussed in the previous post is shown here placed near and then at the edge of the knit. There are many things to consider in addition to the choice of shape. In hand knitting these patterns are usually knit in garter stitch, a fabric that does a good job of lying flat when completed. Short rows are used in both hand and machine knitting; the Brother G carriage produces it “automatically”, but is not short row friendly. The more practical solution is to try a plain knit version. Edges of the knit are still going to curl toward the purls side. Some of this can be averted by using acrylic or other fiber yarn that responds to being “killed” with ironing/ steaming, and will lie as close to flat as possible after the fact. Section A shows the shape knit with no color change and close to the side of the knit, note the vertical edge remains fairly straight. In section B stitches were cast on, and at the end of the holding sequence all stitches are knit moving from right to left. An increase in the number of stitches cast on is now reflected in the total width of the fabric. The result of multiple repeats would appear as a sort of “ruffle”. In section C the same number of stitches are bound off as cast on. The bind off is critical for shape retention. I prefer a latch tool cast off for most knits, here I used the *transfer over one, knit one* method, note: the turning point sharpness is lost and the bound-off edge is very different from the cast on one. In this instance, because the number of stitches increased and decreased stitches are identical, if repeats were executed and no other increases were made anywhere, the width of the final piece would remain constant. If the goal was to achieve a triangular shape such as in a shawl, increases would have to be made along the edges of the plain knit sections, prior to the color change for section C. In testing repeats I do not wrap any needles. Evaluate whether the extra step is needed when swatching in your final yarn choice.

the swatch 0n_the_edge

planning the shapes, arrows indicate the direction of carriage moves

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cast on stitches are knit as part of the last row

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cast on stitches are bound off prior to last row

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The last sample was also knit using the same yarn, followed by pressing. Again, I did not do any wrapping, and holes created along the edges of the holding sequences are more visible. The swatch was knit from the bottom edge up. The cast on used was a weaving cast on. Both the bottom and the top edges show some of the distortions in the knit caused by the extra rows of knitting that occur in the shapes. Striping is added to the now-familiar sequence, additional colors could be used, with shapes and stripes varied in the placement along with a wider, longer piece of knitting to create interesting repeats. The top shows the start of a larger shape that could be altered to resemble leaves, etc.

for a larger shape  going large

for a striped surroundstriped surroundknit side                                       purl side variations

A bit of holding 1

At a seminar during a visit to California in mid-April just prior to the joys of downsizing and moving I showed this swatch and was asked for instructions for duplicating it.

26141860401_aedba24177_oI have moved, and I finally have a machine set up to prove my ideas. The images below show plotting out repeats in excel odd number of rows knit between shapesodd rows between

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movements of carriage to create each shape pretend knit2If an even number of rows of color 1 is knit between shapes, the yarn is cut at the end of the holding sequence with color 2 (which is made up of an odd number of rows, begins on right, ends on left), a free pass is then made to return carriage to the right, there picking up color 1 for the plain knit sections.even rows betweenSome cut and paste following the direction of the arrows to work out knitting several shapes in any one row: in this instance the first row knit with color 2 is from left to right, as is the last row. Even-numbered rows in color 1 would start and end on the same side, COL. If changes of any 2 colors in any technique are for an even number of rows, yarn ends will occur on the same side.cut and pasteMy original sample was made knitting single shapes with an even number of knit rows between them. A reminder: Studio needle positions are A,B,C,D,  Brother needle positions  are A,B,D,E.  Holding position for Studio = D, for Brother = E. Upper work position for Studio = C, for Brother D. Settings for both are indicated below, for Studio, then (Brother)

color 1 cast on 60 stitches, knit 20 (or X) rows, end COR
first shape:  COR color 2 knit one row, end COL
COL on the right, bring 27 stitches to hold D (E) position. The rule is usually to always wrap taking yarn around the first needle in hold D (E) position, then to knit one row. I found in my samples the holes created were so small they could hardly be seen, so I did not wrap.
COR on the left, bring 27 stitches to hold D (E) position (6 stitches now in work), knit one row
holding sequence for each “shape”
COL at right, push 2 needles to work position C (D), knit one row
COR at left push 2 needles to work position C (D), knit one row
COL at right, push 2 needles to work position C (D), knit one row
COR at left push 2 needles to work position C (D), knit one row
COL at right return 2 needles to hold D (E) position, knit one row
COR at left return 2 needles to hold D (E) position, knit one row
COL at right return 2 needles to hold D (E) position, knit one row
COR at left return 2 needles to hold D (E) position, knit one row
COL return needles to right of shape to work position C (D), knit one row
COR return needles to left of shape to work position C (D), knit one row
COL  cut color 2, make free carriage pass carriage to the right
COR change to color 1, knit the desired number of rows (20) end COR
COR for the second shape with color 2 knit one row, end COL
COL at right bring 40 needles to hold D (E) position, knit one row
COR on the left, bring 14 stitches to hold D (E) position, knit one row
“Always wrap taking yarn around the first needle in D (E) position, knit one row”, repeat shaping as directed above
COR change color 1, knit the desired number of rows (20) end COR
for the third shape
COR with color 2 knit one row, end COL
COL at right bring 14 needles to hold D (E) position, knit one row
COR on the left, bring 40 stitches to hold D (E) position, knit one row
repeat shaping and /or wrapping as directed above
change to color 1, knit the desired number of rows (20), bind off